My 8 month old daughter has recently started having tantrums on the changing table. It seems to have really fired up when she started crawling. She wants to flip onto her belly and crawl away, and when I stop her, she throws a fit. Screaming, crying, kicking, the whole bit. I have tried distracting her with the ceiling fan (which she usually loves to watch), toys, songs, games...nothing is working.
Is this normal? Is there anything I can do?
Thanks for the advice. Most of it, I have already been doing (playing games, singing, changing on the floor, etc.). I guess it just makes me sad that she is so furious during changings, crying and throwing such fits. I figured it would pass, now I guess I just have to wait for it! Thanks.
Yes, this is normal. Honestly, it's mostly a phase that passes. Do the best you can to engage her while you change her. Make it a game, sing a silly song, make faces, and be fast. It might help to have toys she only gets while being changed. Mostly, though, they just outgrow it.
You'll never have this time again. Find the humor in it all. It took me a kid and a half to realize that this is more fun than it seems at first. lol
I agree with most of the other posts. Move to the floor. It is easier to chase them and there is no danger of falling. My daughter is 16 mths now and she has been this way since 11 mths or so. She is just too interested in other things going on. I have tried everything... you just have to find what works for you.. which for us singing a song and getting her to clap while I change her diaper. Or some days I give her a wipe to play with bc at least then if she gets "involoved" she's helping some.
Hey Leslie,
When my son (now 14 months) started to fight me at the changing table, I moved to the floor. It seemed as though the change of scenery helped to distract from the fact that he had to be still for me for a minute or two.
Hope this helps!
R.
Hi, L., While I agree with everything the other Moms said, I have a technique that you can all try with your children. It is an accupressure approach called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). You can learn it here (second video down) www.ailaspeaks.com/eft.html I use it with my grandchildren's upsets and teach it to other Moms and kids with GREAT success. With young children you do not need the 'set up' phrase, with older kids call the points their 'magic buttons', and teach it to them when they are not upset. Used it recently on a 3 y olds fear before surgery. This worked so well for my 2 yo granddaughter's tantrums that one day she saw me coming and put her hand up saying no, no --She wanted to stay mad ; ) A.
My 8 1/2 month old son does the same thing. It is very frustrating! I have resorted to changing him on the floor. I sit next to him and put one leg over his chest to keep him from taking off and I let him hold something he doesn't usually see like a hair brush.
Hi L..
My 11 month old does the same thing; he acctually started around the same time as your daughter. He could be in the best mood and as soon as I lay him down on the table, he flips out! I tried toys, a pacifier, etc but the only thing that seems to work is anything that's NOT a toy like a tube of diaper cream, my keys, a package of wipes (he likes that it crinkles and makes noise). I know that sounds so strange but it seems to work! Now what I do is, as soon as I put him down (or just before) I'll hand him the little tub of vasaline or the wipes and he seems distracted enough to sit still. he's gotten better about the tantrums over the last few weeks, but the trick still definitely works. I also do it when he gets out of the tub and we're trying to get him dressed. Again, I know it sounds odd (and definitely not by the books, I'm sure!) but it works for me;) Good luck!
I have an 11 month old daughter that does the same thing...I have started straping her in on the changing table (I use the changing station on her play pen and it has a strap and buckle) and giving her a small toy to play with...this seems to help. I think that they are just so happy when they find out what else they can do and it's something new, it will wear off in a little while. I remember my other older daughter doing that, then when she started walking...it was trying to keep her in the same room while I got her dressed. Hope this helps!
Dear Leslie, I'm a 1st time grandma and my grandson is exactly what you are experiencing. He screams, yells, rolls, tumbles, all 9 yards of it, persay. Last week I was changing him, he had his "fit" put his hands in the "stinky" diaper, and when I thought it was over, he was covered from head to toe. My daughter said, "Well, he needs a bath anyway!" LOL. He is 17 months old and his "fits" started about the time as your daughter. All children are different. Just be patient. I KNOW you would like to scream with her, but, remember..."this too shall pass." Best wishes, B. J.
Yeah its normal... my son did it too still does from time to time & he's 18months! lol just keep your cool & make changing time short as possible. She's in the phase where she wants to GO GO GO & changing time interrupts that! lol I would use my elbow & lower arm to hold my son's chest down when changing. sounds mean i know but he got used to it & eventually gave up or grew out of it... not sure which LOL
Been through it twice, consider it a 'Rite of Passage' as a mom. You do discover that you CAN actually change a diaper on a child that is running away. My friend (mom of triplet boys)got really good at putting diapers on children laying on their stomachs. Adaptation on your part will help you. This too shall pass & you will survive! I promise.
