Prefolding Mamas with older/wiggly babies- How do you do it????!!

[GreenGranolaMama]

DS is now 10mo and super wiggly during diaper changes! We change on the floor/ bed so falling isn't an issue, but I am having a super hard time getting his prefolds on him! We use Snappis and I love them- I try and use the same cover for a few changes throughout the day so I am not doing so much laundry - we've tried the tri fold method before but, in the event of a poop, it is super gross.

What is your method?

[kickinitbabystyle]

I would just tell ds that he needed to get his diaper changed, and after just sitting there holding him (gently of course) a few times we have been able to change fairly easy ever since. It may also help to have the pf folded and ready so you can just sit him in it and go.

[Katie T]

I just wrestle with DD till I manage to get it on her lol. My mom used to place her feet in me and my siblings arm pits to hold them from rolling during diaper changes (gently of course). I don't know why I don't do that cause DD is really good at getting away from me. Sometimes it takes several minutes to get a diaper on her let alone the cover.

I have tried holding her firmly and talking with her but she is a spitfire and doesn't care lol. I'm interested to see what others have come up with.

[Everrgreen]

Distraction. I will grab something (anything really, but it helps if it's something new 'oh look here's a bottle of lotion') and quickly change the diaper while he's distracted by the new object. Sometimes singing to him is enough to distract him.

[Adsullata]

IME, restraining the lo, no matter how gently, backfires and only makes the situation worse as they get older. Dipe changes are still often a challenge for us now at 22 mos, but DH and I just keep drawing on every ounce of creativity we can muster to help it happen. (I am one who cannot stand leaving my little one in wet dipes at all and prefer very frequent changes too.) I have succumbed to the restraint methods more than once and have regretted it immensely, not only for how wrong it feels afterward, but then dd started crying as soon as we said the words 'diaper change'.

At about 10 mos to 17 mos or so (give or take a month), we would give her toys or books to play with or 'read' and she would be distracted by that long enough to get it changed, snappied and all. I also engage her in the process- have her hold the fresh dipey or the wipe or get her cover off so she can feel the wet diaper (we use fleece liners, so I don't think she feels the wet as much). I talk to her about it in words that make it fun and playful. Or as I tell my dh, you gotta 'sell' it to them- make it sound really fun and exciting, like a trip somewhere to the magic fresh dipes.

Lately tho the toys and books aren't working as much, so I'm having to get even more creative with the use of stories and talk to her more about the fabulous fresh dipeys waiting to hug her. Just recently she's exploding with words and sentences and she cracked me up yesterday when for the first time she says, "fresh dipe! fresh dipe!"

It still isn't always smooth sailing, but I think it helps me to remember that's because she is her own person who is discovering her own wants, needs and preferences and it's my job to meet her halfway, not force her to do what I think she should.

[Sheryl1678]

What about some kind of pull up diaper? There are a variety of pull on, snap off trainers, covers and AIOs.

I started doing vertical changes with both my daughters at around 6 mo old and they are MUCH more cooperative. I usually sit them on my lap facing out and they have no problem being changed that way. Obviously it is different if they need to be cleaned from a soiled diaper but for the most part we can pull the old one off and put a new one on without ever placing them on their backs.

[luckygreen713]

I use pf's too, and there is definitely an age/stage when they become challenging to put on. For us, it didn't last long. I would grab something that I hoped would be interesting to her to hold while I changed her. It helped if this item was not a toy or something meant for children--stuff like the remote, the phone, sunglasses, or like a pp said, a bottle of lotion
Also, for some reason, asking my girls what sounds a particular animal makes seems to captivate them long enough for changing them. DD2 is 2yo and is now mostly cooperative for her diaper changes, but sometimes she's in the mood to wiggle and squirm, and just generally try to get away. But if I say "hey, what does a goat say?", she gets distracted and will play along, often continuing even after she's changed. DD1 was the same way.

[Michigan Mama]

Sometimes singing works for us. But to be honest, I'm converting all my regular size pf's to prefitteds. I'm just too impatient and I love the way they fit. : )

[Carhootel]

bribery

seriously though, car keys are great for diaper changes, so is the bottle of teething tablets that is usually next to the changing table. or the baby thermometer, or the baby nail clippers (closed), anything that will hold his interest for about 20 seconds

[lifeguard]

I only do changes on the change table if we are at home. He knows that when we go up there what is going to happen & he can cry if he needs to but the diaper change is still going to happen (that sounds so much harsher than it actually is).

I did give up on the snappi some time ago though & just trifold in the cover, I always found there was some poop on the cover anyway & imo if there is even a dot of poop on the cover it needs to be washed.