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Dutchess_III's avatar

Does any one know why, or have any theories about why, some babies go through a stage of screaming bloody murder when they're getting their diaper changed?

Asked by Dutchess_III (47126points) May 26th, 2014

My daughter Corrie was one of those, for about 2 months. I had another day care baby that was a screamer. Out of the 9 grandkids I now have, the most current baby, 7 month old Zoey, is a screamer. Geez. I was surprised the neighbor’s didn’t call 911!

Why do some babies do that?

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11 Answers

elbanditoroso's avatar

Their bottoms are already wet, and uncovering them (and then wiping their bottoms with the cloth) makes them wet again, and cooler. Any bit of moving air (wind, fan, etc.) chills them as the air evaporates.

Wipe the bottom with a warm cloth. See the difference,

Dutchess_III's avatar

Well, it was hot yesterday. But I may try it. Or let her grow out of it.

JLeslie's avatar

Have you ever seen the baby talk video where you can interpret a baby cry and figure out if they are in discomfort or just want something? I think mom’s kind of know instinctively usually, but one woman I saw regardng learning about baby talk/cry figured out her son was screaming bloody murder when she put him in his car seat because the thing was hurting him. Once she had the idea the seat was causing him pain after learning about the different sounds she bought a new seat or adjusted it, I don’t remember which, and he never complained again. She thought he just didn’t want to get in the car or didn’t want to be out of her arms or something. The actual problem was the chair was like a torture chamber, poor thing.

If you figure out if the baby is in discomfort then maybe you can try things that will change her comfort level. Or, maybe some kids just go through a stage of freak out. Does she freak out when you lie her down? Even to go to bed? Or, just as you pull of the diaper? Maybe try to figure out exactly when she gets upset. Although, by now she can anticipate what is about to happen.

Edit: I din’t have the video link, but this Wikipedia page explains it. I believe it can work.

Dutchess_III's avatar

She’s doesn’t go to bed peacefully unless she is 150% asleep! No, she can tell when we’re getting ready to change her diapers, and starts screaming as soon as we lay her down on her back on the floor, before we do anything. I can’t imagine what I could change, it’s such a basic thing.

JLeslie's avatar

Maybe she gets the spins when she is laid down? It doesn’t make her sick does it?

Dutchess_III's avatar

No. She just screams until you’re done, then she’s fine. I don’t know if she gets the spins. With Corrie, since it was my own baby and we had that psychic connection, I could tell she felt like she was falling when I laid her down, so I did it as slowly and carefully as I could. But that was when she was really, really little, 1–2 months. She didn’t start the screaming at diaper changing time until she was 6 or 7 months old….same age Zoey is now. It it’s going to happen, seems like that’s about the time it happens.
I think Zoey’s thing is that she is THE most active baby I’ve ever met. Even if she’s lying on your lap, drinking a bottle, she’s shoving her feet against something so she’s moving up and down as she’s eating. Maybe she just hates the feeling of being “stuck.” IDK. It that’s it, then she REALLY hates it!
I posted this on fb:

“Gramma had 7 month old Zoey all day yesterday. At one point Zo Zo screamed bloody murder for about 2 minutes. This was because Gramma was:
A) Poking her with red-hot toothpicks.
B) Swapping out her toes for Jaden’s toes, with no anesthesia.
C) Changing her diaper.
D) Surprised the neighbors didn’t call 911.”

JLeslie's avatar

Kind of like when a kid is playing outside and you make them come in for supper. They want to stay and play.

Or, maybe it is some sort of control issue. Maybe at the age infants become much more aware of what they want? I have no idea developmentally, I’m totally guessing.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Me too! The scream is so strange though. One thing all the babies have in common is that whatever they’re feeling it is intense.

Could be a control thing. She’s a smart little bugger.

JLeslie's avatar

As frustrating it is to see a baby uncomfortable or unhappy it also is so cute to me. An awareness they have. I feel like their little brains are trying to analyze everything and communicate to us.

Dutchess_III's avatar

That kid is really special. I’m totally serious when I tell you that she could hold her head up on the day she was born and she was gazing around like a 2 month old. She’s REALLY strong too. Since she was 3 months old she was not only sitting up, but she could raise herself to a sitting position from flat on her back, just like doing a sit up.

JLeslie's avatar

My nephew was like that. He was born a few days late and he was around 9 pounds. He looked perfect when he was born, he was c-section, which helps, like he was a month old already since he was more than fully baked. He was alert, looking everywhere, and very smart at a young age. Interested in how things worked, very mechanical. When he began to walk he would go to a private corner no matter where we were when he needed to have a bowel movement, and you had better not try to watch him! Maybe he did while he was still crawling, I don’t know. Then he wanted to be changed right away.

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