My son has started crying and fighting to roll over whenever we try to change his diaper. I have a variety of toys that I hand him to keep him distracted but sometimes he throws them just as fast as I give them. He doesn't have a rash or any redness in his diaper area, so I don't think he's in pain. Is this normal or is this a preview of some combative behavior we'll have to work through?
Have you tried to just let him go with out a diaper? Not all day but for a few mins after you know he has just gone to the bathroom? He just might not like to have a diaper on?! I have also heared that is the best way for boys to learn to use the potty.
This is normal. It lasts maybe a few months. If you have a changing table and it has a strap, then buckle him down.
Hey M.,
This is soooooooo normal. As a professional nanny and a mom of a 17 month old, this happens with almost every child. As a nanny I can't do much about it, but with my own son, this is what we do and it works wonders! May go totally against what most books say, but it is the method my parents used with me and the method we use with our son. We take a wooden spoon and say no kicking, be still please, if he continues to kick, we give him a small little spat on the side of the leg. He cries for a second, but does not throw any more fits and lays still for his diaper change. We only had to do it for about 3 days, and now when I get the diaper and wipes, I automatically get the spoon and he lays still. Sometimes he points to the spoon and I let him play with it while I change him. He is a very happy peaceful child and the little spat on the side of the leg will not cause him to grow up and be an abuser. My parents did it with me and I have never hit anyone in my life! however, you have to go with what you feel is right for you.
Hope this helps,
Blessings to you,
T.
Socks on the hand, stickers, and tape are all good things to do. I found that not using the changing table and instead changing them on the bed worked best for us. Something about the changing table made both of my kids miserable. On the bed, it was simple. I use cloth diapers but still became a master at changing my son in a matter of seconds when he stood up if we were in a restaurant since the diaper stations in there were disasters too. Good luck!
It's a normal phase most children go through, don't worry, it will pass.
Yep. Pretty normal. They fight for about a year. Its a pain, but you'll figure out some tricks to get through it. I'm not sure what the development stage is that causes it, but its pretty normal.
my little guy does the same thing (not always, but usually)...i've also had luck with putting him ont the floor for a change of scenery or, i put a music box near his changing table that i only put on when he's laying up there & he loves that. good luck :)
My son still does it, not as often as he used to but he does. We figure out it was because laying down was giving him stomache ache (Colic baby) adn therefore, he doesn't like laying down on his back.
That's when we changed him to the pull-ups training diapers and he does just fine. because you can change them while he is standing up and it also helps him learn how to pull his clothe down for potty training!!
I have an 11-month old & this is totally normal!! My son does this all the time. I find he is more "cooperative" when I change him on the changing table (upstairs in his room) rather than the ground (downstairs). Not sure what the difference is, but that seems to help.
Good luck!
My little guy loved mobiles, maybe you could find one that will attach to the changing area. the music and motion often calmed him.
The ONLY thing that worked when my son was like this was to change him on the floor next to the tv so he could watch Blue's Clues. Seriously, it was impossible to change him any other way. (Don't worry about fostering some kind of television addiction- He's four now and barely ever watches...) You just have to do whatever works for your child until he grows out of it or starts potty training. FWIW, my son has a pretty combative personality which gave us a challenge with the training as well. Hopefully your little guy will not follow suit :) GL
I am going through the same thing with my daughter and she's 15 months old now. She has a HUGE fit too! I agree with the other moms though...all my children went through this phase. It's a very busy and curious age and children don't want to miss ANytHING!
Mine does this too! Yesterday I put one of his sister's socks over his hand and it surprised him enough to distract him long enough to change him. I have put stickers on his arm and that distracts too. Hope this helps. Good luck!
my daughte did the same thing. i used to have to sing her songs or let her look at family photos.
It's totally normal! They just don't want to "miss" anything while getting their diaper changed.....continue the distraction toys my friend bought a cheapie bubble machine and it works great with her child.....I sing and do distraction toys and just do the change as fast as I can. The main thing is that you need to show your child you are in control and you are not going to allow him to roll over! This too shall pass mom!!! LOL
Yup, normal. We did a few things to get through this stage. We either sang songs to them and tried to involve them in singing or huming the end of each line or we gave them a special something to play with that was only for changing time. For my youngest son, it was his Nana's bracelet. For my oldest son, it was a spray bottle of water. Find what makes your son "tick" and then make sure it's only available at changing time.
Very normal. He just doesn't want to stop whatever he was doing before the diaper change became necessary. You will remember this when he gets older and potty trains, and wets his pants because he didn't want to stop doing something to go use the potty. It's the same thing. He's just too busy to want to stop and lie there. Would you want to be on the receiving end of it? Of course not, it's boring. And he is learning autonomy, too. He wants to decide what to do.. that's normal too.
Hang in there... It's a phase and you'll get through it.
I agree with the other postings, you already got some real great insight, the one thing I would add is, alowing your child to help. I found that asking them to help me get the diapers & wipes out helped to distract them from what they were doing & transitioned them into what I was doing with them. Mine actually responded well to this, they loved being able to hand me the things as I needed them & it makes them feel some control over what is happening. They love control at this age, even if it is only percieved control.
Normal. (Don't let so-called "experts" give you a psychiatric diagnosis for behavior well within the normal range in later life, either...)
Check out those child development books every time you start seeing new behaviors... Around now (or maybe he's a little early? I forgot, exactly) - he is discovering that he HAS a will of his own. It's not exactly a fun period, from this respect...but - when he learns, around age 18 or so, that he can go out on his own, become responsible for his own life, pay his own way, etc...(well - that is painful for other reasons...but - it IS a proud period, too...seeing him become a successful father and husband, etc, etc...)
But - this step along the way is necessary...You can't talk him out of being difficult, you MAY be able to distract him with something he DOES want to do while you take care of business...I used to give them something I normally wouldn't let them play with - not dangerous, of course, but something that required my close supervision while they had it, they were curious enough to stop fighting for a moment, etc. It was not easy to avoid a battle of wills...but - as best you can - for all such battles (and there will be many :-) try to make the solution a win/win and not a "my way of the highway" situation...and save the "my way of the highway" for "don't drink and drive" and "don't do drugs" sort of issues... I'm not saying give in and let him win and you lose... I'm saying find a way so everybody wins whenever possible... He will learn early that that is how you work things and will be much more likely to let you know when he feels like he is losing, will be much more likely to entertain you getting your needs met when there are disagreements about how things are going to happen, etc, etc... (see: it's normal - and now sets the tone - and - sometimes, for now, he'll just be angry - and - without upset, make sure he sees - you don't have to tell him, he will see - that, ultimately, you decide what is best for him right now - and - eventually those diapers HAVE to be changed! :-)
Enjoy!
Hi M.!!This is so normal just be patient,give him something to play with I give my son my keys or the phone!!PLEASE do not hit your child with a wooden spoon as another post suggested ...I dont understand people,what is that teaching your child??Anyway hang in there I know it is frustrating but it will get better soon!!!