P
My daughter is 12 months now, but she went through this phase too. It didn't last very long fortunately. When she would try to roll over, I would be consistent and say, "Stay on your back" and I would physically roll her over. Sometimes I would have to do the change with one hand while I held her shoulders with the other.
She would get mad, but it ended up working out well. Plus I would sing or tickle her or offer toys/books/a sippy cup: anything to distract her. She stopped testing me after just a couple of weeks. Now she just lies there calmly and looks at a book during each diaper change.
Hi L. - your daughter's behavior is totally normal! Once they become mobile they never wanted to be still. My son (now almost 3) started rolling over at 4 months and was a horror to change well into his 18month - you just get good at being quick and trying new tactics. Sometimes singing songs or changing him standing up was the best thing. Also I learned to change him while he was on his tummy (after he rolled over in an attempt to get away). All in all, it is a phase and you will get through it. Hang in there! You might also want to try changing her on the floor or the bed so you can hold on to her better.
It's totally normal, as stressful as it may be. Keep up with trying to find new ways of distracting her (giving her a plastic cup to Ooo and Aaa into so she can hear herself echo, new toys like wooden spoons or measuring cups) and start changing her on the floor so that you don't have to worry about her falling off the changing table in her struggles. You may need to physically restrain her with your feet (very gently, of course). Like I said, it's totally normal. There will be times she'll fight it and times she won't. Although maybe if she saw another child have her diaper changed calmly, she just might calm down about it. That's what got my girl to relax during changes, although she was more like 18 months old at the time. Good luck!!!
I think it's normal... have you tried changing her somewhere else? Like on a towel on the floor? At least then she wouldn't be in danger of falling because of all of the squirming. My son went through the same thing, and I had to be really firm with him, it still took a while but he realized that once the diaper change was over he could get up and go go go! Hope that helps! Em
I have a very active 19 month old that also went through and still goes through fits when I put him on the changing table. When he was younger we were able to finally use either his "lovey" or a silver rattle. I began to get a bit nervous over all of the movement, so I then started to change his diapers on the floor for safety reasons. Also try distracting your child by singing funny songs. I can only imagine what my neighbors would think if they ever heard me singing Old McDonald and Ants Marching in a British accent.
Good Luck.
my advice, try changing her on the floor or couch, instead of the changing table. and put more dresses on her, easier to get to the diaper that way. that way you can change her quicker and she can get up and crawl away as soon as you're done!
My daughter started doing this a little before starting to crawl, too. And as soon as she was able, she started standing on the changing table! For us, her fussing and activity during changes has been going on for about 4 months now.
One thing I did was move changes to the floor. In our case, she was in danger of flipping onto the floor -- and I just didn't have enough hands to hold her in place and change her, too. So we use the bathroom floor for changes now -- I close the bathroom door so that she can not escape! (And tile is easy to clean if she gets off the changing pad before I have wiped her off all the way.)
I used to strap her to her pad on the floor, but I don't do that anymore -- not since the day she flipped over with the pad on her back, and crawled away with it still attached like a little turtle. It makes me laugh to picture it now...
The move to the bathroom floor has helped me to remain calm throughout the change. I just remind myself that sooner or later, it will get done! Even if I have to lay her down a couple of times. (And even, once in awhile, end up putting the new diaper on while she stands up. But it is hard to get it on tight enough / square enough that way.) And doing it on the floor, I do not have to put her clothes back on while she is stationary -- I can dress her as she cruises about the room.
Also, whenever there is another adult available, I call them in as entertainment help.
Good luck!
My now 14 month old is STILL doing that. Usually I let her hold the balmex tube or her hairbrush, things she doesn't normally play with , so she's curious about those things and gived me enough time to change the diaper or get her dressed,then she has to give it back before we get off the table. Sometimes it's a 30 second tantrum when she has to give it back, but it's over when we leave the room. Good luck!
All three of my kids did this same thing when they became more mobile. They just don't want to stop what they're doing and don't particularly enjoy being changed. I ended up putting a pad on the floor and putting my leg over their chest, very gently, and just so they couldn't move their upper body enough to roll over, and their hands couldn't interfere, and then I was able to get the job done quickly even if they screamed. When they can walk and they are busy playing, if it was just a wet diaper without poop I'd change them while they were standing up playing and they didn't have to stop.
