1 Year Old Who Now Hates Diaper Changing Time

Welcome to the club.
They all do it, your child is normal & you are not doing anything wrong. Do you have a "forbidden" item? Like a cell phone that she never gets to play with? Offer it to he ONLY for diaper change. I had a friend who could change a diaper on a moving child.... you will find your coping mechanism, remember, this too shall pass! Hang in there!

I realize it is early but it may be time to start letting her actively participate in the process. Let her get the diaper and wipes. Let her decide where the change takes place... Children like assigned tasks. Praise her when she does well and try not to engage her when she acts throws the fit.

I have three children of my own ages 8, 7, and 3. They say when they start fighting you that they are ready to advance to the next step, my kids at the age of around one didn't want to have there diapers changed anymore either so I went and got them some pull ups it made them feel like they were doing it on there on, and I didn't have to fight with them anymore because they could do it themselves. So just a thought it worked for mine. It never hurts to try.

I am also a full-time working mom with a beautiful energetic 1 year old daughter. We had the same problem but her fits started at about 10 months. She was impossible to keep still and would flip over until she could get away. I realized that I had to win this battle with her. It was my first taste of discipline and it was not fun. I put my hand on her chest and kept her on her back in diaper changing position until she finally laid there quietly on her own. Let me tell you she threw a royal fit before she relaxed. It was entirely unpleasant, but I was so proud when she was quiet the next day and gave a half hearted attempt at flipping over. I retrained her again and I told everyone who changes her to not let her get away with it. In just a couple of days she gave up the fight. Every once in a while she will flip over, but she is always easy to reign in and get her diaper changed. I am so proud of her!

Well, your kid is certainly normal! Both of my boys went through the same phase (yes, it is a phase, and it will pass like so many moms before me have pointed out). Along with the special "diaper-time" toys and crazy singing that others have suggested (because I know they don't work all the time), I would have my kids grab a small book on the way to the changing table, and they would "read" during the change. Mobiles, windchimes, and holiday garlands can be hung overhead and rotated out. I would jingle or blow at whatever was hanging above, and that would get the kids' attention.

Part of the problem as they get a little older and more mobile is that they just don't want to take the time for a diaper change. I remove my kids' pants while they're still standing, and change pee diapers that way too if necessary, and then sit them in my lap to get their pants back on. Or move the change to somewhere other than your usual location. And when nothing is working and you're trying to keep poop from getting everywhere, just pin them down with one forearm and do the best you can with your other hand. It doesn't hurt them, and you can get the change done and all move on to more pleasant activities.

Along with all the other great suggestions try putting a picture on the ceiling above where ever it is that you change her diapers and clothes. If you don't want holes from tacks, use tape. That way when she gets bored with one picture you can easily put a new one in its place. Hope it helps.

I am curious as to the advice that you got from other mothers. My 15 month old daughter is the same way. Did you get any helpful hints?

Thanks,
K. N

My son put me through this as well. Sometimes I would start making faces and strange sounds at him. Sometimes this helped, sometimes it did not. Another thing we tried was putting the diaper on the floor and saying, "I bet you can't sit on that." Usually, he'd run over to show us that he could indeed sit on it. And the other thing that worked for my husband (but not me) was that he would get him down and start tickling him or give him zerbert's on his feet or belly. This got my son to laughing and we'd get the diaper changed as quickly as possible. If she's anything like my son, she just has too many things to explore and just cannot spare the time to have her diaper changed! Oh, and "this little piggy went to market" worked pretty well sometimes too! My son still gives me a hard time (and he's almost 2!) but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be. So hang in there and don't do the same thing all the time. Mix it up a little!

You work full time like me so I can't help but wonder if she's in childcare? If so you may want to ask them if she's doing the same thing there, might be something going on at changing time there that has her upset?

I read about a guy who really praised his son for lying still, and he did it eventually on command. That won't work for my sometimes high strung child. What's really weird is that at daycare she lets them change her diaper, but if I walk into the room she pitches a fit! I give my daughter a task to do. I say, "Caitlyn, hold your feet" or "hold this wipe" and that has actually worked. Of course she still throws fits sometimes, but usually she will at least tone it down enough to get it done. Hope this helps!

Potty train her! If she doesn't want diapers changed I would start the potty training process. Both my kids were done well before 2. I would use cloth training pants and plastic pants. Much easier to change out than a diaper anyway!

I think they all do this at about that age! She is discovering that she has better things to do than lay down and be still for what seems to her like a long time. There's not much you can do except make sure she has a toy to play with when you lay her down (before she starts getting fussy.) It will only get worse, but eventually, she will only do it sometimes, like mine! Just wait until potty training. The last thing they want to do is take time out from playing to go use the potty! They'd rather just let it come out in their diaper and keep on playing...

both of my daughters fought over having their diaper changed at 1 year. so i bought a potty seat and started putting them on it! i also switched to pull ups so they could stand while being changed. it made life alot easier.

