How do you get them to stay still?!

Diaper changes are NOT fun. They wiggle and fight and struggle around. It is SERIOUSLY what I dread most days. I try to give them something to hold onto like the diaper rash creame tube but they throw it on the ground and wiggle around. UGH.....how do you get them to stay still???? I especially hate it when it's a pooopy diaper....SO not fun.
Another thing they have started doing is if I change on on the floor, the other will come over and try to crawl on top of the one I'm changing or will pounce on his head, hit him, etc.....so now I have to try to hold down one kid and fight off the other....ugh.

 

UGH! Mine do it too! Jake is usually pretty good about holding something, but Ryan acts like I'm stabbing him. He screams and twists. I'm afraid he's going to hurt himself. To top it all off they've both gotten really bad diaper rashes so not only do I change 6 poopy diapers a day, I'm trying to lotion them up without it going all over the place! No advice, but lets hope this phase passes by quickly!

 

Me three! I hate hate hate changing diapers!
Maia is this tall thin little monkey! All limbs going at the same time. Go Go Gadget Arms!

I have been doing it on the floor mostly because I use my legs and other body parts to keep her body parts from kicking me it face, or grabbing the poopy diaper, or whack me in the face with the wipes container!

 

I remember those days and how much I hated it too. On a good note....it will pass.
The only thing that helped at times was to let them hold something they are not usually allowed to hold, like the tv remote, keys, etc.
I know there was a point it was so bad I just changed them standing up which also seemed to be less of a struggle sometimes too.

 

Yup, "struggling" with the same thing here. One of them has taken a fondness to grabbing at her poopy self down there or grabbing the poopy diaper. If I change them on the floor I will put the TV on, it sometimes helps.

 

Oh man, I'm just getting to this and mine are 26 months! They did it a bit earlier, but were always easy to distract. DD is ok, but DS acts like he's being tortured, especially at night when he is tired. He is getting very strong and I have to hold him down by putting my hand on his chest. I'm afraid I'm going to leave a mark!

One thing that has worked with DS when he refused to come have his diaper changed is I'll say "ok, I'll just change your sister then". He gets jealous, comes running, saying "no, MY dah-per". DH is shocked that one is still working. I'm not proud of my technique, but hey, it works.

 

The only way I can get them to be still for a diaper change is to put on the intro to Sesame Street. I just keep restarting the show "ON Demand" for just the intro music until the change is finished. All movement stops as soon as they hear it. It's actually quite funny to see them so motionless!!

 

Diaper changes AND clothes changes are like that here. <_< It is miserable. I have tried all the things mentioned. I use them (distraction or wrestling) for what seems appropriate in the moment.

Lately socks and shoes have become a struggle. :blink: I had no idea about this "phase". I hope it passes soon.

 

lol i like the greased pig term! that's totally what it is here! and yeah, sometimes it's easier on the floor when them facing you so you can lock them down with your legs. giving them something to play with doesn't help my girls.

 

We went through this phase a couple of months ago, it was horrible. We got to the point where we would put our legs over them (by the chest area) not pushing down with our legs just enough so they couldn't squirm. We tried giving them things they couldn't have and that didn't work.

We did the tv thing and it worked temporarily. Then we started telling them what were doing and "involving" them and it seemed to work for us. Now we just say lay back and they lay down for a change. Every once in a while if they see the cat or hear something they will turn but we just start talking or singing a song or asking them where a body part is (head, hand, eye) and that gets their attention back.

Like pp stated it is a phase and they will get over it but by far one of the most difficult as far as diapers/dressing.

Same thing with getting dressed, we started to talk and show them how to do it and now they just help and do it.

 

QUOTE(*Sully* @ Dec 7 2008, 03:50 PM) [snapback]1100937[/snapback]
Diaper changes AND clothes changes are like that here. <_< It is miserable. I have tried all the things mentioned. I use them (distraction or wrestling) for what seems appropriate in the moment.

Lately socks and shoes have become a struggle. :blink: I had no idea about this "phase". I hope it passes soon.


Yeah, it takes a good 15 minutes to get diaper and clothes changed. I just asked my husband tonight why the heck it's a 3 part series for each baby to get pj's on...change diaper, squirm run away, get captured and thrown on the floor, change shirt *while* baby runs away, captured again, one pant leg on, baby runs away and so on...It's a real pain in the bootie.

 

I did the toy or object holding first and when that stopped working I did the leg over the chest so they couldn't move. Now my son is usually good for me but for dh is squirms a lot because he rather me change him. Good luck it will eventually pass hopefully sooner than later.

 

Lol, I call Kate my "octopus". She is so squirmy! I was at my mom's house the other night and Sophie was poopie and mom offered to change her and get her into her jammies. Well, I go in 15 minuted later and she still hasn't gotten the pj's on and is still trying to get the diaper changed. I was laughing so hard at her!
BTW- when we got done with Sophie I brought Kate in, the octopus, and changed her in 5 minutes. Mom just watched and said "I don't know how you do it!" I was all proud of myself and then I hear a "splish splash" and we look over and Sophie is playing in the toilet! Mom left the door open by accident. Ugh!