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Babies are little bundles of energy! They don’t 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.
Diaper changing as a ritual
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’s 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’s too valuable a ritual to treat it as
simply maintenance.
Learning about your baby
Diapering offers a perfect opportunity for you to truly
absorb your baby’s cues and signals. You’ll 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’s normal
for him. This is important because it will enable you to easily decipher any
physical changes that need attention.
Developing trust
Regular diaper changes create rhythm in your baby’s 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.
A learning experience for your baby
Your baby does a lot of learning during diaper changes.
It’s 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.
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 — 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’s saying and how she is saying it — crucial to the
growth of your relationship.
What your baby thinks and feels
Many active babies could not care less if their diapers
are clean. They’re too busy to concern themselves with such trivial issues. It
may be important to you, but it’s not a priority for your child.
Diaper rash or uncomfortable diapers (wrong size or bad
fit) can make him dread diaper changes, so check these first. Once you’re sure
all the practical issues are covered, make a few adjustments in this
unavoidable process to make it more enjoyable.
Take
a deep breath
Given the number of
diapers you have to change, it’s 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’t 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.
Have
some fun
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 “hide the diaper.” Put a new diaper on your head, on
your shoulder, or tucked in your shirt and ask, “Where’s the diaper? I can’t
find it!” 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.)
Use
distraction
Keep a flashlight
with your changing supplies and let your baby play with it while you change
him. Some kids’ flashlights have a button to change the color of the light, or
shape of the ray. Call this his “diaper flashlight” 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.
Try
a stand-up diaper
If your baby’s
diaper is just wet (not messy), try letting her stand up while you do a quick
change. If you’re 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’t require pins.
Time
to potty train?
If your child is old enough and seems ready for the next
step, consider potty training.
This article is an excerpt from Gentle Baby Care by
Elizabeth Pantley.
(McGraw-Hill, 2003)
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