Pin
Congratulations! As a new mom or dad, diapering will be one of your new hobbies for the next two or three years..! Or longer, if you have more children…
Great, huh?
Since this new hobby definitely will take some of your time, it is nice to carry it out as easily as possible. Well, changing diapers will soon become a routine thing that you won’t even think about doing.
To get a good start, check out my diapering tips! Some things are important to know, such as how to clean a baby girl or boy for example.
Diapering Tips – How To Diaper Your Baby Easily, Quickly, and Safely
- The changing place
- Never leave your baby alone
- Pee or poop?
- Boy or girl?
- Diaper rash
- How to put it on
- How to choose nappy
- When to start with a new size
- How often to change nappy at daytime
- And at night
- Where to Buy Diapers to Save Money
When our first child was born, our bathroom was so small that I decided to just take care of the diapering on the floor.
Not a good idea!
All the bending over the baby and lifting him or her up is really bad for your back. If at all possible, make room for a changing table somewhere in the house. It doesn’t have to be in the bathroom, but it is very convenient if it is close to running water if you want to wash your baby.
If you have no room for a changing table, at least pick a bed instead of the floor for changing the diapers.
You do need to be close to some humid water. You also need to be able to reach some baby wipes or cotton balls, towels, ointment, new diapers, and clothes (for “bigger accidents”…) without leaving your baby.
Never leave your baby alone
Until a certain age, babies don’t know how to roll over. But don’t rely on this! Even newborn babies may wave their limbs enough to fall off a changing table.
Always keep one hand on your baby and make sure you can reach all the stuff you need with your other hand. If you need to get something that is too far away, pick your baby up.
Always!
Pee or poop?
If your baby has only urinated, baby wipes are usually enough to clean the infant. If the baby’s skin is dry and the nappy is not too heavy, you can even skip the baby wipes. Just change to a new diaper.
For poop, water is needed. Either you wash your baby with a wet cloth, or you wash him or her off under the tap. Make sure the water has the right temperature and that you hold your baby securely so that there is no risk that you drop your child.
When the midwife told me, in the hospital after giving birth, to simply wash my baby off under the tap, I thought she joking. You mean without dropping her..?, I asked with an uncertain smile. She didn’t joke. It takes a little while to get used to juggling a baby, and you can sit down on the floor and practice the moves before heading for the tap. But running water really is the most hygienic way to wash off the poop.
Boy or girl?
For a boy, make sure to clean him under his penis. And cover his penis with a piece of cloth while tending to him to avoid a shower. :-)
For a girl, make sure to always wipe her front to back to avoid bacteria in her vagina.
Diaper rash
If your baby shows a tendency to diaper rash (red skin), put on some appropriate ointment, for example, white zinc oxide.
Make sure the baby’s skin is completely dry before putting ointment and the nappy on.
Another thing to do to prevent and heal the rash is to let the baby be undiapered for at least one hour a day. This is not so easy once your baby has started to move around. Maybe you can put him in the bathtub (without water) and play with him for a while.
Before the baby can move around, put him or her on a blanket and put some towels on it. If you have a boy, it might be a good idea to put a piece of dry cloth on top of his penis if he is lying on his back.
You can also try another brand or type of diaper if you think your baby easily gets a rash. You’ll find an interesting discussion in those article, regarding nappy brands and rashes here.
You’ll find more information about diaper rash treatments here.
If nothing helps within a few days, call a doctor.
How to put the diaper on
PinFirst, make sure you know what is the front and the back of the nappy. A hint is that it should be secured at the front, not at the back. (My mother-in-law did put the diaper on backward all the time!) :-)
Slide the back of the nappy under your baby by lifting his legs up. Grabbing him or her by the ankles with one hand is an easy way to do this. Bring the nappy up between your baby’s legs and secure it on his belly, but not too tight. You should be able to put a finger or two between the diaper and the baby’s stomach.
If a boy, make sure his penis points downwards.
For some brands, you are supposed to slide a finger around each of the baby’s legs to make sure that the elastic is where it should be. Check the instructions for your specific choice of brand.
How to choose nappy
Well, just try different brands and see which you like.
Some will fit your baby; some won’t. You can also choose between cloth diapers and disposables. Cloth diapers tend to be much more economical and sometimes work better for babies with severe diaper rash. These days cloth nappies are much more similar to disposables since they have small “panties” you use to keep the cloth in place. No more complicated wrapping and folding of the cloth nappy. You can also find organic cloth diapers that are certain to be free from hazardous substances.
All that said, disposables are convenient! Hard to argue with that. :-)
But if you are curious about cloth diapers, you can read about how to use them here and about why to use them here.
When to start with a new size
If you want, you can just follow the weight instructions on the package. However, I’ve noticed that many babies start wetting their pants more easily when they are getting close to the stated upper weight limit. Try a bigger nappy earlier if you notice this problem.
How often to change diapers at daytime
Change your baby’s diaper when it appears full and heavy if you squeeze it and also every time your baby poops. Well, for poop, change the diaper 5 minutes or so after any bowel movements.
Why not earlier? Because your baby might not be ready yet!
If there is no poop, squeeze the nappy lightly to judge if it seems to be full. If so, change it.
In any case, try to change the nappy every three hours or so to reduce the risk of diaper rash. Babies may very well use 10 diapers a day!
And diaper change at night
As your first-hand option for changing diapers at night – Simply don’t! I know that’s a simplification, but it is your goal!
Newborn babies often have bowel movements also at night, and then you’ll have to change the diaper.
Most nappies, however, can keep the baby dry for up to 12 hours, so unless your baby has had a bowel movement, has a bad diaper rash, or seems to be very uncomfortable, avoid changing at night. You’ll just wake your baby up, become wide awake yourself, and you’ll get less sleep at no extra benefit for anyone.
If you have to change the nappy at night, a diapering tip is to try to do it in dim light, quickly and without talking. Everything to keep your baby from thinking that it is playtime!
Where to Buy Diapers to Save Money
Diapers are expensive. Make sure you look around if you want to save some money. Once you have found the brand and type you need, buying diapers online can be an excellent option.
So these were my diapering tips! Good luck with your diapering!
If you have any additional diapering tips to share, please do so by leaving a comment below!
Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing are based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who assist in reviewing and writing articles.
