Is it a stage?

Please tell me these are normal stages babies go through.

1. Diaper and clothing changes have become an absolute nightmare. You would think we were torturing these poor children. They scream, cry, try to flip over. The only thing that keeps them happy and calm are belly raspberries and you can't do that throughout the whole change. Karina has been doing this for a couple of months, but now Annelise is starting too.

2. Both girls are now petrified of loud, but normal household noises. The vacuum cleaner sends them into fits of hysterics. Drying my hair makes them cry. Tearing packing tape off a box nearly puts us all over the edge. I keep thinking that their first birthday and Christmas will be no fun if they can't handle the sound of ripping paper.

Sigh... I really, really hope these are just stages that will pass.

 

I don't know about the loud noises, but the fit throwing during diaper and clothing changes only gets worse as they get stronger. I don't know when that starts to subside, mine still do it. The only thing that helps is having a lot of distractions on the change table - things they don't normally get to play with I let them hold in order to get them to sit still and let me change them!

 

We're right there with you. I've resorted to the nursery school tactic of changing wet diapers while the kids are standing up. Dirty ones, however...we just have to fight through.

The loud noises haven't been an issue for us, though...sounds like the holidays will be interesting

 

QUOTE(aimeethomp @ Nov 30 2008, 08:55 PM) [snapback]1091405[/snapback]
I don't know about the loud noises, but the fit throwing during diaper and clothing changes only gets worse as they get stronger. I don't know when that starts to subside, mine still do it. The only thing that helps is having a lot of distractions on the change table - things they don't normally get to play with I let them hold in order to get them to sit still and let me change them!


Ditto! I give mine an old remote or the tube of vaseline, anything to distract them.

 

We went through that diaper phase and I thought it would never end. We tried all the distractions and by the 3rd night they were onto us! Now we only use those in extreme cases. It was tough and we worked through it but now what works most for us is telling them what we are doing the whole time. Now mommy is going to unfasten the diaper and fold the tab down. Now mommy is going to wipe you and make you clean. They really have gotten into it and now DD helps me take her diaper off and hold the belly part down when I fasten it! Like I said, it took time but really got their attention. GL

 

My singletons all did the same things at about that age! I dreaded diaper changes.

 

ohhhh.... diaper/clothing changes are an absolute horror around here too! At least for Hailey, lol. We have to constantly roll her over, distractions rarely work... Good luck and please let us know if you discover something to help!

I wish I had some advice for the noises... we haven't had that problem yet.

 

QUOTE(aimeethomp @ Nov 30 2008, 05:55 PM) [snapback]1091405[/snapback]
I don't know about the loud noises, but the fit throwing during diaper and clothing changes only gets worse as they get stronger. I don't know when that starts to subside, mine still do it. The only thing that helps is having a lot of distractions on the change table - things they don't normally get to play with I let them hold in order to get them to sit still and let me change them!

same here!

 

QUOTE(aimeethomp @ Nov 30 2008, 08:55 PM) [snapback]1091405[/snapback]
I don't know about the loud noises, but the fit throwing during diaper and clothing changes only gets worse as they get stronger. I don't know when that starts to subside, mine still do it. The only thing that helps is having a lot of distractions on the change table - things they don't normally get to play with I let them hold in order to get them to sit still and let me change them!


Same here; I give them one of DD's toys, my phone, a clean diaper, a wipe, the remote... anything that makes them pause for the few seconds it takes to get the diaper off, the bum cleaned, and the new dipe on!

 

I giggled all while reading the responses, only because I felt like "now somebody understands" lol. My boys act like monsters during diaper changes. At first I thought they were in pain or something but then I realized that they were just....trying to get away I guess. Well, at least I know now that distraction is key.