{"id":6962,"date":"2011-09-25T04:09:59","date_gmt":"2011-09-25T11:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/parentingtoday.com\/anew\/?page_id=6962"},"modified":"2024-05-27T13:01:01","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T20:01:01","slug":"diaper-changing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Stop <\/picture><\/p>\n

By Elizabeth Pantley\u00a0<\/strong>
\nAuthor of Gentle Baby Care<\/strong><\/p>\n

Babies are little bundles of energy! They don\u2019t want to lie still to have their diapers changed. They cry, fuss, or even crawl away. A simple issue can turn into a major tug-of-war between parent and baby.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Download Our Ages & Stages Chart: Birth to 5 Years Old<\/a><\/p>\n

Diaper changing as a ritua<\/strong>l \u00a0 The position of parent and baby during a diaper change is perfect for creating a bonding experience between you. You are leaning over your baby, and your face is at the perfect arms-length distance for engaging eye contact and communication. What\u2019s more, this golden opportunity presents itself many times during each day; no matter how busy you both get, you have a few moments of quiet connection. It\u2019s too valuable a ritual to treat it as simply maintenance.<\/p>\n

Learning about your baby<\/strong> \u00a0 Diapering offers a perfect opportunity for you to truly absorb your baby\u2019s cues and signals. You\u2019ll learn how his little body works, what tickles him, what causes those tiny goose bumps. As you lift, move, and touch your baby, your hands will learn the map of his body and what\u2019s normal for him. This is important because it will enable you to easily decipher any physical changes that need attention.<\/p>\n

Developing trust<\/strong> \u00a0 Regular diaper changes create rhythm in your baby\u2019s world and afford the sense that the world is safe and dependable. They are regular and consistent episodes in days that may not always be predictable. Your loving touches teach your baby that he is valued, and your gentle care teaches him that he is respected.<\/p>\n

A learning experience for your baby<\/strong> \u00a0 Your baby does a lot of learning during diaper changes. It\u2019s one of the few times that she actually sees her own body without clothes, when she can feel her complete movements without a wad of diaper between her legs. Diaper-off time is a great chance for her to stretch her limbs and learn how they move. \u00a0 During changing time, your baby is also a captive audience to your voice, so she can focus on what you are saying and how you are saying it \u2014 an important component of her language learning process. Likewise, for a precious few minutes, you are her captive audience, so you can focus on what she\u2019s saying and how she is saying it \u2014 crucial to the growth of your relationship.<\/p>\n

What your baby thinks and feels<\/strong> \u00a0 Many active babies could not care less if their diapers are clean. They\u2019re too busy to concern themselves with such trivial issues. It may be important to you, but it\u2019s not a priority for your child. \u00a0 Diaper rash or uncomfortable diapers (wrong size or bad fit) can make him dread diaper changes, so check these first. Once you\u2019re sure all the practical issues are covered, make a few adjustments in this unavoidable process to make it more enjoyable.<\/p>\n

Take a deep breath<\/strong> \u00a0 Given the number of diapers you have to change, it\u2019s possible that what used to be a pleasant experience for you has gotten to be routine, or even worse, a hassle. When parents approach diaper changing in a brisk, no-nonsense way, it isn\u2019t any fun for Baby. Try to reconnect with the bonding experience that diaper changing can be — a moment of calm in a busy day when you share one-on-one time with your baby.<\/p>\n

Have some fun<\/strong> \u00a0 This is a great time to sing songs, blow tummy raspberries, or do some tickle and play. A little fun might take the dread out of diaper changes for both of you. A game that stays fresh for a long time is \u201chide the diaper.\u201d Put a new diaper on your head, on your shoulder, or tucked in your shirt and ask, \u201cWhere\u2019s the diaper? I can\u2019t find it!\u201d A fun twist is to give the diaper a name and a silly voice and use it as a puppet. Let the diaper call your child to the changing station and have it talk to him as you change it. (If you get tired of making Mister Diaper talk, just remember what it was like before you tried the idea.)<\/p>\n

