Not Wanting to Get Dressed or Diaper Changed

I have 4 children and they ALL went through this. The distraction works for awhile but when it came down to it I told them, "watch mommy. Let's see how fast I can change you so you can go play." Then we would start to count and each time see if we beat the time before. I would start counting even if they weren't cooperating because then they would get faster. I also agree with a choice of only two outfits you pick out first. Good Luck!!!

This is the story of my life. It will probably get better once your daughter's in high school ;) My son doesn't give me a problem about what to wear, but putting it on certainly pains him. I end up doing choices the whole way through: Do you want to get dressed in the bedroom or the family room? Do you want your diaper changed sitting down or standing up? Do you want to put on pants or shirt first? etc. Some days are easier than others. I think it's annoying and tedious, but typical. As for the favorite shirt, can you buy a couple of the same shirt and just alternate them? I think it's a phase that kids eventually grow out of. Oh, toddlers are SO much fun, aren't they!?

Tee heee. Very normal. Went through this with #1 and now am going through it with #2.

Keep a sense of humor. Pull ups is a great idea. I find that diaper changes happen more easily if she is either distracted by a toy, book, tv, daddy or sister. Try having her help you change her doll's diaper first and then hers.

Good thing it's summer and they don't need to wear too much.

It'll get better. I promise. LOL

Oh boy, do I know what you're going through. My daughter started this at about 1 and did not stop until after she was 2. I dreaded changing her or getting her dressed. Giving her choices or a say in the matter is what helped. Try to pick out 2 outfits before she sees you do it. Then ask her which one she wants to wear. With the pull-ups, it helped us to tell her she was "Super Baby" and she had to raise her arms in the air and get ready to fly. Once we got the pull-up on (she would be standing) then we'd pick her up and help her fly. Once you find what works to make this whole thing fun for her, the improvement will be dramatic.

This gives me no hope, LOL. My son started not wanting to be changed at around 6 months. He would try to roll away. Now he's 15 months and much stronger and the rolling has now turned to twisting, screaming, pushing my arms away, him trying to run away. I have to use my arm to try to hold him down and sometimes it takes 2 people.

I don't have a lot of advice because I'm in the same boat but I would say maybe she's giving her independance a run for your money. Give her 2 options - the pink or purple top. And leave it at that. Obviously she can't wear the same thing everyday but I will tell you that from a very young age I knew what I did and did not want to wear. I drove my family crazy too. If it didn't match (to my standards), if I didn't think it looked right, whatever, I refused to wear it. My mom told me it started before I was 2. I would go through 3 or 4 outfits a day if it got dirty or I decided I didn't want to wear it anymore. I was just very very picky. So maybe take her shopping and let her have more of a say in what you buy. That way when it comes down to the 2 choices, the pink or purple top, she may feel more inclined to participate and cooperate because she chose it in the first place. Just a thought anyway. Good luck!

K.-
My daughter went through a phase like that. For months I would have to pin her down to get her dressed in the morning. By the time I got to work I was exhausted. It is just a phase. It will get better. Just stick with it.

I started giving my daughter the choice of two bottoms and two tops. That worked better than her having an entire drawer or closet to choose from. One thing you could do, if possible, is buy a few more of her favorite shirt. That would make life a little easier for now. She will outgrow her desire to wear the same thing over and over. (I did the same thing in kindergarden.)

Good luck!

for me what worked was giving her choice of two top and two bottom or two dress and she picks one. So it is her choice. and then we let her dress herself. I will hold the top all rolled up and she will put it down the neck. Then we had a small game of her finding sleeves. I used to do the same for me in front of her. At two year she could dress herself up!! including the bottom.

WE used to do high fives and knuckles..she was ecstatis and was dressed up.

For diaper, I will hold the diaper and she puts the sticky on.. Everything was I wanooodo do it@@

I'm pretty sure most kids go through this phase. My 20 month old does this on and off for many months. The best way for me to get him to hold still is on the changing table (of course he throws everything onto the floor, which makes even more work). This works sometimes. I have a small page of stickers and if I stick one to his hand sometimes this will keep him distracted long enough to change him. Dressing is done while he is on the go usually... He doesn't care what he wears so can't help you there. Just try and sing songs, be silly, distract with toys or tv, or whatever you can do to make it more fun (I'm sure you've tried already!)

