Everything about babies is oh-so-cute and sweet and heart-warming until the thought of changing poopy diapers kicks in. I got to say it’s no easy task but you got to do what you got to do. In fact, going by some latest statistics, you got to do it 10 times a day, and about 2500 times a year, to be more precise. Getting nightmare already? Well, don’t.
Changing diapers is not that hard in reality. It might be a little tricky in the beginning but you’ll get the hang of it eventually. I have listed down a few easy hacks and tricks to help you change the diapers like a supermom.
I am dividing the following section into two parts, one for changing disposable diapers and one for cloth diapers.
Here we go:
Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Disposable Diapers:
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1. Stay prepared. Make sure you have everything you need right in front of you before you begin changing the diapers. It is important for your baby’s safety because you will not be able to leave the diaper changing area once you have laid your baby down.
2.Now lay down your baby on their back on the changing table. Make sure to keep one hand on the baby at all times.
3.After lying down the baby now remove the baby’s clothes and the soiled diaper.
4.Once all of the things are safely removed, now you need to clean the lower part of the baby with wet wipes. Be sure to wipe the soiled area from front to back. Move the baby’s legs around gently, so that you can be sure you haven’t missed any spot.
5.Now apply talcum powder or glycerin as necessary.
6.After applying the powder. Now take a fresh diaper and lift your baby’s legs up so you can place the diapers underneath your baby.
7.Now focus while you pull the front of the diaper up, and use one hand to gently hold it in one place. Use your other hand to pull the tabs on each side of the diaper and bring it to the front of the diaper. See, not as hard as you imagined, is it?
8.After changing the diaper makes sure that the diaper is not too tight. You can easily test this by trying to fit your two fingers in the front part of the diaper.
9.Now all things are done. You can replace any clothing over the new diaper.
10.After all, accomplished wash your hands and enjoy with your baby until the next change.
Easy Steps to Change Cloth Diapers
1.Assemble everything you’ll need. These include clean nappies, diaper cover/wet bag for the dirty diapers, wet wipes, safety pins or diaper fasteners.
2.Remove the dirty nappies and thoroughly wash your baby’s bottom. It’s best you let the skin air-dry before putting on fresh diapers. If you don’t have that much time, use a washcloth to pat dry the skin. Apply an ointment for diaper rash if necessary.
3.Now slide in the fresh nappy under your baby’s buttock. The back edge of the diaper should be at the same level as his belly button.
4.Now pull the front of the diaper to your baby’s belly. For a newborn baby, you should fold down the front half to prevent it from covering his umbilical cord stump. Spread the diaper as wide and flat as possible between his legs.
5.Now, carefully fold the sides and secure it with fasteners, grips or safety pins (depends on the style of nappies you are using). It should neither be too tight or too loose, take care of that.
How Often Should You Change the Diapers?
This is the most frequently asked diaper-related question I get. I would say you should ideally change the diaper in every 2-3 hours. You can keep it on for a little longer during nighttime.
Change the diaper when:
- You are taking the baby out for a simple walk or a car trip.
- Before he goes to bed.
- After he wakes up from a nap.
- Whenever his diaper is wet or soiled.
- Whenever the baby is crying and you can’t find any reason for it. Changing the diaper often helps in such a situation.
Conclusion:
That’s all. Hope now you can change your baby’s dirty diaper without facing any problem. It goes without saying but still, make sure to keep your hands sanitized before changing the diapers. If you are using disposable nappies or liners, dispose of them carefully as you don’t want bacteria to party in your trash can. Last but not the least, always carry a wet bag with you when you are away from home with your babies.
Thanks for the tips. Now, do you have any advice on how to change the diapers on a toddler who is standing up (I need to know this because this appears to be the practice at the child care center at which I will start a new job on Monday). Thanks again.
Hi,
Thanks for your reply. To answer your question:
I’d recommend using pull-up style nappies to diaper a standing toddler. The process isn’t that difficult, actually.
The way you position yourself and the kid matters a lot. I would personally stand behind the kid and ask the kid to bend and touch her toes.
You are sitting behind, with your arms around her body for added stability.
Now that you both are in the right position, undo the nappies by undoing the velcros or fasteners.
If we are dealing with a poop emergency here, carefully hold the bottom of the diaper while undoing the fasteners and dump in a wet bag/ diaper pail.
you need to thoroughly clean the bottom before putting on a fresh diaper. Just turn the baby around, wipe the front, put his left leg up, wipe, right leg up, wipe.
Now comes the trickiest part:
1.Open a fresh diaper.
2.Use your knee to hold and secure the back of the diaper to your kid’s butt for stability. Now your two hands are free to adjust the diaper.
3.Now slide the nappy under the kid’s legs.
4.Lift the left side first and attach the velcro/strap loosely.
5.Firmly attach the velcro/strap to the right side.
6.At last, re-open the left velcro/strap and this time, attach it properly to ensure a snug fit.
Voila! You’re done.
While you can always change the nappies in a toddler’s room, doing it a toilet is less messy. Let your kid stand near the toilet seat so that he can get support by resting his hands on the toilet seat.
Hope that helps.
Thanks,
Alvina.