Do you check diapers when they won't fall asleep?

My girls often do NOT fall asleep right away for nap and bedtime. Sometimes it's just playful winding down time. Sometimes it's because they've pooped and don't/can't fall asleep in it.

Sometimes we go in and check. Murphys Law. They usually haven't pooped. But typically settle down afterwards. Mostly they want to snuggle.

Sometimes (like tonight) we don't go in. Hours later, I notice Syd is restless again. I go in and they are BOTH pooped! Murphys Law. Should have gone in.

Sometimes I get it right (because I can occasionally remember if someone hadn't pooped yet that day, so I assume it's likely poop). But often I can't remember how many and who pooped.

Our pediatrician wants us to NEVER go in. But then we get horrible diaper rashes. Restless nights. And occasionally miss something impt like a sickness/fever/etc.

Anyway, do you go in and check diapers? How often? What's your criteria (crying, how long, etc)?

Should I change something in their diet/routine to change this. their pooping times aren't consistent. But currently we give sippy cup of milk b4 nap and b4 bed. maybe i should change those to when they wake up?

thx!

 

This is a tough one. I guess I play it by ear. If they haven't settled down by xx amount of time - I go in and do a quick check. And I am firm. No picking up and cuddling. So if there is no poop, just a quick resettle and a firm "It's time for bed/nap" and then quickly leave. And I try not to make eye contact as well.

I think you have to check, and for the very reasons you stated above: diaper rash and missed sickness. Consistency is key. If you check, make it quick, and be firm in saying it's nap/bed time and leave. They will get the picture that your visit isn't satisfying with cuddles etc; But this way you can take of the occasional poop!

Good luck. Pediatrician's are not always right. Your mommy instincts generally are and yours is obviously telling you to check!

 

I do basically the same as the pp does. I go in quickly make sure pacifier and blanket are in crib lay him back down and then leave. But I make sure the fussing/crying has lasted a while before going in or if it keeps happening (he settles and then 5min starts crying again). Just last week I let my son cry a little after he was sleeping for a while and then woke up, he cried for about 10 min (not a hard cry just a whinning cry a little here and there) and then stopped when I went in to wake him from his nap about an hour later I found out he had a poopy and felt bad for making him sleep in it. For my son he doesn't poop on any schedule and can go three times before his first nap or not at all so I never know when he is going to go so I like to go in usually to check if he can't settle down after a while.

 

When they don't settle down for their naps and I have to go in and stop the circus they are putting on, I will usually smell it or now they will tell me about it. If they have pooped, I change it! They will never fall asleep if they have pooped. :hug99:

 

"Never" seems pretty extreme. I don't let my guys cry and they don't fight me about going to bed unless there is a reason. They don't cry out at night unless there is a reason. So, when they cry, I go. I can tell the difference between a cry in their sleep that ends seconds after it starts, a pain cry, and a "need something" cry. At naptime, I have to go peek if they are awake for more than a few minutes because if they've pooped and I don't respond promptly, that poop will be EVERYWHERE.

When I go in, I check diapers and I ask what's wrong. Sometimes they want a drink of water. Whatever it is, they settle right down after we take care of the problem so they clearly did need something. I don't buy in to the idea that a young child is capable of manipulation. A cry is a form of communication -- just a frustrating one to understand sometimes.

 

I can usually smell the poop as soon as I walk in, and now they are old enough to tell me they have pooped. Of course, if one pooped, the other says she did too, even if she didn't. I am very matter-of-fact about checking, I don't play, talk in my "Mommy voice", I use the firm voice. I do what I have to do, tell them to go to sleep, and leave. I cannot start going back in for things like redressing their dolls, finding their toy, etc or they keep it up and I am in 20 times before they will sleep. I have even told them that if they have to poop, do it before bed (yours might be young for that). I swear, they have used poop as a stalling tactic.

My girls often take up to an hour to settle down for nap and bedtime. Honestly, as long as they aren't screaming bloody murder, I let them be. I just can't worry about whether or not they are sleeping or it will drive me crazy.

 

I generally don't go in if they are crying unless it's been more than half an hour or someone sounds really panicked. They often complain for awhile after being put to bed, and they almost never poop after bedtime, so for me, the risk (of getting them wound up again) would not be worth the reward (of catching a poopy diaper).

They do sometimes poop during nap time, but they usually do it in their sleep and then wake up. By that time, there's no way to get them back to sleep, so I just get them up and change them.

We do check on them just before bed (when they're asleep). If someone has pooped, we can usually smell it in the air, and then we sniff butts. And if one wakes up in the middle of the night and fusses for more than a minute (which is rare), we'll go in and give them a sniff. If someone poops we change them with as little noise and light as possible, just as if they were babies.

So, there are a variety of ways to respond, but I don't think you need to give much weight to what your pediatrician says, if that's what's worrying you. He's not the one who has to deal with diaper rash!

 

If mine are taking long to fall asleep at nap or betimes, I check. They often choose those moments to go and can't fall asleep. DD is an instant sleeper-- lay her down, and she's trying to go to sleep. So if she is babbling, there's something going on.

 

I have one that always poos when he is relaxed at nap time. If he is not asleep after about 30 mins I go in, can smell it right away, take him out, clean him and put him right back. I would never leave them in a dirty diaper. I actually always go in at night too right before I go to bed and change diapers as they are always soaked. They are used to it now and don't really fuss. I always listen to my pedi but if I have a gut Mommy feeling I do it my way.

 

thx for advice. i look forward to when they can actually tell me.

sometimes they don't cry and they ARE pooped. they almost NEVER fall asleep quickly for nap or bedtime. Often 1 hour (sometimes up to 2 hrs) of playing, fussing, crying, babbling, etc, etc, So almost every day 2 x per day, I have to make the decision if/when I should go in.

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Nov 14 2007, 05:34 PM) [snapback]495548[/snapback]
So, there are a variety of ways to respond, but I don't think you need to give much weight to what your pediatrician says, if that's what's worrying you. He's not the one who has to deal with diaper rash!

I totally agree. I definitely check at naptimes if they are not settling pretty quickly because usually by then (12 p.m.) they are READY for a nap. And naptime poops do happen now and then. At bedtime, I usually wait a half hour because bedtime poops are rare. In the middle of the night, if one cries for a while, I go in and check. RIght now they are teething molars, so sometimes I give orajel. Sometimes though they do have poops in the middle of the night. I try to reduce contact with them though and be "all business."

HTH

 

The only time I will check is if they didn't take their "scheduled" poop. My girls are pretty regular. Usually they poop within a couple of hours of waking up in the morning and sometime in the late afternoon. If one of them didn't poop in the am and they go down for naps and I hear one of them not falling asleep I go in there and check and very often it is because they did not poop. I have very rarely had them poop at bedtime. We always check on them at night a few times anyway so if one of them has pooped you can usually smell it when you walk in the room.