Diapering Tips
I have a friend whose girlfriend just had a baby boy. He was recently quoted in the press as saying he did not think he needed to read books about babies or get advice from anyone. He said he felt like he would be an instinctual dad. He says that when the kid “poos”, he will get a diaper and a wet towel.
And, yes, it is sometimes just that simple. But there are also a few tips I can throw your way to make life easier when it comes to diapering baby.
- Remember that a newborn’s poop does not smell very strong and you need to check often by looking to see if the baby needs changed. You can do this simply by peeking inside the leg opening of the diaper.
- Don’t let wet diapers go until they are fully saturated, because this increases the chances of diaper rash and discomfort (and leaks!).
- Babies usually need changed after each time they eat, so this can be as often as every two hours for a newborn.
- For baby girls, always wipe front-to-back to prevent infections. Do not scrub when wiping, because the skin in the diaper areais very delicate.
- For baby boys, remember that changing him can be a little like working with a loaded water pistol. Just expect to get squirted from time to time. In fact, he may even wet himself or squirt himself in the face. Get used to it.
- If you are using cloth diapers and pins, store your pins stuck into a bar of soap. They will slide through the fabric easier the next time you use them.
- You will need to fold the front of a disposable diaper down until your baby’s umbilical cord falls off. Remember to fold it down and out for a girl, but down and in for a boy (to prevent leaks).
- It’s a good idea to take some plastic grocery bags with you in your diaper bag when you go out in public. They come in handy to wrap a dirty diaper in before you dispose of it. With cloth diapers, this is a great way to store them until you can get them home.
