I think I'm on an all-music themed roll here at Casa Nonlinear. First it's the Beach Boys, then I go banana-song crazy, now I'm humming Blue Oyster Cult. But yelling "more cowbell" belies the seriousness with which I take the issue of diapers. Specifically, Ada's current hatred of the diaper change. 
I just don't know what is going on with the reigning king of no pants. She, like most babies, used to get a bit squirrelly when laid down for a diaper change. But now? Now she screams the moment she THINKS there will be a diaper change. She screams as I lay her down, screams while I do the sign for "change", screams louder when I actually take the diaper off, twists and screams while I try to wipe her off, screams and crawls away when I momentarily turn to pick up the clean diaper. She writhes and cries as I try to get the new diaper on and continues to cry until several minutes after the change. For a while she could be placated by getting a toy to hold, and when that stopped working she was amused when I gripped a toy in my teeth, wiggling it maniacally over her. Neither technique is working any more. (By the way, I now know one of the reasons babies drool so much. Have you ever tried to hold a toy in your teeth and murmer to your child? Drool city.)
I was so proud of Ada at 8 months; she would stop fussing when I signed "change" to her. "How brilliant she is," I thought. "She understands what I am doing and is happy once she she's in on what we are doing." Um, apparently knowing what's happening is not sufficient solace for the 11 month old Ada. Please tell me that this is a stage that she'll grow out of. Even better, tell me she'll grow out of it soon. Tomorrow would be good. I hate feeling like I am torturing my child, but leaving her in wet or poopy diapers is not a viable option. She's remained almost completely diaper-rash free so far, and I'm not giving in now. Chris has tried bribing her, but given the size of our backyard, I don't think we can fit any more ponies in there, at least not without some kind of special permit.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Don't Fear The Diaper
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it is a stage and she will grow out of it. i don't know when or how but it will happen. probably pretty soon. how's that? seriously, we have had a number of ups and downs wrt to the horror of diaper changes. it will get better, just keep trying various kinds of entertainment and distraction.
ReplyDeleteAh. Wait til she can run away. Heh.
ReplyDeleteMy huz started giving her candy bribes while I was away on business. She's gotten a bit better now (sans candy), thankfully.
We have ups and downs with this battle, too. Right now, we are using stickers as distraction. We talk about them and she puts them on her legs and feet and us as well. This has worked the best so far. I like to buy them at the dollar store, although her favorite sitckers are the really expensive, real photos of animals ones I started with.
ReplyDeleteoh yes, the boys went through this. i laid them on the floor and then threw a leg on top of them to pin them down. it may sound a little brutal, but it worked. don't squish them or anything! make sure your leg is over their hips and then if you need an extra hand to help with the shoulder area, you have on. she'll grow out of this.
ReplyDeleteThink positive!
ReplyDeleteIt will be over, yes. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow... but soon..
We got over it with relative ease through our patented mo-wo parenting tip.. There is NO TECHNIQUE. Seek the erratic on this sort of behavior. Care not my friend! Hopefully she will follow your lead and not get so bent SO often about it.
Oh, yeah. I'm neck-&-neck with you in this fun stage. It's a blast. Lately, I've taken to removing his trousers and diaper previous to putting him on his back, which seems to help, in that his anger peaks later in the game, so I have slightly more time to get the next diaper slapped on and tacked down before the squirm-fest begins. Sometimes I even manage to get his pants halfway on before he's crawled out of my reach.
ReplyDeleteI don't heart this stage. *sigh*
If it makes you feel any better, my son is 11 months also and we've been "wrestling", quite literally, with diaper changes for some time now. I find myself giving him all kinds of weird things to play with just so I can keep him still long enough to wipe up the poop before he starts trying to get away again.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've been competing with Madeline in the DCWF (Diaper Change Wrestling Federation), and though I've won some matches, I lose more than half of the time. It's been oh, about eight months.
ReplyDeleteShe likes to sign "diaper change" for me. Lately, she'll do it when we're out somewhere, so I'll whisk her off to the nearest washroom with changing facilities, but I've discovered it's all a ruse. She doesn't want or need a change - she just wants to look inside the washroom, or maybe play with the buckle on the changing table. Argh!
I'm not so positive as the diaper routine with my oldest who is almost potty trained is still a nightmare. She has to do everything herself and she likes only certain diapers. I can't wait to be diaper free.
ReplyDeleteI found when they are still young singing works as the best distraction.