When did you toddler stop resisting diapering?

[Elena]

I am having a hard time diapering my 19-month-old son. I mean he won't even let me change his diaper while standing, forget about lying down. He thinks it's a game called "let's run away from mommy", although DH and my mom say he behaves well when they do the diapering.

I read that Burton White says normal infants between 10 and 14 months of age hate to be diapered. "Your goal should be to teach the baby total resignation to the inevitability of diapering." With the firm approach, the baby should stop resisting diaper changes by 14 months. I feel I failed miserably in this respect. DS is already 19 months, and I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

I'd be very interested to know when other children stopped resisting diapering. Thank you.

[JElaineB]

First of all, keep in mind babies can't read, so they don't know that they are supposed to follow what the books say :). DS did resist diaper changes all the time for quite a while, though I can't remember how long it lasted exactly. Now he just resists them about half the time. I usually have to bribe him to get his diaper changed. Maybe I should give up and just start bribing him to use the potty (sigh).

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[Rachels]

<<Your goal should be to teach the baby total resignation to the inevitability of diapering.>>

Something about that wording made me throw up in my mouth a little. I hate the diaper resistance, but I'd hate to teach a child total resignation to most anything, kwim? Blecch.

-Rachel
Mama to Abigail Rose
5/18/02
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Nursed for three years!

and Ethan James
10/19/05
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"When you know better, you do better."
Maya

[bubbaray]

Um, not sure who Burton White is, but I don't really like the idea of teaching my child "total resignation" to anything (except perhaps to sleep, but apparently I'm failing miserably at that, LOL!).

Seriously, my DD started fighting diaper changes around 13m and is now 22 and STILL fighting them. DH is strong enough to hold her down, but my wimpy little hands can't. I literally have to change her on the floor (on a chux) and pin her with my leg (lightly of course). Not only does she wiggle away from me otherwise, but she grabs at her poopy bum too. Niiiiiice.

I don't expect DD to stop resisting diapering until she's fully potty trained.


Melissa

Maya Papaya!
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[thomma]

Ds started resisting at birth and only recently (32 months) started laying down when I suggested we change his diaper. Dd, on the other hand, has always been a squirmy worm during diaper changes but has recently (conveniently also at 32 months) started to really resist diaper changes. Sigh...

Kim

t&e 5/03

[holliam]

My daughter had a wiggly period around 8-10 months. But, now at 17 months she LOOOOVES her diapers. If we know she needs a change, we ask her. She points to her diaper, and runs into the bathroom for a change.

We cloth diaper, though, and she loves seeing what new print she is getting.

:)

Holli

[kozachka]

DS started resisting diaper changes about the time he was 8-9 months old. It got really bad when he learned to walk, around 12.5-13. It was so bad that I had to pin his legs down to the couch or floor with both of my legs and he'd still occasionally escape. We switched to cloth when DS was 13-14 month. It was a way for me to gather courage to switch to underwear, which we ultimately did at 15.5 months. We continued cloth diapering him at night until 18.5 months and on a few occasions when he regressed later. DS was ECed at least part-time since he was just over 2 months old. The first two weeks were tough but by the end of the first month without diapers I was wondering why I have not taken DS out of them earlier. He clearly did not want to wear them ;).

ETA: I voted between 15 and 18 months. And we used changing table with a pad and strap until I felt it was too dangerous. Did not help us any.

[ribbit1019]

DD started protesting a little at 10 months, though nothing like the other moms described. Kicking and fussing a bit, I think it helps that I have her on a changing pad on her dresser, keeps her from trying to roll off. I know she is a little big for a changing station perhaps, but I think the fact that I hardly ever change her anywhere else helps a lot with the protests.
I try to make the mundane things fun though lots of laughs and tickles and I always blow on her belly at every change, which she loves. Like Holli said it can be easier with CDing, all the prints and colors that are avilable. DD can pick which pair she wants to wear, sometimes she doesn't care at all. DD's favorite is the "lello" diaper, fortunately we have four. :)

Christy
Maddy born 6/09/04
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Little Man due 3/02/06
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Co-Owner Ribbit Baby

Frogs are lucky, they eat what bugs them.

[niccig]

At 9 months and still going on at 14 months. I hope there's an end in sight soon, but it doesn't sound like it. My car keys are the latest distraction.

Nicci

[hez]

Payton still gets changed on his changing station, too, for just that reason-- he knows that's where we get down to business and get the change over with. We also change clothes up there, usually.

We do let him request a pillow during the change (weird child!), and he does get to bring a toy or two with him if he wants. We had a spell where he was antsy, and letting him have some control (the choice of the toy, the choice of the pillow) helped a bit.

We're starting to PT, so it's interesting to see how our methods are changing (more clothing & jammy changes on the floor, for instance).

[Moneypenny]

Yep, changing station for us, too. We also have a couple of little toys that are just for when she's getting changed. Right now she's learning her letters so she points out all the i's, o's and m's in her Mimi's Toes books. (Hopefully someday she will know more than those three letters, ;).) Another trick is that I sing "If you're happy and you know it..." and I choose only things she can do while she's laying there (blink your eyes, stick out your tongue, blow a raspberry, etc).
Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
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[g-mama]

"Your goal should be to teach the baby total resignation to the inevitability of diapering."

This doesn't sit well with me either. I have Burton White's book and I just don't really care for him. He makes everything (and every child) seem to be so black and white and that if *you* do everything right, your child will be a dream come true. It's just too much pressure and I don't believe it, either. They're all different and we don't have that much control as he'd make it seem.


~Kristen

Paolo 11-00
Benjamin 8-03
Marco 12-05

[lizamann]

(Note - do NOT take my next paragraph seriously- it's a sarcastic jab at the book, not you!)

Oh, I'm sorry to say that you must not have followed Burton White's advice the right way, and that's resulted in not having a "beautifully-developed child." That's a shame, because now it's too late and you'll never be able to fix it.

*end of sarcasm*

UGH! That book really bugged me. I hope you're not letting yourself feel like you've failed by having a non-compliant diaper changer! I know how frustrating it is, though, but adding unnecessary and unfounded guilt on top of it does no good.

Your son is being completely normal and will give it up. My dd will be 3 in May, and sometimes I still have to chase her, or make it playful and fun, but 95% of the time she's fine with it. In the mean time, have your mom and dh do all the changes LOL. Maybe making it into a game on those times when it's really frustrating will work? Good luck!