How to Keep a Baby Happy During Diapering or Dressing

Quality time is those intimate moments when you are caring for your baby - diapering, dressing, bathing or feeding her. Use this time to connect by focusing on her and involving her in the process. Encourage her to be an active part of what you're doing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Changing Pads
• Cloth Diapers
• Baby Wipes
• Diapers

1. Wait. If your baby is involved in her play, don't rush in to pick her up and diaper her. Children take more time than adults to switch gears. If you wait just a bit, you may find that your baby is more willing to cooperate.

2. Tell your baby what you're going to do: "I'm going to pick you up and change your diaper." If you start this habit of telling your baby what you're going to do, she'll start to anticipate what's happening and be more willing to cooperate.

3. Give your baby your focused attention. Let the answering machine pick up phone calls. If interrupted, tell other household members that you're busy with the baby, and that you will be with them in a moment.

4. Involve your baby in the process, whether it's diapering, bathing or dressing. Ask her if she can lift her bottom or pull on a sock. Even if she can't fully understand you or respond, one day she will. Expect cooperation and you will eventually get it.

5. Be patient. If your child is at an age when she resists being bathed or diapered, tell her, "I can see you don't want to get dressed right now. I'll wait a minute." Give her a minute or two, then try again. If you're in a real hurry, tell her you can see she doesn't like it but that it has to be done. Gently and firmly pick her up and proceed.

6. Offer the least amount of help possible if you see your toddler struggling with something, such as putting on her clothes. Better yet, ask if she wants help. Give her the smallest facilitating step if you decide to intervene.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid waving toys or making faces to distract your baby when dressing or diapering her. To distract her is to treat her as an object to be manipulated rather than a person who is spending intimate time with you. What could be more intimate between you and your baby than caring for her?
• Avoid making negative comments about a dirty diaper. Even if she can't understand your words, she will sense that something about her dirty diaper is unacceptable to you. Instead, give her positive feelings about normal bodily functions.

[beaudawn]

on 9/18/2008 This is good advice. Thanks