There comes a time in your baby’s life when diaper changes start looking more like a wrestling match than a diaper change.
It starts as usual: you lay your baby on the changing pad, unbutton the onesie and right as you’re about to change that diaper your baby starts kicking, screaming and tries to turn around.
What happened to this sweet baby that wouldn’t move when you were changing a diaper? And who is this little creature that is now trying to get poop everywhere?
You can’t hold you baby down and change a diaper. Plus no one wants to change a diaper of a crying baby. And if you try to change the diaper while they’re moving the risk of getting poop all over the place is big!
I fear poop the most. Really.
So what do you do?
I have found this one tip has done the trick with my kids. Ever since doing this I can change their diapers and not have to worry about them flipping over.
The trick:
You need to distract your baby but what you distract them with it’s what matters.
I used to give my baby a toy when I laid her down on the changing pad but that only worked the first few times, soon after she would start turning around or she would start kicking me. I wouldn’t be able to change her diaper and if I did, it would be messy.
As time went by it started getting harder and harder to change those diapers and nothing seemed to distract her long enough.
Then it hit me, I have to distract her with things she doesn’t play with. If you give your baby something they’re not using to playing with, they will be so entertained that you will have enough time to change that diaper. After all, babies are little explorers.
I’ve found that anything in my bathroom (where we keep our changing table) works for distracting her. I give her whatever is close to me that she can’t open or get hurt with. I’ve given her a hair brush, a pack of wipes, a closed toothpaste, my deodorant, toilet paper, mascara, contact lens case, you name it. If it’s safe enough for her to play with while I’m changing her I will give it to her.
The novelty of the item keeps her busy long enough for me to change her diaper without having to wrestle her and because I always give her a different item this trick works every time.
Now when I’m going to change the diaper I lay her down and immediately give her something of mine. Then I proceed to do the diaper change.
If your changing station is in the baby’s room make sure you bring with you something interesting to keep her busy before you set her on that table. Also, make sure you bring something different each time. You can repeat the items just don’t repeat them too often or the novelty will wear off and your baby will go back to fighting diaper changes.
It’s that simple – distract your baby with an item they don’t have regular access to.
So, that’s my trick. What’s yours? How do you change your baby’s diaper without having to wrestle her?
That’s a really great trick. I have to do that with my toddler too. For example, I can only change his morning diaper if he’s “brushing” his teeth (aka sucking on the toothbrush).
Haha! That’s the best way, distracting them with something very interesting! 🙂
Genius!! I’m going to be trying this starting tomorrow!
Awesome! Let me know how it goes.
Well. Your trick doesn’t work for me. Been there, a-ha. He turn to him tummy for any exploration experience! Finally, I’ve ended up with combining a few things. First, I potty train him when we are home (started at three months old). Then, I’m also using cloth diapers which are much easier to put on when he is lying face down. Should I mention I have also learnt to put a regular diaper in a face-down and vertical positions? Vertical works neatest! But the most convenient is putting on a cloth diaper on snaps.
Wow! That sounds pretty amazing. It’s crazy the things you learn to do when you have kids. 🙂
That’s fabulous parenting
Give them something that in the future
You are going to be telling them they are not allowed