Use distraction<\/strong> \u00a0 Keep a flashlight with your changing supplies and let your baby play with it while you change him. Some kids\u2019 flashlights have a button to change the color of the light, or shape of the ray. Call this his \u201cdiaper flashlight\u201d and put it away when the change is complete. You may find a different type of special toy that appeals to your little one, or even a basket of small interesting toys. If you reserve these only for diaper time, they can retain their novelty for a long time.<\/p>\n

Try a stand-up diaper<\/strong> \u00a0 If your baby\u2019s diaper is just wet (not messy), try letting her stand up while you do a quick change. If you\u2019re using cloth diapers, have one leg pre-pinned so that you can slide it on like pants, or opt for pre-fitted diapers that don\u2019t require pins.<\/p>\n

Time to potty train?<\/strong>\u00a0 If your child is old enough and seems ready for the next step, consider potty training. \u00a0 This article is an excerpt from Gentle Baby Care by Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003)<\/p>\n

RELATED: Download Our Ages & Stages Chart: Birth to 5 Years Old<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Babies are little bundles of energy! They don\u2019t want to lie still to have their diapers changed. They cry, fuss, or even crawl away. A simple issue can turn into a major tug-of-war between parent and baby.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":7210,"menu_order":44,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6962","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nStop the Diaper Changing Battles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tips from By Elizabeth Pantley author of Gentle Baby Care on how to turn the struggles of diaper changing in to a positive experience.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tips from By Elizabeth Pantley author of Gentle Baby Care on how to turn the struggles of diaper changing in to a positive experience.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Child Development Institute\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ParentingTodayCDI\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-05-27T20:01:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ParentingWeb\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/\",\"name\":\"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-09-25T11:09:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-05-27T20:01:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"Tips from By Elizabeth Pantley author of Gentle Baby Care on how to turn the struggles of diaper changing in to a positive experience.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":628},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Ages and Stages of Child Development\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Baby Care: Baby (Birth – 2 years) – Infant Development & Parenting Tips\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/\",\"name\":\"Child Development Institute\",\"description\":\"Parenting articles, news and tips on raising happy, healthy, successful kids and teens.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Child Development Institute\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Child_Development_Institute_Logo.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Child_Development_Institute_Logo.jpg\",\"width\":600,\"height\":306,\"caption\":\"Child Development Institute\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ParentingTodayCDI\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ParentingWeb\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/parentingtoday\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/parentinginfo\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles","description":"Tips from By Elizabeth Pantley author of Gentle Baby Care on how to turn the struggles of diaper changing in to a positive experience.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles","og_description":"Tips from By Elizabeth Pantley author of Gentle Baby Care on how to turn the struggles of diaper changing in to a positive experience.","og_url":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/","og_site_name":"Child Development Institute","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ParentingTodayCDI","article_modified_time":"2024-05-27T20:01:01+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@ParentingWeb","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/","url":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/","name":"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg","datePublished":"2011-09-25T11:09:59+00:00","dateModified":"2024-05-27T20:01:01+00:00","description":"Tips from By Elizabeth Pantley author of Gentle Baby Care on how to turn the struggles of diaper changing in to a positive experience.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/Stop-the-Battle-mini.jpg","width":1200,"height":628},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/diaper-changing\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Ages and Stages of Child Development","item":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Baby Care: Baby (Birth – 2 years) – Infant Development & Parenting Tips","item":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/ages-stages\/baby-infant-development-parenting\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Stop the Diaper Changing Battles"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/","name":"Child Development Institute","description":"Parenting articles, news and tips on raising happy, healthy, successful kids and teens.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#organization","name":"Child Development Institute","url":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Child_Development_Institute_Logo.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Child_Development_Institute_Logo.jpg","width":600,"height":306,"caption":"Child Development Institute"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ParentingTodayCDI","https:\/\/x.com\/ParentingWeb","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/parentingtoday\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/parentinginfo\/"]}]}},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"woocommerce_thumbnail":false,"woocommerce_single":false,"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Parenting Today Staff","author_link":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/authors\/admin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Babies are little bundles of energy! They don\u2019t want to lie still to have their diapers changed. They cry, fuss, or even crawl away. A simple issue can turn into a major tug-of-war between parent and baby.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6962"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55996,"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6962\/revisions\/55996"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/childdevelopmentinfo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}