he loves his dirty diaper (dipe changing battles)

[Java]

Kael is 2yo and the past 2 months or so has started to violently struggle during diaper changes. Especially the first change in the morning. He kicks, screams, cries, thrashes all over and arches his back. I don't know what to do. I've tried giving him more time and changing the dipaer later, first thing out of bed, different place, in the tub for a quick rinses, toys, singing, everything.... it's still always a screamfest. He's landed a few solid kicks to my tummy which wasn't an issue before but I'm now 13 weeks and it's got to stop.

He seems perfectly fine wearing the 15 hour, 20 pound diaper. Even when he poops in it and it's running down his leg because the diaper is so heavy. Sorry - TMI. Nothing seems to faze this kid.

I don't know what to do. Every morning it's a fight and I'm tired of getting kicked, tired of taking 15 minutes to do a 5 mintute task, tired of starting the morning so rotten. Our diaper changing routine hasn't changed at all - it's his attitude that's done a 180.

I need help!

[Momof3Labs]

When we went through that, our rule was that nothing else happened until the diaper was changed. No breakfast, no going downstairs, no tv, nothing. He got the idea pretty quickly that it was part of the routine, and broke down in favor of moving on to something more fun!

[pritchettzoo]

Another thing to try is letting him choose where to do the diaper change. We went through a power struggle with Gracie and I let her pick whether to be changed on the floor or on the bed (or couch or wherever). I told her she had until the count of 3 to pick a place and lie down there or I would choose for her. She liked being able to choose and the phase passed pretty quickly. After about a week, she didn't care any longer.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03) and Eli (July '05)

[marinkitty]

We went through this too - one thing that helped with us is that I would hold up two new diapers and ask - do you want the purple one r the pink flowers? She would get caught up in choosing and forget to fight me. (and if using sposies you could choose a character on the front or something)

We also used Lori's tactic of nothing else fun happens until the diaper is changed.

Good luck!

Holly
Mom to Mia (3.17.03) and baby brother Jack (3.23.05)

[dotgirl]

Oh my goodness, we have that exact problem! The last .. oh, two weeks or so - Riley hates having his diaper changes. 3 out of every 4 times he just loses it - yells, 'No diaper! No poop! No no!' and goes through the whole thing you described - the kicking and trying to get away, and he doesn't care how dirty his diaper is. (And I do - this boy gets a rash if you even say 'poopie diaper', so he has to be changed right away.)

We haven't come up with any good solutions, except now I stand to the side of the changing table instead of in front of it - that way he can't kick me. Sometimes I can sing to him or distract him, but that only works about half the time.

If you come up with any good ideas, please let me know - I'm tired of cleaning poo off everything hither and yon just because he had a fit.