Diaper Changes Going to the Dark Side
Please feel free to chime in on this situation if you have any pointers.
My glorious 9-month-old daughter has really started to ramp up her frustration level during diaper changes. I’ve taken a close look at some of the most common issues, but nothing seems to jump out as the cause of all this angst.
Maddie has never liked to be messed with. The baby gets annoyed when you pull a shirt over her head. She even gets fired up when you put pants on her. But lately, the diaper change has Maddie truly embracing the dark side of the force.
Changing the diaper is an activity that I have always tried to keep lighthearted and maybe even a little bit fun. The changing process is usually accompanied by a song or shared conversation. However, diaper changes over the course of the past week have really turned into a series of baby tantrums complete with kicking and some less-than-pleasant screaming.
- She isn’t struggling with any type of diaper rash.
- There has been no deviation in the changing method.
- In the past we have used toys or items to distract her.
It’s almost the thought of the diaper change itself that sets Maddie on this rocky course more than the actual change itself. I suppose these bad moods are more intense when the baby is tired, but there still seems to be little reason for such an Oscar-worthy performance.
Maddie’s parents concluded a long time ago that Maddie hates having a dirty diaper, but hates having it changed just as much. The fact that she is being awarded a clean diaper in the process is completely irrelevant.
To my knowledge, she has never had a bad experience while going through the motions. So we have no idea what is troubling her now.
To our knowledge, Maddie is not experiencing any physical discomfort, just the anguish of believing that she might be missing something interesting during the event. Hopefully this diaper change of discontent is just a phase that will be over sooner than later. But for now, the days of the easy diaper-living have come and gone only to be replaced by small arms fire and looting in the streets.
Stay Home PaPa 
May 3, 2012 at 3:10 am
It is possible that she might have a yeast infrction, making it really uncomfortable during diaper changes… Little baby girls dint get the “normal” rash of a yeast infection, the skin can appear a little red, maybe even a little shiney in the diaper area and even then not necessarily. As a nurse, I’ve seen lots of baby girls have one and show no other physical symptoms, just the horrible disposition at diaper changes.
Just something to consider 🙂
May 3, 2012 at 6:16 am
Our 7 month old daughter is the same way. I think she knows it is soon naptime or bedtime, which is usually what follows a diaper change. Usually what seems to help her settle down is when I give her something she doesn’t normally play with. Like one of her little shoes or a tube of something nearby. Most of the time, it does the trick.