Your child might cry, kick, hit to get away from changing diapers or twists and turns during diaper changes, no matter how messy and in need of a change he is.
In this article, I will be sharing suggestions to cope when your child fights diaper change.
Suggestions
1. Have everything ready to go.
Open the diaper flat, placing it below the dirty diaper so it is ready to fasten once you are done wiping.
Grab several wipes out of the container so you don’t have to fumble by pulling them out one at a time.
Arrange clothes right side out and nearby for easy dressing.
This helps to change diapers quickly.
2. Make diaper changes fun.
Fun diaper changes make him more likely to associate them with enjoyable memories, rather than something that triggers a power struggle between you two.
3 - 2 - 1 liftoff
Pretend your child is a rocket ready to blast off into space! Say, “Ready for liftoff?”, hold him in your arms, and countdown to lift off. As you do, zoom him up into the air and land him onto the changing pad.
Play Peekaboo.
Spend a few moments playing peekaboo, covering your child’s face with a burp cloth and smiling as you unveil it.
Blow raspberries on your child’s belly.
Your child will love getting his belly kissed after you have gotten him all cleaned.
Sing songs.
Sing specific songs for diaper changes, or favourite ones your child loves, so he can enjoy the moment rather than fight it.
Tickle your child gently.
Play with your child’s feet and tickle him to get him to laugh.
Laughing and crying both release energy, so laughter can effectively replace tantrums.
Your child will be more likely to want to do them again next time.
3. Pick a good time.
Avoid the times when your child is in the middle of an activity he loves, or when he is feeling grumpy or upset, and instead wait for a better time to bring up the diaper change.
Give your child’s a head’s up.
If your child is in the middle of activity but you still need to change his diaper, let him know you will take a quick break in 10 minutes.
Count down. Five more minutes and I will change your diaper so he isn’t caught by surprise.
4. Have a consistent daily routine.
When your child knows what to expect, he will often do it automatically.
Change your child’s diaper before or after the same activities every day.
For example,
Change your child’s diaper first thing after waking up in the morning or from a nap.
Change your child’s diaper before bedtime.
Change diapers in the same place.
A regular place to change diapers helps make the activity a normal part of the day.
Use the same words when signaling a diaper change.
When you say, “It’s time to change your diaper” can trigger an automatic behaviour.
Baby sign language is a fantastic way to communicate with him.
When starting the diaper change, sign “diaper change,” then once all is done, sign “Done”.
5. Offer the right “distractions”.
Combine items your child genuinely likes with your attention.
Talk about the item, ask him how it works, and use the opportunity to engage with him.
Have your child hold a toy he is already playing with and interested in before the diaper change.
When your child is playing with a toy, allow him to hold a few in his hands while you transition him to the changing table.
6. Praise your child’s cooperation.
When there are moments your child doesn’t hate diaper changes, praise and thank him for a fantastic diaper change.
Let your child know how helpful or cooperative he was, how quickly the change happened, and how much you appreciate his behaviour.
Praise your child for coming right away to the changing table or grabbing a diaper.
7. Try something different.
Replace diapers with pull-ups.
Pull-ups tend to be easier to change into and out of.
Your child’s resistance to diaper changes could be a sign he is ready to potty train.
I hope all these suggestions will help you to cope when your child fights diaper change.
What matters most to parents? Our most-read articles:
https://www.genesisgroup.sg/post/what-to-prepare-for-infant-care (Read 23028 times)
https://www.genesisgroup.sg/post/cost-of-infant-care (Read 11246 times)
https://www.nurtureinfant.com/post/importance-of-a-conducive-learning-environment (Read 200857 times)
https://www.nurtureinfant.com/post/ensuring-holistic-child-development (Read 52623 times)
Genesis Childcare 1989 is Singapore's leading preschool and childcare in Tampines. Our Preschool Tampines have over 30 years of experience in nurturing thousands of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. At Genesis, we advocate that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished.
As a leading early childhood centre in Singapore since 1989, we are committed to nurturing our early learners holistically through various learning areas and positive learning dispositions. We place a strong emphasis on the way our teachers facilitate and interact with the children.
Our Childcare Tampines believe that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished. Hence, our holistic curriculum aims to create meaningful learning experiences for each and every one of them!
Our Kindergarten Tampines provides parents with the confidence that their children are in the good hands of our trained and caring teachers.
Our professional team of preschool teachers has a good understanding of child development and learning principles. We apply them efficiently and set the stage to create a meaningful learning experience that supports your child's discovery.
We consistently create a positive and cozy environment that will give your child a sense of security which builds their self-confidence to explore the world around them.
If you are looking for Tampines infant care or Tampines preschool or Tampines childcare, do consider Nurture Infant House or Genesis Childcare 1989.
Located alongside our childcare in Tampines is our Nurture Infant House. If you are looking for Tampines infant care or infant care in Tampines, do visit Nurture Infant House. It is for infants aged 2 months to 18 months old. You can learn more about our infant care Tampines here.
Lastly, would you like to visit our Genesis Childcare 1989 to find out more about our environment and setup as well as understand our operations by talking to our teachers and supervisor?
Genesis Childcare 1989 (Playgroup to Kindergarten 2)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-63/65 S(520433)
Nurture Infant House (2 to 18 months Infants)
Blk 433 Tampines Street 43 #01-61 S(520433)
Opening hours: Monday to Friday (7am to 7pm) & Saturday (7am to 2pm)
Public Bus services: 8 / 21 / 28 / 29 / 293
Tel: 96664141