I put a toy in my mouth and it tempted them to grab at it, I'd move just in time so they wouldn't get it, but it would make them giggle and try again. After 2 or 3 tries, they didn't even realize that they had a "new butt." :)

Hi A.,

My son is the KING of Wiggle Worms. He constantly flips over and kicks and squirms. I had to be creative when it came to diaper changing time. I keep a basket of toys and random household items that he can only have during his diaper changes. His favorite thing to play with it a safety kit. It has a medicine dropper, a nasal aspirator, a medicine spoon. They are all safe for him to explore. I blow air in his face with the nasal aspirator and he loves it. I also became a pretty good broadway singer. Different renditions of his favorite songs. His favorite is the punk version of skin a ma rinky dinky do(i have never had to spell that before):) I head bang and all. But anyway, i just try to rotate out different things for him to explore. The dollar store or the .88 aisle at walmart are great places to get cheap things to keep them entertained.

I feel you pain. he has been this way all along. As soon as he realized he could move around.

Good Luck!

Sometimes I even wheel his changing table into a different area. It throws him off long enough to get the job done.

A.

Try making it a game. She is probbly starting to want todo things by herslef and for herself. Try changing the dyper with her standing (it taks less time) and try letting her do some of the small parts of getting herself dressed. she will eather do it, or get frustrated that she is unable to do it herself. if she is frustrated she will let you do it, just make shure you encurage her that with practice she will get it. When you change her dyper while standing go ahaed and have her sit on the tolet so she starts the associaton of the two. this tends to help her potty train earlyer. Little girls are usually ahaed of little boys in that area.

Oh does that sound familiar. Totally age appropriate, now that she has freedom to crawl/walk and explore, the WORST thing is to be confined even for a couple of minutes! Mine is 15 months and still freaking out at times when she has to get a diaper change or get dressed. I try to hard her something she normally doesn't get to hold while I'm changing her diaper. Like she gets to hold the Balmex (top screwed on tightly of course) or a comb or a travel size shampoo or powder that I haven't used yet. It's different and something for her to focus on. When the diaper is changed, the item goes back on the shelve until next time. Hope this helps...

My son started the behavior at 8mths. Honestly, I went to pull-ups and started potty training. He will be 2 next month and is potty trained, and has been out of diapers since Oct. I used pull-up because I could allow him to stand and put the diaper on. Much easier, but not as easy as him going to the potty now! Good luck A good book -- Early Start Potty Training"

If she is being cared for by someone other than you or your husband I would question what happens when that person is changing her. Not to alarm you but there could be a problem or something may have happened. Something worth checking into. Good luck and I hope things get better for you and her.

my son started doing that at 18months and it was just to see how difficult he could be. Giving him toys did not work, but what did work was engaging him in converstion. I would talk to him about "stuff" like talking about colors or favorite things. Even though your daughter is one, she understands a lot. Try talking to her, not about the diaper change, but other things...Elmo, etc

good luck

My daughter who is now 17 months old did the same thing around the 1 year mark. It didn't seem to last very long, however it was aggrivating and hard to deal with. Add diaper rash to the kicking and screaming and you absolutely have a problem on your hands. All I can say is that no trying to keep her entertained did not work for us either, but hang in there it does pass and your not alone.

I am 33 and a stay at home mother now. I have a 17 month old of course and a 6 year old boy. Prior to having my second child I was a Dental Asst. for 4 years and before that a Exec. Secretary.

I have no advice for you because my 15-month-old daughter started this stage about a month ago & is still going strong! All I can offer you is support b/c I know what you're going through & it isn't fun! Hopefully some of these other moms have provided you (& me!) with the secret... until then- Smile :) They grow up too fast.
Blessings & best wishes,
H.

p.s. I'm a SAHM, with my dd all the time, so I can't jump on board with the "other people" changing her diaper theories! Thought I'd share that tidbit before you freaked out!

Sometimes this takes more time than you really want to spend but what I did was make a game out of diaper changing time. It is a good time to play tickle the tummy, nibble the toes and massage the legs. My daughter used to bring me a diaper even if she wasn't we because she enjoyed the time and attention she received.

I think all of the responses are wonderful & I've gotten some great ideas myself. I think they all do get to the stage of not wanting to be still, wanting to assert their own will...but has she had a cold at all? My 11 month old has started kicking & screaming like that at changing time on 2 occasions & both times she had an ear infection. She was not fussy otherwise, only at changing times. My older 2 never had ear infections, so when they started fighting at diaper changing times, I did a lot of the other things mentioned to distract them. Hope this is helpful. Best wishes.

This is pretty much par for the course. My 18 mo started doing this around 12 mos and hasn't gotten any better. We have to blow bubbles at him to keep him entertained during the whole process. That has helped some, but not really eliminated the tantrums. I am just hoping that this means that he will be easy to potty train. Wish I could be of more help...

she may be ready to be potty trained. I would buy a potty chair and keep it where it is readily accessible. Show it to her and let her play with it first or use it as a chair when she is watching tv or reading books, ect. Then try to get her to use it. If you get them trained before 18 mo. it is easier anyway. Good luck.

When u pick up the wipes and a diaper also pick up one of the baby's favorite small toys. If not that, I use a babywipe and let the baby wash my face and wash hers she loves to play that game. I'm just the sitter for a one year old, but have a 16 yr. old son and 15 yr. old daughter.

Try to potty train her
fix a jar like a clown every time she does good let her feed to clown a pinney and tell her after she fills up the clown she can get a reward

I'm having the same problem with my 1 year old son. What has helped me is to give him something to hold like the wipes or a little toy. Sometimes this helps him not to squirm all over the place.
Good luck!

1st of all i would think on the terms who else has been changing her diaper! Is there anyone else? CHeck with them and see what happens