Unbiased Reviews by Real People
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Unbiased Reviews by Real People
Diapering 101Mar 7, 2001 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Be quick or you might get a shower!
I am a nurse in the neonatal ICU and I spend a lot of time teaching parents about their babies. One of the things that really surprised me was how many parents have no idea how to change a diaper. I hope this guide is helpful to you. Step 1: Assessing the need Ok, so you have a baby. How do you know if she needs to be changed? Ok, first things first. Unless your baby has a diaper rash, a dirty diaper isn't going to hurt them. There is no need to wake up your sleeping baby to change their diaper. They will be ok. One way to tell if your baby needs to be changed is to follow your nose. It usually won't fail you. A newborn baby should have about 8 wet diapers per day. It might be helpful to write down when you change the baby's diaper at first so that you can make sure she is having enough. Less than 6 can be a sign of dehydration and needs to be evaluated by a health care professional. Step 2: Ok, she needs to be changed. What do I do now? Put the baby on a flat surface. (Beware of changing tables once your baby is rolling over. Never leave your baby unattended.) Gather your supplies. You will need: 1. A new diaper. 2. Something to wipe the baby with. Lots of people like baby wipes. Those are fine, just be aware that some babies develop allergies to them, especially if they are perfumed. Step 3: YEEECCKK!! Ok, take the diaper off the baby. The key here is to BE QUICK! Babies (especially boys) have a tendency to pee when their diaper is off and you might get an unwanted shower. It's a good idea to have the new diaper under the baby while wiping the baby. Step 4: Wiping baby Don't be overzealous here. It's not necessary to scrub your baby's bottom every time they wet their diaper. Urine is absorbed into the diaper and doesn't stay on their skin. If you scrub their skin every time they urinate, you are just going to have a baby with a sore bottom. Step 5: Powders, creams, etc. Lots of people like to slap on the Desitin and Balmex with each diaper. It's not going to hurt your baby, it's up to you. If your baby is prone to rash, I would definitely do this. If not, it's probably not necessary. One word about powders: Many babies have developed respiratory problems from overzealous use of powder, especially cornstarch. Be aware of this. If you must use something after changing them, I would use a cream, not a powder. Step 6: Put the new diaper on Make sure its not backwards. Step 7: Wash your hands and dispose of the diaper That's it! You're done! Hope this little guide was helpful. :)  |
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