How to Diaper a Resistant Toddler Baby
I’m sure I’m not the first parent to battle an insistent, strong-willed, soon-to-be toddler over diaper and outfit changes. My husband walked into the bedroom the other night asking, “Why is she crying like that?”
I held up a finger covered in Boudreax’s Butt Paste, using my other hand to grab two flailing legs, and with my third hand… wait, there’s the problem. My daughter proceeded to spread diaper cream on her ankles, knees, and toes (everywhere except her butt basically), as I said, “I’m changing her.” My tone suggested this was explanation enough.
“So?” my husband asked, raising an eyebrow. “Does she do that every time you change her?”
I stopped, looking up from the tangle of arms and legs. “You mean she DOESN”T act this way for you?”
“No,” my husband answered. “Don’t you give her a shoe?”
“What?”
My husband grabbed a size 2 Old Navy Tennis shoe off the floor and said, “You just have to give her a shoe.” Our daughter took the shoe, smiled, placed it in her mouth, and I continued with the diapering. Easy as tying a shoelace.
But when the shoe trick gets, well, as boring as an old shoe, what else can the parent of a toddler do to make changing time go easier?
Keep all supplies well stocked. This is good advice regardless of your baby’s age — you don’t want to have to go running around the house looking for a diaper with baby on the changing table. But with a toddler, you only have one chance to change each diaper before you have a naked baby streaking through the house, so you better get it right!
Keep messy objects out of reach. As soon as your little bundle figures out how to open the cap on the diaper cream, get it out of there. (Fortunately, I didn’t have to learn this one from experience!) Remove from reach anything you don’t want your toddler grabbing for; this frees up your hands for the important tasks — holding baby down, wiping, fastening diaper tabs.
Keep toys within reach. Whether it’s a shoe, a lovey or a favorite teething ring, giving your child a toy may keep them occupied during changing. In fact, the mobile that you can’t use in the crib anymore because your on-the-go baby uses it to pull up on works great above the changing table, where baby can watch her favorite, familiar characters go round-and-round. Just make sure it’s out of reach or it becomes just another thing baby can grab and use as a weapon, er, object to pull up on.
That strap on the changing table? It actually has a purpose. I have a confession. The first time I placed the changing table pad on the changing table, I thought the straps were designed to go under the pad, securing it to the table. Now I know better!
Although experts recommend always strapping your baby down, it doesn’t become mandatory, from a practical standpoint, until your child begins rolling. Using the restraint signals to a squirming toddler that it’s time to be still, just like in the car seat. My husband (who is, apparently, the diaper-changing pro) strapped down our daughter for changing time the other day, and it actually made the process much easier.
When all else fails… Use the Amazing Standing Diaper Change. I read this post by Brit several months ago and never forgot it. While my husband’s the diaper changing pro, I almost have this move mastered. Let baby stand up, occupied and playing with whatever toy they like, while you quickly remove old diaper (yes, even if it’s dirty), wipe baby, and put on new diaper. Experienced mom Brit makes it sound so easy but, really, it truly is easier than getting an uncooperative toddler to lie down for a diaper change.
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10 Responses to “How to Diaper a Resistant Toddler Baby”
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m80parents (m80 Parents) says...
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Some good pointers for mastering the art of diaper changing
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Babiesonline (Shannon Anderson) says...
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How to Diaper a Resistant Toddler Baby [link to post]
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momsurvival (EricaW) says...
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RT @Babiesonline: How to Diaper a Resistant Toddler Baby [link to post]
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JennifertGrant (Jennifer Grant) says...
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Laughing and remembering the days: RT @Babiesonline: How to Diaper a Resistant Toddler Baby [link to post]
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parentinfo101 (Parenting Info) says...
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pr_moms (PostRank – Moms) says...
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Amanda says...
I’ve never had any problems diapering a strong-willed baby. The shoe trick is great, we’ve given her toys. The stand-up diaper change works well.
Strong will is usually an indication of a strong desire to be independent. I gave up wrestling with mine a long time ago. She undoes the diaper tabs. She tells me whether she’d prefer to stand up. I put a couple of wipes in her hand and she gleefully works on cleaning herself up — with parental help. I put a pea-sized amount of diaper cream on her finger and she applies it diligently — and mom or dad applies the rest. She goes to the trash to throw away the old diaper — sometimes.
Resistance is very often trumped by engagement.
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Dawn says...
Amanda-
Thanks for the tips! Mine is only 11 mos. old, so she may not be ready for that. She’ll figure out how to undo tabs soon enough!!
I’ll keep your tips in mind for a few months down the line.
Thx for the RTs everyone- much appreciated!
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Rebecca Laffar-Smith says...
When either of my kids didn’t want to wear a diaper (and thus were uncooperative about letting me get one on them) I generally just let them go without. To me, that win wasn’t important. So what if I had to do a little extra laundry that day.
Of course, the shoe trick is a clever one. I also found changing them in other locations worked (like on the bed instead of the change table) was a good way to keep things interesting.
And, if they were messy but wouldn’t lay still for the clean up and diaper change it became bath time. Washing up in water also saves on wipes!
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Linda says...
I have found that the easiest way to change the diaper of a resistant (or curious) toddler is to use a baby pillow. It is placed on their torso and allows for the parent to change the diaper in peace.
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