The diaper wars!

[EmmysMama]

What the heck do you do when they start resisting diaper changes?

Resisting sounds far too mild. So, what do you do when they start to run screaming from diapers, hit and kick through the change, roll over, run away again, throw things, and cry the whole time like you're beating them!?

Yesterday our mail lady brought a package to the door during a diaper change, and when I finally got one on her and opened the door, she asked "What did she DO!?" She thought I was spanking her!

I've already tried changing it in different places, and letting her stand up. Neither works. I just end up with poop in a different room than normal, standing up lets her run away quicker. Anything I let her hold for distraction ends up covered in poop and then thrown at my face. The only way to get it done is to chase her and hold her down. This is not going to work long-term because first, I HATE IT, and second, the baby is spending far too much time crying while I chase DD1/hold her down/wipe/wrestle the new one on/etc. I can't wear her through changes because of the violence and flying poop.

She absolutely refuses to try out the potty.

[sapphire_chan]

Duck tape? As in, hand her a whole roll of it and let her go to town? Since it's sticky it'd be harder for her to move her hands from it to the diaper.

Change her in the bathtub? It'd hopefully contain her and it's at least cleaned more readily than other places in the house. And when she smears poop all over she's right there for a good wash.

Bribery or television? My first thought was to take her outdoors, but that's not happening this time of year so treats and television are the next best substitutes.

Is she prone to diaper rashes? Could you afford to make a bit of a game of it? "You have a poopy diaper!!! I'm going to change it!!!" and try running around waving a clean diaper and some wipes at her until she goes ahead and lays down to get changed? Obviously not something you can do if she'll end up red and in pain if there's a delay, but it's something that's worked with my dd when it comes to getting dressed.

You mentioned changing her in different places, have you given her a choice about where to get changed? (I'm guessing yes, but thought I'd mention it just in case.)

[EmmysMama]

I never thought of duct tape.

Bribery, television, and games (choice too) work until the actual change starts. Then she's up and running. She'll lay down easily but once I undo the diaper she immediately tries to roll over, pull it off, and scream in my face.

She is pretty prone to rashes, we both have really sensitive skin. So I really *have* to chase her down and do it pretty early.

She's so very verbal I've even tried to explain the connection. "You pooped." She knows she did, she goes away from me to do it and sometimes will TELL me, but still not want me to change her. "We have to clean it off." Doesn't believe me, I guess! "Let's do it super fast!" No dice. "If you sit on the potty to poop, we won't have to change diapers." Still not interested. She just says "I poop. No change! NOOOOOO! No potty! NOOOOOO!"

[swd12422]

I don't know if you do this, but can you get her involved in the poop dumping? (Even if you use disposables, you're "supposed" to dump what you can in the toilet, but even if you haven't been, you could start, just to give her a job to do....) My son's "job" is to cooperate during the diaper change. When he does, he gets to flush the toilet. If he doesn't cooperate I get to have all the fun. He's a few months older than your DD, but he is really starting to want/need "jobs" and responsibility.

So especially with stuff that he's either too interested in (the dog) or not interested in enough (diaper changes) he has jobs to do. He flushes the toilet after a diaper change and every time I use the toilet. He carries the dog bowl to the food, helps me count the cups, and carries it back to the dog. He is in charge of all post-walk dog treats too. As soon as we started doing this, he stopped running after the dog to watch and help him eat his treats, and stopped putting his hands and face near the dog bowl while the dog is eating.

Diaper changes are still a bit of a struggle, but reminding him of the impending toilet flush helps him cooperate a bit more. Okay, so it's bribery of a sort.... But it's working for us at the moment....

[sapphire_chan]

ooo that's a fabulous idea, dd loves jobs too


and if that doesn't work, I'd change her in the tub for awhile

[lovebug]

[anechka]

I think you should try putting her on potty. Kids often say things that they do not mean, and just because she says she does not want to go potty, does not mean that she won't actually do it.

If I were you, I would start putting some very cute cotton undewear on her. If she poops or pees into it, she will be VERY uncomfortable and perhaps, will be more willing to change and use potty more often. Of course, you would have to temporarly sacrifice your carpet (if you have one). My daughter peed on it a lot when I stopped putting diapers on her. But it is not a big deal, the carpet dried up and does not even smell.