How to keep baby still while changing him

Our daughter doesn't wiggle much while we are changing her, but our son has been much different. Even with strapping him to the chaging table. I could barely get him to hold still long enough to clean him and put Desitin on. It has always been a battle.

So I've been using a little psychology on him for the past few days. I've been "admiring" his poops and pees and telling him how "big" and "wonderful" they are, especially his poops. I've really been loading on the compliments.

I don't know how much he actually understands, but I think that something must have been getting through, because he's been lying very still so I could "admire" his "productions." I shared this with hubby, and he tried it and it worked for him too!

 

Our daughter doesn't wiggle much while we are changing her, but our son has been much different. Even with strapping him to the chaging table. I could barely get him to hold still long enough to clean him and put Desitin on. It has always been a battle.

So I've been using a little psychology on him for the past few days. I've been "admiring" his poops and pees and telling him how "big" and "wonderful" they are, especially his poops. I've really been loading on the compliments.

I don't know how much he actually understands, but I think that something must have been getting through, because he's been lying very still so I could "admire" his "productions." I shared this with hubby, and he tried it and it worked for him too!

 

:laughing: Well, at least you found something that seems to work!

 

:laughing: Great suggestion!

 

Thats funny. My DS was always proud of his productions too! With my girls, i usually keep something next to the changing table for them to hold or play with while changing them! Glad you found something that helps!

 

that's hysterical! I try for keeping something they can play with... but doesn't always happen.

 

I just may try that!!!! My boys get very squirmy too and just talking to them only holds their attention for so long and giving them toys doesn't work. For Kiefer he'll rub his toy on his dirty butt which becomes more of a mess for me so I stopped doing that.

I'm going to try to compliment his "productions" and see how he reacts. Something tells me this is going to be a bit hard for my hubby to do, but we'll see. If it works, he may try it too.

 

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh the things we do to get through a diaper change!

 

Sorry for the double post. Originally I posted to the Twins First Year Forum, and the moderator there moved everything here.

 

:laughing: that's awesome! Danika's recently started trying to throw herself off the changing table & giggling hysterically - maybe she needs more positive reinforcement on her productions.

 

Glad you found something that works it definately can be a challenge . Once they can stand really well it is easier to change them standing up imo and when they have poopy you can tell them to touch their toes. When my aunt came to visit with my cousin i offered to change his poopy diaper. she looked at me like i was crazy for having him touch his toes. when she went home she tried it and was like man I wish I would have thought of that that would have saved alot of battles. I just taught my friend to do that with her kid and she was excited too to not have to deal with a baby rolling all over the changing table :laughing:

 

Man, Jack gets hysterical during diaper changes; he's like a wild animal! We call it "baby water-boarding". Maybe I'll try your suggestion.

Nate is easy; just give him a book. He lays there thumbing through it, kind of like an old man on the toilet with his Wall Street Journal and cigar. :laughing:

 

I'll hold a toy in my mouth and let the baby try to grab it. Takes some coordination, but makes them laugh too.

 

Something that works for us is to give them something they are usually forbidden to have like a q-tip, a wipe, or the bottle of baby lotion (they like to chew on the lid). It also keeps their hands busy so there is no worry of getting poopie on their fingers. :Clap:

 

[quote name='Cam&Liv'sMom' date='04 January 2010 - 11:19 AM' timestamp='1262621974' post='1544064']
Something that works for us is to give them something they are usually forbidden to have like a q-tip, a wipe, or the bottle of baby lotion (they like to chew on the lid). It also keeps their hands busy so there is no worry of getting poopie on their fingers. :Clap:
[/quote]

That's what I do too! If anyone saw what I let them play with while diaper changing they would probably report me - the package of wipes, diapers, bottles of lotion, tubes of butt paste, you name it! What has helped us recently too is that they are learning the words up and light so for now we can lay them down and say where's the light and the point to it and say it for enough time to get clean!

 

I dont have any suggestions as sometimes it's a nightmare for me as well trying to get that diaper on...LOL...thought it was just my boys....the only thing i do is give them something to play with to try and keep them distracted long enough to clean up and put a new diaper on....good luck...

 

Seems like I'm trying new things all the time to get them to stay still. Right now we're in the book phase ... They get a book and I ask them to tell me a story and we have a two way conversation. If that doesn't work than I try the baby lotion, wipes, etc. Oh the things we do to clean butts!! :babyflips: :laughing: