Dear Tunester, today you’re going to learn a way to make diaper changing go from struggle to smooth sailing.
I bet you didn’t realize how deep in shit you would be as a parent, in more ways than one. But today let’s focus on the literal.
How many times a day do you deal POOP? Checking, smelling, changing, and cleaning…A LOT.
Now if you’ve got a pre-crawler diaper changing might still be somewhat chill. But if your baby is on the move it may have already turned into a wrestling match.
So what do you do? It’s simple.
Use a Diaper-Changing Song.
Yup, sing while you wipe. It can be about pee, poop, diapers or anything really. A Diaper-Changing Song is part-reminder, part-timer.
Here’s why it will work:
1. It lets your baby know that changing is about to happen.
If you start to sing your diaper-changing song as you are bringing the diaper and as you start to undress the baby, then your baby will know it’s coming. Part of what they hate so much is that you are interrupting their play. It’s like my kids protesting when I call them to dinner – “Wait a minute! I’m in the middle!” A song can let your baby know that they’re about to be changed.
2. It can be a time keeper.
Babies are intuitively musical. Whithin a few times of singing your song, your baby will start to recognize it. Not only that, they’ll understand know the beginning, the middle and the end. Babies seem to understand song structure. Often in my groups, babies as young as eight months old start to clap toward the end of the song because they know it’s about to end. Use the song as a way to tell your baby how long the diaper changing will take. It will behave like a sand timer and your baby will feel a bit more in control.
Don’t have a Diaper-Changing Song? Let’s make it happen.
It’s possible that you already have a song but you don’t think about it as one. Do you ever find yourself singing silly ditties about poop, not peeing in your face or staying still? That’s all I’m talking about.
Don’t overthink it. You can write a silly ditty on your own. Start by noticing what you say as you’re changing your baby’s diaper. If you usually say, “Please don’t pee on me” or “You are a poopy head,” then put that in the song. It could look something like this:
“You’re my little poopy head
Let’s go get you clean
But baby hold still –
And please don’t pee on me”
I am sure you can come up something better than that. It’s really about noticing the melody you already use in your speech when you’re speaking to your baby.
Imagine how you would say – “Come here stinky pants.” Probably with a little sing-song in your voice. Use that for your ditty!
Remember – it doesn’t have to win a Grammy. But if you’re able to write a short song that you sing every time you go to change your baby’s diaper, the task will become so much easier. Not only that, you’ll be one step ahead and ready for the squirmy stage.
So dear Tunester, what song makes your life easier at the changing table? COMMENT below and let me know.
Can it top: “Wipe wipe wipe your butt / gently wipe the stream”? Do tell. I love to hear what little ones respond to. Comment below.
Want to use a changing song I wrote? Try this one.
Did you catch last week’s post in which I shared the 5 things I would never do as a therapist of babies and parents? Check it out here.
Before your next diaper change … Share this Tuesday Tune-In.
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