Nappy Changing

[MegaMum]

We are finding recently that we have a few heavy 3 years olds still in nappies and occasionally a 4 year old. We are struggling to lift them on to a nappy changing unit and I wondered if any of you have a policy that over a certain weight you change them on a changing mat on the floor? Is this PC correct? Anti-bac spray involved of course!

[twinthinguk]

Personally I change nappies on the floor, I find trying to change a nappy on a larger child who is far to big for a baby changing unit side ways far to uncomfortable, I am sure its probably just as bad posture to use the floor but I do what works for me lol. We have 2 changing mats so I just put it on the floor, and of course use anti bac spray after each change. I would be interested to hear if there is a health and safety aspect. We are lucky to have a large disabled loo where we do our changing.

[Stargrower]

We do the same, but don't have it in a policy. We don't know how much the children weigh so just use common sense. I let staff decide for themselves who they can and cannot lift.

 

Community Playthings have a changing unit with steps that fold down. But like all CP things, it is lovely but expensive!

[Fredbear]

We change all our children on a mat on the floor. Anti bac spray used too. We do have a raised changing area within the hall building, but feel it's safer on the floor for both child and adult.

[narnia]

If you have space and funds for it, CP make a changing unit that has steps, so the child can climb up onto it

[Inge]

used a mat on the floor for all children, no space for a changing table...

[blondie]

we change all our children on mat on the floor -no space for changing table - lots of antibac too

[finleysmaid]

yep on floor ...in policy ans parents are told. Ofsted fine about it....means i can check the cleanliness of the floor too

[Rob6692]

I would have a changing mat or two than could be placed and used on the floor, with practitioner's own judgement on whether they want to use the changing unit or the floor. Specifying a weight in a policy just complicates things and each person's limit on what they could pick up will be different. A pregnant practitioner, for example, would probably prefer to do as little lifting as possible

EDIT - changing units with steps are really good too (I always get children to climb up, either with or without assistance), but again people's limits will differ and may not line up with childrnen's ability to climb the steps. What would you do with a SEN child that can't climb the steps but it is far too for you to lift? Back to the same problem. Just worth considering anyway

Edited April 17, 2015 by Rob6692

[GFCCCC]

We have just bought a step up table from TTS - it's just over £500 - half as much as community playthings - it's brilliant, the staff love it as it saves their backs.

[lashes2508]

We have changing unit and also do it standing up depending on age weight of child , it is also trying to maintain privacy of child as often guaranteed someone else always wants to use the loo when doing a nappy change , we place disposable paper towel from a roll and this is changed after each nappy change.

[Carol]

We have a table and change mat which is a suitable height for staff to change children at and some heavy duty secure caravan steps for the children to climb up with adult help. Staff have access to everything from where they stand and do not move from the table until the child is safely back down. It's not ideal but its the best we could set up.