Your mission, should you choose to accept it: the diaper change.
It’s one of the basics of baby, but changing a diaper can be complex. Babies move. Babies squirm. Babies grow quickly. Babies react differently to different products. How does one have as drama-free a changing experience as possible? PREPARE! PREPARE! PREPARE! And then cross your fingers.
Here are some tips to tame the tots and get the inevitable done quickly and efficiently. Babies need to be changed every 2-3 hours, if not more often. You’ll become an expert at this VERY quickly!
Prep:
Barring the need for a quick change in a random place, your best bet is to get you and your baby to a clean, quiet area. Next, get everything you might need and place it out of baby’s reach, but right within yours.
Before you start, wash and dry your hands, using a baby wipe if you like.
Supplies:
- A clean, disposable diaper
- Wet wipes/wet warm wash cloth (be careful to use mild wipes for newborns)
- Burp cloth
- Safe place (changing table or bed – clean and soft surfaces are good)
- Changing pad (if you are not using a changing table)
- Baby powder (optional)
- Lotion (optional)
- Diaper rash ointment (optional)
- Trash can or other waste receptacle
- Keep distractions handy: Got a fussing baby? Try a hanging mobile over the changing area, or get some pictures or mirrors for your baby to stare at, or try using a small toy to distract the baby with while you take care of business.
- Patience. Many times babies can sense apprehension and will follow your lead.
The Plan:
1. Lay the baby down on a dry, clean surface that is secure and safe for the child.
2. Remove your baby’s clothes.
3. Un-tape the soiled diaper, but do not remove.
4. Place a small towel or burp cloth over the baby (especially boys), to prevent any accidental spraying in your or the baby’s face. Hey, it happens!
5. Clean the diaper area with a wet wipe/wash cloth. Wiping from the front to back will help prevent spreading bacteria. Also make sure that you thoroughly clean skin folds.
6. Open the clean diaper, then lift the baby’s legs up to slide out the dirty diaper and replace it with the clean diaper. NOTE- The taped side should be underneath.
7. Apply any lotion, baby power, or diaper rash cream as directed by your baby’s doctor.
8. Pull the front of the diaper through your baby’s legs and use one hand to gently hold it against the baby’s stomach.
9. With the other hand, un-tape one side and secure it to the front of the diaper. Repeat with the other side. You can tell if the diaper is not too tight or too loose by making sure you have enough room to slide two fingers in the top front of the diaper.
10. For newborns, if you are not using special newborn diapers, fold down the front of the diaper so that it does not rub against the healing umbilical cord.
11. Redress your baby, dispose of the dirty stuff and you’re done! While you're at it, why not top off your baby's bottom with one of Personal Baby Products' cute personalized DIAPER COVERS?!
12. WASH YOUR HANDS IMMEDIATELY after disposal. Hand sanitizer is helpful if you’re in an area without easily-accessed water.
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There are also other options besides disposable diapers. Cloth diapers are a more eco-friendly but laundry-intensive option. One website that has many helpful hints on using cloth diapers is www.greenmountaindiapers.com.
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A newer innovation is Huggies’ latest contribution of the "Little Movers Slip On Diapers". Their mantra is “Just catch. Slip on. Release!” This option gives a quick-and-painless option for older “active” babies who are too busy for the hassle of laying through a diaper change. This also makes things easier on the diaper changer.
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“The way Huggies talks to moms is that it doesn’t idealize motherhood, it’s about the real world and the real-world challenges you’ll have,” said Angela Johnson, a managing director at Ogilvy who works on the Huggies brand. She describes their newest campaign as “a big dose of reality, but told with humor.”*
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Regardless of your diaper type, brand or comedy, relax and enjoy the time with your child.
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What are your tips for a quick change? Let us know in our comments section!
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DIAPER COVERS: https://personalbabyproducts.com/diapercovers2.html
Diaper Covers available at Personal Baby Products by Randesign!
SOURCES:
*Newman, Andrew Adam, (2011, July 28.) Making the Diaper Change Easier for the Changer. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com.
www.AmericanPregnancyAssociation.com
www.babycenter.com
babyparenting.about.com/diapering/ht/changediaper.htm
