escape artist

[momceecers]

My daughter Rachel is 9 mos and totally on the move. She doesn't hold still for a minute, so diaper changes are total wrestling matches right now. Any ideas??

We did use a mobile for her to look at with limited success, but the little turkey broke it last night. Not sure exactly how. We have our changing table low, so I think she just pulled on it really hard. Yikes!!!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

Cindy

[kozachka]

I know how it goes, we've been 'wrestling' for since about the same age. It gets easier when they learn to stand on their own. In the meantime you might want to use some of the suggestions I got from ladies on another board. Here's the link:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=253872

My favorite strategy is to pre-snap the dipe, pull it on DS and than adjust. It works with both cloth and sposies (don't have to pay extra for pull-ups).

[rrosen]

Try giving her photographs of you and your DH. A laminated pouch works well to protect them. It was the only thing that stopped diaper changes from being wrestling matches in my house.

[brigmaman]

I've found that giving ds (2 1/2 now) something that he wasn't normally allowed to play with for diaper changes worked well. For example- he used to hold onto a tube of aquaphor, or his vitamin bottle. I've also used the t.v. (I know lightning may strike me now!!)to distract. The last piece of advice I have is to lay dd over the changing table so that her legs hang off. It seems to be harder to roll around when they are in that position.
Oohh...and stickers have also worked when all else failed. But I think that that was when ds was a bit older. :)

[KrisM]

Two things that work for me are:

1. Facing him the opposite way. For whatever reason, having his head on my right instead of left confuses him and he doesn't seem to realize he can roll over. He just complains.

2. Holding something in my mouth, like a brush or toy. He thinks it's hysterical and just laughs the whole time.

So, maybe doing something that she thinks is weird would help?

Also, I can now snappi a prefold on while he's standing. Getting a wrap on is a bit harder, but usually I get it started while he's standing and then quick get him down on the floor for adjustments.

I had to start changing DS on the floor at that point. I think it was easier for both of us.

I also would find some everyday object that he didn't normally play with...like DH's empty eye drop bottle (a favorite), my hairbrush, plastic kitchen utensil...all of these things would grab his attention pretty well. Some of them have found a permanent home in his toybox!!

Just wait, they get even better when she is walking/running!! ;)

Kris, Can you describe how on earth you manage to snappi while standing? I've stopped using the snappi to make changes a little faster, but that means DS needs to be lying down and complaining of the torture. Oh, for the days when diaper changes were his favorite time of day... :)

[KrisM]

The key is to have him playing with something and just standing. If he's moving, I can't do it. But, if he's standing, I just have the prefold all folded and stick it between his legs. Then, I use my left hand to hold the back part around his waist (he's facing away from me), reach around and hook the Snappi on his left, then move both of my hands to his right and Snappi the right.

It definitely took practice, but it's not bad now. I can't do it when he's facing me, either.

[mudder17]

I change Kaya on the floor, especially since she rolled off the table way back when. The changing area is on a pad in the corner of the bathroom. If you face the horizaontal changing pad, to the left are my diaper pails, the toilet and the minishower. To the right is a wall with the cremes, cotton balls, wipes solution etc. at the foot of the wall. In front of that is a garbage can. So the area looks a little more confining and gives me better control. I can actually lean in with my knee or body when I need to in order to pin her down. Once she realizes she can't move, she might complain, but she'll stay put. Here are pictures of the changing area:

ETA: Pictures

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/23464.jpg

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/23465.jpg

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/23466.jpg


The other people's suggestions of distracting her have also worked:

1) I play a kazoo, and sometimes blow at her through the kazoo. She thinks it's hilarious.

2) Along the same lines, I hold a empty toilet paper roll in between my teeth and hum (she thinks it sounds funny) and offer her the roll with my teeth. She'll take it and give it back and take it and give it back and so forth.

3) I might play with her toys and shake my head and growl like I'm a dog worrying a toy. She also loves giving and taking back the toy.

4) I will bring my face back and forth close to her face and make funny faces and sounds.

5) Sometimes I'll sing to her.

6) I have a cute board book that my neighbor made for her that has a story, but it also has pictures of Kaya, DH and Me, as well as pictures of her son with Kaya, and Kaya likes to look at that.

7) The snappi. Yes, she loves playing with the snappi.

8) Other fun objects: the nasal syringe (I never use it, so I figure it's a fun toy for her) from the hospital. The peri bottle of water (she likes to drink from it). Another cute diaper (she likes to shake it around, hug it or take it apart). Her snack trap.

When all the above fails, I just hold her down, firmly say,
"We're getting you changed," and finish as quickly as possible.

Good luck.

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040222/0/0/1/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...n_gold_12m.gif
12.5 months: 30", 19.7 lbs, 47 cm head