I'm not sure what to tell you because I'm going through a similar situation with my 17month old. My husband says she is strong willed and independent. I think she is doing it to drive me crazy. She laughs and runs away instead of a tantrum....but it just as frustrating. It is especially awful when we need to go somewhere and we're already late.

Sometimes it works to make a game of it, or if I tell her she can "help." But, that only works if she is in a good enough mood.

Lately, she cries and sobs when I need to change her diaper and she says "dry." I think maybe it has something to do with not wanting to stop what she is doing to get changed.

I hope to find some suggestions from others and I'm glad I'm not the only one going through this!!!!

I didn't go through this with my son, but my dauhghter is almost 21 months and doing the same thing. She has times when she's fine. We've made a game out of changing her babies with her and that's helped some...

Good luck!

Sounds like she is very independent. It's a phase. I would make sure she's on a good eating schedule. This will help with to eliminate some tantrums. When you are changing diapers. Try to use distraction. Give her a toy. You can try to sing the alphabet song or something. I agree with other moms in giving her a choice between 2 outfits. Try playing peekaboo. Mine went through the phase of taking off his shirt. Good luck.

May not be this, but it sounds a little like some sensory issues. My son developed sensory issues around 2yrs.old, and could not stand for most clothes to touch him. At one point he would strip down because he couldn't stand even his underwear to touch him. He was, and still is to some degree, very particular about his clothes, how things feel, certain material, tags, seams, textures etc. We received Occupational therapy for it. It works wonders and involves no medicine. When he was little, he too would wear the same jeans(elastic waist only), long sleeve shirt no matter how hot it was,and the same pair of boots! If any of this sounds like your child, check out a book called "The Out of Sync Child". Good luck!

Hi K.,
My name is K.. I went thru 3 miscarriages myself and I know of someone who had 5.I think that Yes You should be thankfull for having 2 children already. I have only one. My friend has none and She wishes she had one. She also, miscarried lat Spring, they were twin boys 23weeks old. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is not that You shouldn't try again but maybe that You should look at it differently and be grateful for what You've already got.None of us knows what's meant for us and there's nothing we can do about it.If You think that You can go thru this again then go ahead and try for another one.I think that optimsm and family are the most important after miscarriage no matter if You planning to try again or just live Your life.
With my miscarriages, I was always looking at my friends' case who has no children and who just miscarried her twins.Comparing our cases gave me better understanding of situation and different perspective. As I said before, we don't know what's meant for ech of us-nobody knows. We can only hope for the best and be optimistic.After my miscarriages I was even thinking that maybe I was lucky to have my son amongst those miscarriages and maybe that was IT.....and That would be fine with me too, though it wouldn't mean that that wouldn't try again. I gave myself a time limit to keep trying and see what would it bring.Maybe You should do the same?If another baby brings peace and happiness to Your life, I think You should keep trying for a while but also understand and embrace evrything else that you've got so far and understand that the outcome of your trials will not be really in your hands.That aproach gave me peace and better understanding of the whole situation. Maybe it will help You too.For now, be optimistic and try to find strength in your family. That helps
K.

Well, since it is late you have probably gotten lots of advice by now. As far as dressing, give her two choices, neither of which is the favorite shirt. Don't just ask her to pick out what she wants to wear. You select two outfits and ask her which one she wants to wear. Give her some choices about diaper changing , perhaps where she wants to be changed or if she wants to be changed now or in five minutes. by the way, since she cannot tell time, you can make five minutes be only two or three. Then do a countdown, "You have one minute left" so she gets some warning and she might even begin to wait for the diaper changing to come around. I really urge you to get in control of the situation, don't change her standing up. Make diaper changing quick and impersonal but have her lying down so you can do it when she is messy without taking a chance she'll not stand still. The key is to be firm but give choices in some way so she feels she has some say in things, but not too much.