HELP! Being Foiled

I really, really, really need some good, creative ideas on how to stop a very annoying habit that my daughter has. Sometimes Reagan will wake in the morning or from a nap and not want to get out of bed right away or sometimes she wants to go in her crib before she is actually ready to go to sleep. Sounds great, right? We thought so too. And it was great. Until the habit started. And the laundry increased.

If Reagan decides she wants awake time in her crib, and if you aren't in there checking on her every 5 seconds, she will remove her diaper most times lately. It started out occasionally and is now a regular event. We'd go in to find her with her pants and diaper off and (thankfully, usually only) wet spots in the crib. Out she'd come, sleeping or not, to be changed and have her crib sheets, pillow and pillow case changed.

We started then putting her to bed in only one piece sleepers (unless she had a onesie on) thinking that would surely cure the problem. Yeah, um, not so much. She just pulled the zipper down, pulled the tabs of her diaper and let it fall into one leg or the other. Change baby, change crib.

We then think, a-ha! Safety pin the zipper so she can't pull it down. Perfect! Safety pin goes on, Reagan goes to bed, Mommy relaxes knowing she won't be changing crib sheets tonight. I was sadly mistaken. She just picked at her diaper through her sleeper until she got the tabs to come loose and then shimmied the diaper into one leg. Change baby, change crib.

Now we consider tape. We try out several kinds of tape - scotch, masking, duct. Every once in a while it would work but for the most part, pick, pick, pick, shimmy, shimmy and...change baby, change crib.

The other night I have an epiphany and think I must be the most brilliant person alive (cough, cough) as I decide to purchase some Easy-Ups in her size. How obvious of a solution is that?!?! No tabs = nothing to loosen = no diaper disasters. Hooray! Solution at last.

Um, it didn't work. She somehow managed to wiggle one leg out of it while in her one piece sleeper with the zipper pinned up. W.T.H?! Change baby, change crib.

So here we are at a complete loss on how to avoid changing her and the crib every time she decides she wants some alone time in there. I don't think it is an indication of being ready to potty train because she doesn't seem interested in the potty at all and I don't think she's bothered by a wet diaper because if she is out playing she never wants to be changed (wet or dirty) and just doesn't seem to care one way or the other. She has toys in her crib and she gets the TV on a timer while in there (and diaper comes off sometimes before TV goes off, sometimes after) so I don't think it is boredom. She is the one who gets to choose whether she is in before sleep or after sleep so I don't think it is rebellion. I am just completely out of ideas. Help!

Comments

Jacqui said…
I wish I could be of some help... we have the same issue, to a certain extent with Violetta. She does't want to be dressed.. or diaper on. The girl just wants to be nekkid! For us though, it's just during awake time... so far (knock wood) she does leave everything on for naps/sleep. However, I have noticed that she won't poo until she is in her room by herself. And she won't pee either... she goes in her room.

I think it's just a stage to get ready for potty training. V does't care about the potty either, and does't care if she is wet/poopy. She just wants to do it alone.

Sorry I can't be of much help... how frustrating to do all that laundry! I don't have the laundry problem.. our floors, however, are spotless from all the cleaning up of pee!! :)
Sarah said…
okay I am not a mommy myself yet, so some of my ideas might not work,

I was going to suggest tape, but I guess that didn't work. did you try wrapping it around twice?

What about putting the diaper on backwards so she can't reach the tabs. Or backwards with tape or safety pins.

Happy Holidays and Happy ICLW
#50
Just stopped by to say Happy Holidays

Colleen
Shibley Smiles
Rebecca said…
Wow. I have no good suggestions, but good luck with that! That is really amazing. Impressive if it wasn't so incredibly frustrating to deal with!!!

Good luck!! ICLW.
Kathleen said…
stopping by from iclw (#100). sorry i dont have any advice to offer you. what a funny habit! i'm sure its frustrating. hopefully she will grow out of it soon.
Krissi said…
I'm sorry! I can't be of much help! But I would love to feature your success story on my blog! Here are the questions I usually ask: http://stressfreeinfertilityblog.com/2010/01/17/calling-all-success-stories/
Thanks in advance and happy ICLW! Your daughter is just adorable!
Kristin said…
Have you tried putting regular diapers on backward? Or, if it comes down to it, with a strip of duct tape across the front? I had a friend go through the same thing with her daughter and she resorted to duct tape. Good luck.

ICLW #29
Billie Poteet said…
I'm your newest follower from the Blog Hop!

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www.TheUnexpectedMother.net
Anonymous said…
One piece sleeper, zipper on the back :-)
jessy said…
Hmmm...is there an update on this problem? I see it has been a while since you posted.
I would re-think the whole "not ready to potty-train" idea. She is exercising her new-found ability to release her business where and when she wants. Unfortunately for you, the where is out of her diaper in her bed and the when is befor or after naps.
I agree that it is probably not a rebellion thing, but it IS probably a power thing. Most issues with toddlers ARE you know, because they are establishing that they are separate from you. That is why the craftier you get with ideas of keeping the diaper on, the more "solutions" she is going to come up with. So why not channel her genius into more constructive outlets? Like learning to put her business in the potty?

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