Changing nappy behaviour issues

[Mummynat]

My son is 11.5 months old and hates having his nappy changed, he screams as i start to put him down, i try to calm him by singing songs although this amuses him for only a few seconds.

He finds it really funny to kick me (and it quite hurts), the more i tell him off, say "no", push his legs away from me, pretend to cry, pretend to be angry, the funnier he finds it.  His legs are flying everywhere and i cant seem to control him.

Are there any tactics to use to stop him doing this (his attention span with his toys on the mat lasts maybe 30 seconds, if that)....each nappy change is getting more and more stressful and i need to find an end to this.

[nextcommercial]

Well, unless you are playing along with him, pretending to cry and pretending to be angry is just setting him up.  You are giving him a control over you that any kid would want, but in a few years, this control can get out of hand, and he will still enjoy hitting and kicking you.

There's nothing wrong with stopping his feet with your hands when he's trying to hurt you.  Would you stand there and let your spouse kick you?  It's not "ungentle" to refuse to be hit or kicked.  Being gentle does not mean allowing him to cause you pain.

As for the diaper change, just do it fast, leave out whatever steps you can (wipes, cream etc)  Do it on the floor, quickly, and then let him go.  The messy diapers will take longer, but for the wet only diapers, just learn to  be as fast and stealthy as you can... even if that means change him as he's standing up.

[newmamalizzy]

Definitely learn to change him "on the fly."  Don't know if he walks yet, but don't lay him down (for pee) until he's naked and wiped.  Just whip that diaper off and give him a quick wipe as he plays.  Bring the diaper to wherever he is, set it up, lay him down on it and close it up, then he's back on his way.  Poop is harder.  For a while (somewhere in the 12 - 18 month range) I always changed her poopy diapers in the bathroom with the door closed.  I'd let her stand up as I took the diaper off, getting as much off with the diaper as a could, then wipe her bum, lay her down on a towel to get the rest.  This diaper-fighting thing was really a pretty short phase for us.  Hopefully it will be for you, too!
 

[Shami]

My second daughter is strong and at only 8 months old I am struggling to change her.  She twists and pushes off with her feet.

I stopped using the changing table.  I do it fast on the floor.  If she cooperates then it's great.  As soon as she starts to twist, I throw my leg over her chest.  I sort of pin her shoulders down with my leg.  It's really unfortunate that I have to do that, but I am not strong enough to hold her down and do the diaper.  I have to use my leg.
 

I'll be glad when I can diaper her standing up and 'on the fly'.

[skycheattraffic]

Ugh, browser ate my reply. I'll post the short version:
Squirmy, rolly baby then, busy toddler now.
6 months: abandoned diaper changes with DD laying on her back. Learned to diaper her on her belly.
9 months: started changing her standing. She was just learning to pull up and she at least wasn't crawling away when standing.
11 months: desperate to use the washroom with a clingy baby, I started putting her on a potty while I used the toilet. Started catching most poops which were SO much easier to clean out of a potty than off her bum.
I highly recommend using a potty with squirmy, active babies and toddlers. She sits, we read or sing or play and it's always a quick wipe to clean her up, then I chase her down with a clean diap and dump the potty at my leisure. It is part of our changing routine and breaks it up a bit. Even when nothing happens on the potty, it sort of defuses the diaper struggle. Good luck! I SO have been (and still am) there with the flailing legs and fighting to run away.