Thinking about how to change a baby’s diaper can make a new parent nervous — and understandably so! Taking care of that soft, sleeping newborn is scary enough. But what happens when you need to change his or her diaper? Follow the simple guide on how to change a newborn’s diaper, and you’ll be a nappy-changing pro in no time.
How to Change a Baby’s Diaper Step by Step
There’s a lot to learn when you become a parent, especially when caring for your new addition. Whether you’re trying to change a newborn baby’s diaper or just have a question about how to clothe your child properly or what happened in the crib at 2 am, this article is here to help you.
1. Get all your gear on hand
Get your things in place before you get to work! | Image source: iStock
The first step in changing a baby’s diaper is to get everything you need ready and within reach. The following list includes the basic items you’ll want to have on hand before you start:
- New diaper and wipes
- Cotton balls or swabs (to clean up any poop)
- A change of clothes (even if it’s just a onesie)
2. Lie your baby on his back
Before you fully unfold, remember to place a new diaper underneath first! | Image source: iStock
When it’s time to change, lie your baby on his back on the changing table.
Take off both straps and carefully unroll the front half of the diaper down.
We know looking at and smelling your newborn’s poop could be daunting in the first few days, but trust us, you’ll get used to it and you’ve even take a closer look at it sometimes to check if the baby’s healthy.
While your baby won’t be able to roll over on his/her own until a few months later, keep your hand on your baby to prevent him from moving.
Leaving your baby alone on the changing mat unsupervised is not safe.
3. Place the clean diaper beneath the dirty one first!
Before cleaning up duty, put a clean diaper underneath your baby.
It’s hard to predict if your little bundle of joy will decide to relieve himself/herself when you’re in transition.
Try to distract your little one by singing or talking with him/her.
Also, it can help to place a cloth over your little boy’s private area if he decides to go.
4. Wipe from front to back
Don’t wipe back to front! Remember: it’s front to back! | Image source: iStock
Now that your fail-safes are in place, it’s time to clean up.
With your wet wipe or washcloth, clean your little one’s groin area from front to back.
This minimises the chance of your baby contracting a UTI.
If you’re cleaning a newborn, you might be cleaning up meconium. Newborn stools are a black, sticky substance, which is very different from when your little one is older.
Use warm water and a washcloth to clean newborn poop effectively.
5. Dry off your baby
Use a dry cloth to wipe down your baby after fully cleaning the mess.
Keeping your baby dry is important to prevent diaper rash. It’s also important to dry off before applying diaper cream.
Bear in mind that your baby’s diaper area doesn’t need that much cream. Apply it lightly!
6. Seal the new diaper
You’re nearly there! Fold the diaper forward and seal it | Image source: iStock
You’re nearly there!
You’ve cleaned up and dried up your baby. Now you need to seal the deal!
With one hand, lift both of your baby’s legs. Then pull the front of the diaper between the legs.
Lower your baby’s legs and place the straps down to close the diaper securely.
7. Throw away the dirty diaper
The last step is to get rid of the soiled nappy safely. Simply roll it up and use the velcro strap to keep the diaper closed.
Tie up the nappy in a small bag and throw it away. Don’t forget to wash your hands.
There you have it! You’ve successfully changed your baby’s diaper! Well done. With more practice, you’ll become quicker and more efficient. Within a week, you’ll be able to change a diaper with your eyes closed (but we don’t recommend it!)
How Often Should You Change a Newborn’s Diaper?
You’re probably wondering this, too: How often should you change your newborns’ diaper?
The answer is: often. Like, often.
It’s important to change your baby’s diaper as soon as they pee or poop, because their skin can get irritated by the moisture and chemicals in the urine/faeces that stay on their skin for too long. This can lead to diaper rash, which is uncomfortable for your child and unsightly (and can even lead to infections).
You also don’t want to delay changing your newborn’s diaper because it will start to smell like ammonia (because of all those chemicals from their pee and poop), which is also not good for them. So if you notice any foul odour coming from your baby’s bottom area, that’s a sign that it’s time for a fresh one!
Changing diaper
Should I Change My Baby’s Diaper Before or After Feeding?
After learning how to change a newborn diaper, one of the most common questions new parents have is whether they should change their baby’s diaper before or after feeding them. The answer is actually pretty simple: you should always change your baby’s diaper after feeding them.
The reason for this is that a full stomach can make a baby uncomfortable, and it can also cause them to have gas pains. If you change your baby’s diaper right before feeding them, then they’re going to be sitting in wetness while they eat, which isn’t very pleasant for anyone involved.
Of course, if you have a newborn who still has trouble holding their pee or poop in while they eat, then it’s okay to wait until after feeding time to change their diaper so that they don’t end up with a mess on themselves (or worse yet, all over the high chair!). But once your baby is older and has better control over their bodily functions, it’s always best to change them before feeding time starts!
Do You Have to Change a Newborn Diaper After Every Feeding?
Yes. You should change a newborn’s diaper after every feeding or even more frequently if the baby has a messy diaper.
Changing the baby’s diaper as soon as possible is important because their digestive tract is still maturing, and they may have trouble digesting certain foods. Changing the diaper also helps prevent skin irritation and rashes from occurring.
If you notice any redness or irritation on your baby’s skin after changing them, check in with their doctor.
Should You Wake a Newborn to Change Diapers?
It’s a question that many parents ask, and the answer is simple: yes!
Newborns don’t have much control over their bladders—they can’t hold it in until they get up on their own. In fact, waking them up at night to change their diapers is one of the easiest ways to ensure they don’t pee all over themselves.
You should also consider how often newborns need to be changed. Some babies may only pee once or twice daily, while others may go five or six times. Waking your newborn every two hours for diaper changes may seem excessive (and it is), but it’s better than having to change sheets every day because of accidents!
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Is It Okay to Not Change Diaper at Night?
Changing a baby’s diaper every time they pee is important. The same goes for poop. But what about diapers that aren’t dirty? Can you get away with not changing your baby’s diaper at night?
Absolutely not! (You should change your baby’s diaper at night, too.)
The first reason is simple: You don’t want your baby to get a rash. Babies can get rashes when they stay in the same wet or dirty diapers all day long—and if you’re leaving them in their crib while they sleep, that could lead to rashes.
The second reason is that you want to keep your child comfortable. Babies left in dirty diapers will wake up uncomfortable and unhappy—and if they’re sleeping through the night, they’ll be waking up constantly until you go in there and change them out of frustration.
If you don’t want your child waking up every two hours because he has an uncomfortable diaper on his bum, then make sure he has one that’s clean and dry before placing him back into his bed for another six hours of restful sleep!
Do You Wipe Baby After Pee?
There’s a lot of misinformation circulating regarding the practice of wiping your baby’s bottom after they go to the bathroom. Many people believe it’s okay to wipe as long as you don’t use a lot of pressure, but this is not true.
If you are wiping your baby after they pee, you need to stop immediately. Wiping after urination can lead to irritation in the urethra and cause scarring, ultimately leading to bladder problems later in life.
Instead, try using an absorbent pad or diaper liner on your child’s bottom so that it absorbs all liquid without having to touch their skin directly.
Image Source: iStock
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Updated by Pheona Ilagan
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