Diaper changes are torture!!! Help!!

[staryla]

Hi all,

I've been LOVING my prefolds and Thirsties covers since my baby was born. He is now almost one year old. Initially diaper changes were a joyful and fun play time while he laid on his back on the changing table and I changed his diaper.

In the past month he has gotten a LOT more active and sitting still is just not on the agenda. As soon as I go to lay him down he screams like I am sticking needles into him and twists violently to get away. We no longer use the changing area and only change him on the floor (for safety). Recently I have had to restrain him by laying my leg across his body to hold him still long enough to Snappi and place the cover on! I feel terrible doing this.

Sometimes I am able to get the diaper on him while he is standing--but he isn't quite a good stander yet. Plus trying to maintain tension at three points to Snappi the diaper is VERY DIFFICULT to do while he is standing. Often once I get the diaper on I'll let him run around without a cover because I am so worn out from that part. I've tried just placing the diaper in the cover, but can't get everything to stay together when I do this--this is why we've always Snappied.

I've never wanted to use disposables, but they look so EASY and FAST. I've never even bought any--but they are currently on my grocery list. I can't imagine trying to change him in a public place. If I were to attempt a diaper change at a changing station in a bathroom I'd need someone else to hold him down (not quite flexible enough to get my leg up that far)!
As a result of all this, I am afraid that my husband and I are letting him sit in a wet diaper longer. We are certainly doing fewer diaper changes. I avoid going out in public for extended time periods because I am terrified of changing his diaper.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[ShwarmaQueen]

First of all, it's normal at that age for him to hate diaper changes. With all of his newly aquired mobility skills, he hates laying still. You'd have that problem in disposables too.

Have you tried a distraction technique? The keys? The remote? Your cell phone or some other "forbidden" item?

Otherwise, you could venture into fitteds/pockets/AIOs, as I hear is more common at that stage for that reason.

HTH!

[lizzylou]

My son is about the same age and I also use prefolds and Thirsties. For awhile I was changing him on the floor, but I have since gone back to using the changing table. He seems to understand that when he is on the changing table he needs to just chill out for a minute while I change him. I am not sure how he developed this association - we did have some difficult moments in the past. This is not to say that he doesn't protest... he will sometimes start crying when I lay him down. I do try to give him some advance warning - "time to change your diaper". I also keep some toys near the table to distract him (bulb syringe and spray bottle of water are his favs). And when all else fails I sing and throw his diapers in the air... he likes that.

[leavemealone]

I often have to do the same "leg over the child" technique to change a diaper. I don't like doing it, but it's the only way I can get the diaper changed. I don't have to really put any pressure on him - he just thinks he can't move so he doesn't try. I have found that velcro/aplix is my best friend! My child's squimyness is the reason I don't really like diapers with snaps.

I do find that if I hand him a toy, he might be a little bit more calm, but not always. I don't know much about prefolds, but do you have to have the snappi with a prefold or could you do without that step? Maybe try one or two pocket diapers with velcro/aplix (not invest in a lot, but maybe one or two to see how it goes)? If all else fails, remember this is probably just a stage and he'll probably calm down once the novelty of being mobile wears off.

[Gabes Mommy]

Try a distraction, and have a few toys handy that may do the job. My LO didn't want the same toy everytime. You may want to have some pocket or AIO dipes handy just in case you need them. They're the most like sposies (esp. if they have velcro/aplix). It's a lot easier for me to change a BG on my son than pin or snappi a prefold.

[SleeplessMommy]

I would offer to give the dipe to our cat, his stuffed animal, etc. He did not like the dipes, but they were HIS, and he would agree to wear a diaper rather than give it to the cat. (cat never got one, BTW)

[octobermom]

Honestly there was a point I invested in a dozen work horse AIOs I could change standing up just for these days.. For semi coperation I could do a trifolded prefold layed in a cover.

Deanna

[kickinitbabystyle]

I know this may sound crazy, but when DS decided to fight diaper changes, I started changing him on my lap. I think some mamas refer to it as 'changing on the knee'...? He didn't squirm nearly as much, I assume because of the awkward position. But, it didn't long for him to realize it would be much easier to just lay there and get it over with.
It will pass, just hang in there!

[Ifluffedthree]

Its par for the course for the age. Happened with all of my children.

Have a distraction available to hand them at the time they begin to fuss.

[MommaG]

I've been dealing with the same thing! My son is 9 1/2 months old and wants to crawl away. I usually try to distract him by singing the ABCs or giving him toys. Sometimes it works and other time's it doesn't.

[nia82]

Same here. Eversince he could crawl... He's now a year. I change between floor and changing table, distractions, singing. But every forbidden item only is interesting for so long, every week I have to introduce something new....
I just got some AOIs (10) for the night and squirmy moments. They have yet to arrive, I'll see how that works.