Changing baby is becoming such a challenge!!

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Can anyone help?
Changing my nine-month-old son has now become a marathon, as he constantly turns over, wriggles like mad and crawls until he nearly falls off the mat. Changing his nappy has become particularly difficult!
People tell me this is normal for boys, but I find what should be a simple, quick task now takes ages!!
Is this something I just need to learn the art of, or has anyone any ideas on how to keep him a bit calmer? Giving him distractions doesn;t seem to work!

I saw someone changing her baby (girl) upside down once - the woman was leaning over the baby's head to change the nappy. I thought it was a brilliant idea lol lol!

When DS started to do that, I just rolled him back and firmly said "no". I also held both his legs up in the air with one hand so his bottom was slightly off the mat - he couldn't wriggle as easily then

Give him something heavy to hold

and use your elbows

Seriously - it is tough - my dd3 is the same age as your lo - you just have to be quick!

knees help

i do the upside down changing. tis the only way i can do it (without chloroform!!)

Thanks for all the advice everyone; I will experiment!!

Thanks for all the advice everyone; I will experiment!!

Had to buy a mat with a harness for my youngest 2! Brilliant idea, i thoroughly recommend it BTW

Thanks mitch. Where can you get these?

i do upside down changing, but with baby upside down, standing on head!

its an art if you can manage it!

good luck, they do get to an age where they become more compliant again, but my ds is 14mo and still going strong, tis such fun!

I learnt a trick of laying him on the floor and using one leg to hold him down. Dont think I could demonstrate it nearly 5 years later though. The joints have gone. (mine)

Hi. Sorry for delay in replying... I bought mine in Boots. Brand name is Rabbit.

My DD was the same when she first learnt how to crawl but at 13 months she became compliant again. I pinned her down with a leg for dirty nappies and changed her standing up for wet ones. Noe I give her a book to read - tiny books you can buy are ideal!

hi, my dd now 17 months was a nightmare at this age. had changing table which i was sure she was going to roll off - ended up on floor with changing mat. she is now great and just talks to me while i'm doing it. i used books and various other distractions but holding her down with my knee was the best

usually a toy worked with mine failing htat lifting her bottom off the mat also worked. she's just started wanting to 'help'.

At nine months I started changing dd other way up (i.e. face down across my lap or knee) with toy for her to play with.

As soon as she was pulling up (10 months) I started using pull-ups (a godsend). This did the trick for dd1 too

Never have any problems now, and much easier to hold her if she does try to crawl away. It's also easier when you are out, and you don't need a changing mat (she never seemed to wee when being changed at that age - can't speak for boys, you may need to put paper down )

I sit on the floor with my legs straight and slightly spread, 16mo Ds between them.

If i can't distract him with a toy or the tv, i pretty much use my legs to pin his arms to the floor.

I dont hurt him, and never use pressure, but he's lately started trying to get his hands in his nappy, and its the only way i can keep him from getting up and running off mid-change.

You can also use same postion to pin the legs down to fasten nappy and poppers without ending up trying to do the bodysuit up crawling behind a child who's trying to make a break for it.

i just change DD2 lying on my lap - easier to keep a hold of her.

My dd (nearly 8mo) is a frickin nightmare to change! By the end of what should be a quick and easy nappy change, I'm hot, bothered and rocking back and forth muttering to myself. Getting her changed and clothed now takes about 20 minutes. I suffer from back problems so I have no choice but to use the changing table, being on the floor would really damage my back.

I usually find that giving her something (toy, hairbrush, book) to play with buys me 5 minutes of nearly still time. So I have to be quick!

I now dread having to change her, I thought when they started to crawl it'd be cute. It was for all of 2 days. She's flung herself off things, into things, into her etc. The dog no longer goes near her for fear of being attacked again!

Nightmare!!!

Honestly, if you can - use pull-ups it's totally the answer, whichever way you change them

Oh I remember this stage was like trying to get a wrestler into a nappy and I remeber once my dad was looking after him so I could go on a trip with dd's nursey and I forgot to warn him. Well of course ds save his grandad the pooey one and my dad says it was like 3 falls 2 submissions getting him into the nappy.

I did what another poster said and that was legs straight slightly spread could bend my knees and move about a bit when he looked like he was going to take off. Although I have also been found holding onto ds by the feet/anlkes (you know the way you grab them to life their bum) with him flipped onto his front rigid so he is standing on his head and he is laughing his socks off while I am shouting dh to help cause there is poo everywhere and I can't flip him right way up.

ineedacleaner - lol. Have been there with the poo everywhere. I have been know to grab her under the arms, hold at arms length, take her upstairs and hose her down with the shower!!! I then stick her in her cot for a mo whilst I deal with 'fall out' downstairs (unless dd1 (2.5) has already started cleaning up the poo with baby wipes!! She's a good 'un!!).
I also forgot to tell my mom about pull ups. DDs did poos and my mom thought you could only pull them up/down like pants, so she was in a right mess. When I showed her the tear down strips onthe sides she was NOT amused (I had to supress giggles).
Just discovered with dd2 She is far more compliant if I put a warm snuggly blanket on the change mat.