# BIG 9 month old squirming during diaper/clothes change



## ihugtrees (Oct 16, 2008)

I am a nanny for a 9 month old. He has been extremely squirmy ever since he learned to roll over at 4 or 5 months...the entire time you are changing his diaper or clothes, he is throwing his body around, trying to get away from you. His parents have said they've been telling him, "No" and holding him in place with one hand since he started doing this months ago, but it hasn't had an effect on him. It wasn't a big deal until recently, when he started getting bigger. He is now 22 lbs, and it is extremely difficult to change his diaper or his clothes. This can really be a problem when dealing with a messy diaper, and is difficult for me the rest of the time...his legs are long and he kicks very powerfully--pulling his feet out of my hands when I am trying to clean him, and hitting me right in the belly often. Not sure if this is a risk for my baby or not. He only kicks when I hold his body with one hand while I am trying to clean him--the kicking is in conjunction with screaming and face turning red, and his hands grabbing at mine, as well.

Is there an alternative to yelling 'No!' like his parents do to help him understand he needs to be still at changing time? I have never had this problem with a child so young, nor have I ever had a child this strong!!


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## smibbo (Jan 14, 2009)

I switched from using the changing table to putting Lil Miss on the floor halfway on a pillow (with a cloth diaper under to catch any runaway mess) and here's the key - in front of the DVD player. I pop in a DVD, ANY DVD and put her down and change her. It's like magic. If she hasn't been watching that particular DVD, her eyes will be drawn to it sideways and she's busy watching it. If she squirms, she won't be able to see it so she stays still.

Now if she's got a rash, sometiems she'll squirm a little but nothing like she used to when using the changing table.


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## srs (Nov 8, 2007)

Can he stand? We switched to stand up diaper changes.


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## Kyyrah (Jan 15, 2009)

My DS was like you describe. I actually had to sit on the floor with him and "pin" his arms with my two legs. Not putting a lot of weight on them, mind, just getting him to stay in one place. Then I switched the diaper as fast as humanly possible, and just readied myself for lots of kicking. The phase only lasted a few months; he is just fine now. My DD is also a squirmy bug now but she's tiny so she's no fuss at all to handle.


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## Smylingeyz (Dec 2, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kyyrah* 
My DS was like you describe. I actually had to sit on the floor with him and "pin" his arms with my two legs. Not putting a lot of weight on them, mind, just getting him to stay in one place. Then I switched the diaper as fast as humanly possible, and just readied myself for lots of kicking.

Yup, that's what I do too... sometimes the DVD trick works, but not always.


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## Romana (Mar 3, 2006)

Speed and patience are what got me through this phase. If it helps, ds is 10.5 months and has stopped compulsively flipping constantly during diaper changes.

Giving him a toy he hadn't seen in awhile or a forbidden item like a piece of paper or the TV remote was helpful. It was only for a minute, so not long enough for him to do anything dangerous or destructive with the forbidden item, but interesting enough to hold his attention through part of the change, anyway.

Switching up the diaper change location helped, too.

I think the most helpful thing was remembering that it was just a phase - one my dd went through too.


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## Nate'sMama (Jul 21, 2007)

My DD is a 23 lb 8mo squirmer.
tv, toys, patience, and speed. All what other pp have said.
I don't think yelling No at a an _any_ month old is helpful.

I might try the switching up the location thing - thanks!


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## Molck (Sep 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *srs* 
Can he stand? We switched to stand up diaper changes.

This is what we do with my strong/squirmy almost 9 month old too. Works most of the time.


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## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

I never mastered the standing diaper change. I just went for speed.


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## Deer Hunter (Sep 26, 2008)

My friend did this at a very early age, as he was an advanced/very gifted child. His mother listened to his cues and thought outside the box. She thought of trying potty training. She knew it may be very far fetched, but she thought it wouldn't hurt to try. Within a very short time, he was completely trained, and the battles and fusses were over. He just didn't like diapers anymore and felt he was done with it. I know this may seem far fetched and does not apply to all babies, but could you and the parents try this? Perhaps, he is very smart but doesn't kno how to communicate it. Just give it a shot. Who knows, it may just work.


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## JMJ (Sep 6, 2008)

Put together a bag of tricks for things that you could do to get him involved during his diaper change. Don't expect the same one to work every time. Examples from my bag of tricks include picking out a diaper, holding something during the change (diaper, paper towel, toy especially one that is reserved just for diaper changes, etc), having something fun to do before and/or after the diaper change (we have a pinata hanging near the diaper changing table that some kids like to hit and watch it swing), and singing a favorite song. Basically, try to make diaper time a positive experience.

The converse of that is also true: try to make it not a negative experience as much as possible. Let him have as much freedom of movement as you can. Don't let him kick you in the belly, and don't let him get poop all over the house, but it's OK if he squirms a bit. It may take longer to get his clothes on, but what's the rush? If he's screaming through the process, just talk empathetically to him, and get it done as quickly as possible.


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## jenmk (Apr 28, 2005)

Each of my kids have gotten squirmy somewhere around that age, not wanting to lie on their backs for a diaper change anymore. My trick, which worked nearly all the time, was to have a small, light-up, musical toy that was only in their hands during a diaper change. It was extra novel for them because we don't have any other light-up, musical toys (no other toys of theirs were battery powered), so it really kept their attention long enough for me to do a diaper change as quickly as humanly possible.

Whatever you can put in his hands to keep him happily on his back--whether it is a toy or a tube of lotion or diaper rash cream (those worked too, since it was not something they were usually allowed to have in their hands . . . but watch out when they figure out how to open the tubes with their teeth! I had to watch carefully to make sure no lotion or cream when into the mouth.)

HTH. Good luck!


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## SparklingGemini (Jan 3, 2008)

When my DD was squirmy, I started handing her a toothbrush.

She was obsessed with toothbrushes so this worked like a charm

And instead of telling her "no"(we reserve no for emergency/urgent situations) we whisper "wait." The whispering gets her attention and she has to stop squirming to hear what was said.

Actually, whispering helps in lots of situations.

Also, what I do if she's really, really wiggly is start asking her questions and then answering them. Changing focus, whether its a held object, a tone of voice, a song, etc., almost always works.

Good luck!


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## angelandmisha (May 16, 2008)

I agree with trying standing up diaper changes. My ds started refusing to lie down around that time and screaming bloody murder during diaper changes. So I got him a little potty and he loved sitting on that- a lazy try at elimination communication(check it out- it's a great idea). We do all diaper changes in the bathroom. He gets to sit on his potty, we read books and talk and then if he goes, we dump and flush, if not, we just clean with wipes and put on a new diaper. I'm not actively trying to potty train him, just get him used to it and with this new approach and trying EC I hardly ever have to change a poopy diaper! All pooping is done in the big potty and clean up is easy. Hope that helps!


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