crying w/ PJs and night time diaper!!! please tell me we're not the only ones...

[nona]

our LO cries and cries after bath when we put on PJs and his diaper. Its like we're torturing him. I'm sure it'll just get worse as he gets older! does everyone else's do the same?  i feel like i have to trick him into getting his pjs on.

after its all said and done, then he wants to play...crazy kid!

[dbj]

We've found that happening too.  DD cries after her bath, while we put on her diaper and pjs.  The bath has been part of our before bed routine for a long time, but I think it's starting to work her up too much these days and then has some trouble falling asleep.  We've tried leaving it out on a few nights for the last little while and she seems ok with that (getting in pjs goes better this way at least).   

I'm going to try bathing her during another time of day to see if it's just that she gets fussy with getting dressed after bath at bedtime because she's tired or what.

[Aly Mac]

heather, L does it too.  I think it's such a routine that they know what's coming soon - bed! - and they don't want to, even when they are tired.  Good that he's know's what's next  but it is a struggle sometimes.  I now sit L up on the change table to put her arms into her pjs - she seems to like that better than lying down.

[nona]

yea! we're normal. guess that means the routine is working! cade loves his bath. doesnt' matter how tired he is, he still cries. now that i think about it, he hates having his diaper changed and putting clothes on him. guess they'd rather be on the move!

aleesa - there is NO way cade would sit up for me!!!

dbj - thought about leaving out the bath, but then i think he'd be confused  plus, he's one dirtly little boy these days!

[Erin M]

Heather, Allie always cries at night too.  I think it's a combination of being tired and being restrained long enough to get a diaper and pjs on.  I have let both of mine crawl around the floor and play while I was getting them dressed.  I just usually close Allie's bedroom door so she can't escape.  I found that with Katie, it got easier as she got older since she didn't get quite so overtired at night, and it's almost easier to get pajamas on them when they're able to stand.

[nona]

i think being restrained is definitely it! we also do the put-on-pjs-while-playing game!

[Tanners Mom]

Heather - that was totally Tanner too! One thing that has helped us is that I have a small basket of 'changing table' toys sitting nearby. Then when I put him on the changer for pj's and diaper - I first sit him on him bum so he can choose something from the basket to play with/chew on while I try to wrestle him into diaper and pj's. This distraction has helped with all of his diaper changes since he's been having a hard time with them. Wants to MOVE - not lay still! 

[Aly Mac]

I know  a mum that has a mobile above the change table.  She just got a light one and stuck it to the ceiling (can't do that as our ceilings are so high), but it certainly distracted L when I changed her there.

[dbj]

Aleesa - thanks for the tip about sitting up.  It seems so simple but it has helped.   Though, she went straight for the box of tissues by her feet and kept pulling them out and trying to put them in her mouth.  At least she's not crying!

Now if I could just get her not to cry when I wash her hair then I'd be all set. 

[Bryony]

Heather - yep we get phases of this too!  I know this sounds daft but I move the changing mat around the room - different bits of floor, different orientations - and this seems to distract Katie enough not to get too traumatised by getting her dressed after the bath.

I also find that getting her dressed sitting in my lap seems to help.

Good to know we we are not alone, huh?

Bryony