The battle of the changing table

My 10-month-old son is in what I hope is a phase that he will outgrow soon.

As soon as I lie him back on the changing table to change his diaper or his clothes, he becomes a screaming, thrashing, crazed baby. I feel like I am torturing him! He arches his back, tries to roll over, kicks...the tears stream down his face. If he gets on his tummy, he tries to crawl away - usually into the wall, bumping his head and making it worse. I feel like I need restraints to keep him down. I've tried singing to him, playing peek-a-boo, giving him a pacifier, letting him hold a wide variety of toys and objects - nothing helps.

Now, as soon as I sit him up, he is fine and all smiles. The other day, in the middle of his tantrum, he started laughing. So, I know he is not really tortured by lying down.

I've tried changing him on the floor, but that just makes it easier for him to crawl away.

These are my first babies and this really frustrates me. He used to enjoy being on his changing table and laughing and babbling. Now he's a raving maniac!

My sweet little girl plays with her feet and is all smiles, so of course I spend more time changing her. With Parker, I feel like I've won a battle every night when we get the jammies on.

Any advice, sympathy, or thoughts would be appreciated. I really hope it is a phase that passes soon!

Thanks!
Jessica

 

my nephew was kinda like that around that age. I gave him something to play with like my car keys or something that he can play with to distract him.

 

Jake is starting to do this, but luckily he can't crawl yet! I'm getting good at putting his diaper and pjs on while he is twisted on his side. Can your son stand yet? If so, I would try it standing up...even if he's holding on to something.

 

oh yeah my DS does this also but doesn't cry doing it. he even tries doing situps anything to get away from a diaper change. i usually give him the phone, t.v. remote, a toy, anything that he can play with i usually go through 3 or 4 different things though. his favorite right now is the phone.
i too feel like i won a battle after i am done

 

No suggestions but just wanted to say that both of my DD's boys do this, it's crazy! I think they just think it's funny being in such a battle of wills with whoever is changing them. Sometimes they cry and throw fits but most of the time they just fight getting their diaper or clothes changed by trying to roll over and twist away.

I definitely don't have the arm strength to battle that so once the diaper is on (the easy part), off they go to mommy, lol. (That's a grandparent's right, you know, to hand them off to the parents any time they get difficult! ) I haven't kept the boys by myself in a while but I will have them at my house for a week when the new baby comes ... I certainly hope they've outgrown that struggle by then! They're getting way too strong for me!

I don't specifically remember my kids doing this but I'm sure they did at some point. They just don't want to slow down long enough to have clothes put on!

 

I videotaped me changing my sons on the weekend because I thought "nobody is going to believe this". They literally climb up my arms, twist around...if I give them a toy, they throw it away (in fun, not in anger but then, they don't have the toy anymore) It's like trying to put a sleeper on .... I can't even think of a comparison. I have become a pro at changing diapers and putting on clothes with them on their tummies as they just won't lie on their backs anymore but recently, I've been having to change them holding them in mid air.

I'm really hoping this is just a phase and it goes away soon but, frankly, it's just been getting worse the past couple of months.

 

Oh yeah this is a fun stage. Unfortunately my DS1 did not out grow very quickly <_<
My DS2 is in it right now - it feels like I am trying to wrestle a slimy alligator.
Just hang in there and realize the drive to move and play is so strong that anything holding him back is tortuous for him