Nappy change help needed!!

Help! Trying to change DS's pooey nappy on my own is getting extraordinarily difficult. He wiggles and arches and tries to crawl away. He cries. He kicks. He sticks his hands down to grab his penis and gets poo all over them.

Its like I need three sets of hands- one for his legs, one for his hands and another to wipe. Many times we have ended up in a kind of disaster situation with him running around the room half dressed with poo flying in strange directions. Its not nice.

Does anyone have any tips? I've tried giving toys/ books etc, but they either get thrown away or he ends up sticking them between his legs so they get pooey as well! Sometimes changing him in front of the telly works a little, but its not consistent.

Is there some special kind of hold I don't know?! :lol: I'm getting a bit sick of this struggle twice a day!

I know this sounds really awful (and it feels really horrible to do), but when DS was going through the 'being changed is the worst possible thing that could happen to me and I'll do anything and everything to wriggle out of it whilst screaming blue murder' phase, the only thing I could do (after trying every distraction in the book) was change him on the floor, with my legs holding his shoulders down as gently as possible so that he couldn't roll away. He hated it. I hated doing it, it felt like I was physically overpowering him. But seeing that he hated it no matter what I did, it seemed preferable as it let me get it over and done with much quicker than if he was rolling around getting poo everywhere.

And after what seemed like an eternity, he decided that he was no longer bothered by being changed, or realised that it was in his best interests to lie still whilst I changed him. To the point that now he climbs up on the table himself, lies down and waits for me to change him. (So there is hope - it won't always be this bad!).

Good luck! :hug:

what about those nappy pants where you put them on while they are standing up? Not pull-ups, they are a proper nappy but go on like jocks

We used to have the same dramas with DD. I used to either wait until DH came home (if it wasn't too long) or change her on the floor with one elbow on her chest and kneeling over her legs so that there was pressure on them enough so she couldn't get away.
Like Suse said though it does pass....thank goodness.

Oh :rolleyes: I know all about this one too! For a while there I was doing all nappy changes with her standing up, holding onto the washing basket!

Now I tell her its "nappy time", I pat the floor (I have always changed on the floor) and put her nappy on the spot, then lie her down. If she starts to wriggle etc I say "uh uh" and firmly roll her back to her back. It is HARD when you're actually doing the nappy bit, but be consistent and if you have to use your legs to restrain the shoulders, then do that too (I have more than once).

If she lies still, I use smiles and positive phrases and lots of eye contact etc. Then when I am done I say "finished" which she understands, so she puts her hands out to be picked up.

It doesn't work when she's tired, but it has made nappy changes SO MUCH easier. Less poo flying everywhere etc.

HTH. I never had the "hand goes to bits" scenario though. She hasn't discovered down there yet.

I think i will have to use these tips too, DS loves to reach down and grab his penis and get a handfull of poo at the same time. Then i have to try and keep him still and wipe his hand and he usually then gets the other hand dirty too. I have learnt to put a terry nappy square on the floor underneath him so the carpet doesnt get dirty too. Cant change him on the change table anymore cause he just launches off it :)

i bought a pack of stickers when DD1 went through this phase, and stuck a few of them on her hands and on her arms, by the time she'd pulled them all off the nappy was changed.
she soon got over this trick though, but i cant really remember what we did to be honest, sorry i couldnt help more

We do the same as suse. Feet holding her shoulders and usually this holds her down so she can't roll and also holds her arms up while I wipe any poo in arms reach. Jazz screams bloody murder at poo change time, and it does feel terrible to hold her down but I need to, I can't let her sit in a pooey nappy and I can't let her run around getting poo everywhere either, I need to clean her, I just have to think... I am doing it for her sake. Certainly not mine thats for sure, I'd rather not deal with the whole, apprently traumatic, ordeal :wall:

I hold DD down at the shoulders (do the poo filled nappy up too JIC) until she stops moving around. She too arches her back and can be a right pain in the butt, but she learns that I have more endurance holding her down than she has thrashing about. Then she tires out (usually only takes about 20 secs max before she gives up) - and I give her something to hold onto and nappy is changed under much pleasenter circumstances!

Oh, another thing that sometimes works is to keep a special 'treasure' on a shelf, and bring it down at nappy changes... I have a few really pretty dolphin ornaments and elephant statues, about the size of my hand, and Jazz loves to hold and look at them while I change. This doesn't always work, especially if it has been a hassle catching her for a bum change, but if I get it down before she catches on that its change time it can keep her enthralled until I'm at least finished wiping her and the mess is gone.
Of course, getting them off her is sometimes a whloe different story, but hey at least poo isn't involved! lol

give them something that they arent supposed to touch like a moblie phone or something that adults use , i find if i try and distract with toys theyve seen a million times than it wont work , but i bring out my phone or calculator and a toothbrush with tootpaste then it gets a bit easier but they do eventally get over it ... hang in there

you've been given some great advice and I have tried it all at one stage or another. Just remember it isn't all going to work all the time.

Another thing I do is sing to him, sometimes in a different voice and make funny silly faces and sounds with my voice while I am singing. He seems to like old macdonald at the moment.

Keep breathing and it will pass... definitely by the time he is out of nappies :p

I did exactly what Suse did and held both feet with one hand around the ankles. I always reminded myself that this hurt less than nappy rash.

This too shall pass, although I am still waiting for it to pass with Harry - we have resorted to reverse psychology with him. We say Nappy change, he says No, we say fine - stay in the pooey nappy. With that he will run, grab a nappy lie down on the floor and demand we change it.

Hope it gets easier on you soon.

GREAT post Jessica!!!

Nappy time is torturous for us also, so I'll definitly be using some of these tips!!!

Thanks all! I'm so glad to hear its a phase that passes!

So this whole holding the shoulder with your knees thing....let me see if I've got this straight- so you are at your LO's head and leaning over them kind of upside down? You manage to actually reach your LO's bum doing this?? I must try this....

(mellys bubbly baby- thank you!)

Nope Jessica, I sit at her feet, and put my feet/legs up towards her head and hold her with my feet like that. I'm at the bum end. Sometimes if shes not thrashing around i just put me feet either side of her chest and give her a 'hug' with my feet under her arms, just to stop her rolling.

Ah I like that method Leasha, thanks!

Jessica, I could have written your post! Nappy change time is a nightmare at the moment!! Thankyou for asking about this- I'll be trying the 'foot grip' for sure! :)

My DH puts DS trackie pants on his head and makes them flop around like floppy ears. DS finds it amusing to try and catch them and pull the pants off DH head.

The foot hold method rocks! Nappy changes are so much easier (although not much happier for DS, poor mite!).