Need ideas for handling DD kicking me at diaper change

[mamacolleen]

It's not every time, but a lot of the time, DD (21 months) kicks me while I'm changing her diaper. She's laughing as she does it and then says "funny, funny". It's been going on for months. She'll stop for a while and then start again.

I've tried ignoring it (this worked with her biting phase), holding her legs, telling her to "be gentle, that hurts", momentarily stopping the diaper change and removing myself a little from her telling her "that hurts", turning it into a game (calling them kickles and tickling her, or getting her to kick her feet into her socks and pants), and getting serious, frowning and telling her "stop that hurts mama. i don't like that behaviour". Everything results in more laughter, more kicking and more telling me it's funny.

I do at times change her diaper standing up but I can't do this with her poopy diapers and when she's wearing cloth (we use prefolds and I can not figure out how to put that on with her standing up).

Any other suggestions?

[mamazee]

The only other suggestion I can think of is to give her something to hold onto at diaper changes that is distracting. Something she might not be allowed to play with normally. I remember with my older dd, I had a piece of bubble wrap she would hold during diaper changes. She was mesmerized.

[koalove]

yeah, i was going to say that too~ let her hold something.  my 21 month old loves to kick me as well, or reach down and grab the poop.  ds loves to hold a wipe and wash his face.  maybe your lo would wash her feet (to keep them off of you!) while you change her?  could you put a little salve or lotion or something on her toes and have her wash it off while you are cleaning her up?