Now that you have a new baby it’s time to figure out how to change a diaper, they are so small and fragile and you may feel like you will hurt him. Don’t worry friend you will have plenty of practice with this and by the end of the week you will know how to change a baby’s diaper. Here are the best tips and hacks for diaper changing to make you an expert as a new mom or dad.
Babies tend to go through at least eight to ten diapers a day, “wow”, you say. “That seems like a lot!” Yes it is and you will need to have a good stock pile of them, no one wants to run out of diapers especially when you are recovering from birth!
I am a mom of two children, one that was a preemie and required the smallest diapers possible and the other was born after his due date and used regular newborn diapers. I know the things that can go wrong with your diapering and tips on avoiding these disasters.
If your looking for more parenting tips check out the post below!
If you’re looking for more help with your baby you may like this article The Beginners Guide Baby Care |Tips For New Parents
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How You Should Change A Baby’s Diaper
Make sure you have a diaper changing station at home and also one that is portable for on the go like this great diaper bag that has everything you need in one place for diaper changes and feedings. You need a safe place to lay your baby down that is clean and they won’t fall off of. Changing tables are ideal for this, you can get a nice cushion with a strap that locks them on it so they don’t roll and it has awesome shelves or drawers for organization. Here is a fantastic hanging diaper caddy that works great.
Here is the changing table that we used and absolutely loved, the bonus is that you can use it until your child is to big for it which is a few years away. Great investment!!!
Be sure to fully stock your changing table with extra clothes, diaper rash cream, diapers, wipes and toys to keep your baby busy while you change her diaper. Use diaper changing time to bond with your little one by tickling, giggling and playing peekaboo, your baby will enjoy getting changed if you are engaged and make it fun.
- Lay your baby down on the changing pad and buckle the safety strap.
- Unbutton clothing, either pants or onesie if using one. I found that the snap front shirts were best during the first few weeks.
- Get your clean diaper out and open it, lay it under your baby’s old diaper.
- Depending on if your baby is wet or pooped, I would get some wipes ready so things go a little faster.
- Open the dirty diaper and if she pooped wipe the excess off with the old diaper and then use the wipes and wipe front to back. This will help you avoid a UTI
Word of caution if you are changing a boy! They tend to pee when the air hits them so be ready for this and use a washcloth, clean diaper or a special Pee-pee Teepee made for this to keep yourself and everything else clean and dry.
Yes, this does happen, I have gone through this a few times, once at the hospital our son peed on all three of us (my husband, me and our son) when we were changing him. Be prepared!!
- Remove the dirty diaper to either a diaper genie or to a safe place that you won’t bump it and she won’t kick it (I have had this happen and it’s gross).
- Use diaper rash cream on your baby’s butt if you see redness or little bumps.
- Wait for baby’s skin to dry.
- Fold the front of the new diaper up and peel open the closer tabs and press them down in the front.
- It should be snug but not overly tight.
- Redress your baby and unsnap them from the changing table.
- Be sure to wash your hands afterward.
Pointers That You Need To Know
- Change your baby if he is very wet or has pooped to avoid diaper rash.
- At night if your baby isn’t very wet but is sleeping don’t worry about changing him until he wakes up.
- If your little one has pooped and is sleeping I would carefully change his diaper trying not to wake him up but in order to avoid a terrible rash later.
- Your baby should be changed about every two or three hours to avoid getting diaper rash or irritation.
- Diaper sizes are just guidelines to follow, if your baby is always having accidents that escape the diaper, then it is to big and you need to get a smaller size.
- You should be able to fit a finger between the diaper and your baby, this assures it’s not to loose or to tight.
- If you gag easily by smells use some Vicks vapor rub or scented oil under your nose when poop is involved.
- If baby’s umbilical cord hasn’t fallen off yet, fold the top of the diaper over so that it doesn’t rub on it and cause irritation.
Final Thought On Changing a Babies Diaper
When putting a new diaper on be sure to check the sides and make sure they are out and around your baby’s butt, if this isn’t happening then your baby will wet through his clothes and you will have soaking wet clothes and a baby to clean.
I had this happen a lot with my daughter, with my son it happened if the front wasn’t tight to his skin and then pee would shoot up his shirt.
Not all diaper brands are the same, you may find one that works better than another, I always had good luck with pampers, they fit right and didn’t leak on me. Also if you have a Cosco membership I recommend the Kirkland brand diapers and wipes, we have saved tons of money buying them at Cosco and only need to get them once a month.
If you don’t have a membership I believe you can still order them from their website!
Now that you know how to change your baby’s diaper remember that as a parent we will make mistakes and your baby won’t be mad at you for it, being a parent sometimes involves learning by doing and other times learning from other people’s mistakes.
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