Babies. They’re cute, cuddly, loveable little packages—with one drawback: their lack of potty skills! When the full realization of this limitation hits home, many inexperienced parents, babysitters, etc., can be a bit overwhelmed by the prospect that lies ahead. However, with a little planning and a few tips, changing a baby’s diaper can become just another routine part of day-to-day child care.
Key steps involved in mastering a successful diaper change are the following:
1. First, ensure you have all the necessary items to complete the diaper change within easy reach. These include fresh diaper, diaper rash cream or ointment, wet wipes or wet washcloth, diaper disposal bag and a baby toy to distract baby if she becomes upset.
2. Place the baby on her back or on a comfortable changing surface. If you are using a changing table, ALWAYS use the safety straps to ensure the baby’s safety.
3. Release the Velcro diaper tabs and lift the baby’s bottom off the diaper by gently holding her ankles and lifting. If the baby has had a large bowel movement, the upper part of the diaper can be used to wipe the movement towards the bottom half of the diaper. When changing a girl, it is important to wipe from front to back to prevent urinary tract infections.
4. Lift the diaper away from the baby and place into the disposable plastic diaper bag you have handy—well out of the baby’s reach.
5. When changing a newborn, it is critical to cleanse the area thoroughly with a wet baby washcloth. Disposable wipes that contain alcohol can irritate baby’s bottoms up until about two months of age. Place your used disposable cleaning supplies with the diaper in the disposable diaper bag. Be sure to securely close the disposable bag.
6. Slip a clean diaper under the baby's bottom; first make sure the tabs are on the part of the diaper that you place underneath the baby. The majority of diapers today assist by having colors or characters on them that let you know which part of the diaper should be in front.
7. Before sealing the baby’s diaper, apply a diaper cream or ointment to prevent/heal any irritation on the baby’s bottom. If you do this step after placing the diaper under the baby, you will avoid having to wife up creams or ointments from the changing surface.
8. Secure the new diaper in place by pulling the front of the diaper up over the baby’s tummy and opening the tabs so that you can adhere them to the fastening area. For newborns, if you are not using specially designed diapers, take care to fold the diaper so it does not irritate the umbilical stump.
9. Wash the changing surface and your hands THOROUGHLY with disinfecting products. The surest way to make yourself and/or the baby ill is to skip this step.
Voila! You now have a baby that is cuter and cuddlier than ever—minus the stinky baggage. With repetition (which you can count on!), changing a baby’s diaper will become second nature to you, and just another part of nurturing the next generation.
