How to Keep Your Child Happy During a Diaper Change!

Your baby, like most, probably gets fidgety or cries during a diaper change. Most of the time, babies do not get agitated or convey their discomfort when their diaper is wet or dirty. However, sometimes your child will let you know by their behavior that they are uncomfortable and want a diaper change immediately!

No matter how much they want a fresh clean natural diaper, your baby may not be able to stay still while you are busy changing their dirty diaper. For some babies, this particular task can be bothersome, making them irritable, and rather cranky.

So, to help you keep your child happy during a diaper change, we have gathered a few easy yet effective tips for you. 

The following tips are certainly going to help you make diaper change time more joyful for you and your baby!

• First and foremost, slow down, and take a deep breath. Remember that your baby picks up on your body language. Therefore, when you are calm your baby will be calm too.  
• Use non-verbal cues to connect with your baby. Although babies cannot speak clearly or understand everything you say, your tone of voice and gestures will help keep your baby calm during this process.
• You want to keep your voice low and soft, and touch them gently, while maintaining a smile. Another cue you can use is singing a song that you created around diaper changing time. This way when they hear the song, they will start to connect with it overtime, knowing that it is time for a diaper change.
• Laughter is key – So, make your baby laugh. Laughter is healthy for anyone and everyone. When you're laughing, stress hormones are released, and bonding hormones are increased. Therefore, getting your baby laughing is always a good idea. This way, your baby will cooperate better with you and be much happier during the diaper change session. 
• You can start the diaper change by playing with your baby; tickling them, or anything you know that will make them laugh and squeal. Then, while your baby is laughing, you can start the diaper change or even make it a part of the fun time with your baby!
• Do not interrupt your baby’s play. Your baby is always looking for ways to either play or sleep. Playing is what your baby does for a living, so being interrupted can be quite annoying for them. Therefore, if need be, you should try to change your baby’s diapers without disturbing their playtime. For instance, if you need to put them on a diaper changing pad, ensure you hand the baby their favorite toy. Moreover, you can even change the baby’s diapers standing up if the diaper is just wet. 
• Practice keeping your baby on their back. Babies are not usually comfortable lying on their backs, and therefore may become fidgety. So, it’s good to try it out few times a day to have your baby lie on their back for a few minutes. Maybe you can incorporate it during their playtime, or when you massage your baby, so they become comfortable with lying in this position and be more relaxed during the diaper change.  

Conclusion 

Some babies tend to enjoy diaper changing time. However, most get irritated whenever it's time to change their diaper because their playtime is being interrupted. We have listed above some great ways to keep your child happy during a diaper change. You can try most of them and see what works best for you and your child! 

A happy baby means a happy parent. Try these different approaches to keep your baby happy at all times!