The art of changing baby diapers, or how to efficiently change a baby's diaper and take care of its sensitive intimate areas? Get to know our life-saving tips that have made the lives of many mothers easier.
Baby diaper changing – is something to be afraid of?
It is this issue that keeps many future parents awake at night - especially those in the sweet ignorance that accompanies waiting for the first child - i.e. changing the baby. Will I do it right? Will I be able to do it? Will I be delicate enough not to harm such a small, limp baby?
There is also the issue of poop - which is terrifying and people around us scare us by telling the famous stories about a dirty baby " up to the armpits". Is it true? How to deal with it?
First of all: diaper disasters do happen, but they are not common. A lot also depends on the child, how his/her digestive system copes with the absorption of food, on the method of feeding and possible abdominal discomfort (for example due to lactose intolerance). Secondly: newborn and infant poop before expanding the diet is usually odorless or has a slight odor, but it is absolutely not an unpleasant odor. There is nothing to be afraid of. Thirdly: at first, changing a baby's diaper seems to be something enigmatic and impossible to grasp, but with each passing day we become more and more practiced (seriously!) and we are more and more agile about the whole diaper mess.
How to make changing a baby's diaper easier? Useful tips
However, there are things that will be a real salvation for us and will change our reality. These are small changes or tips that make it easier to cope with the baby and demystify the whole process of changing the baby's diaper.
1. Changing table is a relief for the spine
It's safe to say that the changing table was invented for parents: babies don't care where they are changed. It's different with parents. Leaning over a bed or sofa may not cause any problems at first, but believe that after a few weeks or months of bending over a dozen times a day, your spine, especially the lumbar section, will cry out for help. A changing table is a great relief for the back, and one set at the height of the parent is not only a relief from pain and comfort, but also and safety.
There are many types of changing tables, we recommend those with a removable cover, making it easier to wash, or those made of special foam that is resistant to dirt and at the same time guarantees the child adequate support and comfort, e.g. Changing table Leander or Sebra.
It is most convenient to place the changing tablek in the bathroom next to the sink. Direct access to warm water will make changing diapers easier: we will be able to easily wash the baby, hands and wet cotton pads.
If there is no room for it in the bathroom, you can place it where you spend the most time with your child - with a newborn it will usually be the bedroom.
(Diaper changing unit - Sebra)
(Stand with changing table - Stokke)
2. Reusable washcloths/swabs instead of wet wipes
For washing the bottom cotton pads work much better than wet wipes or - - in the spirit of limiting the amount of waste - reusable washcloths soaked in warm water. This not only saves money and time (because water washes away dirt much faster and better), but also takes care of the baby's diaper area. Gentle washing with warm water is simply more beneficial for the baby's skin than wiping it with wipes - even those soaked only in water (the composition always contains a minimal amount of preservative, and we wash the bottom many times every day). We leave water-soaked wipes for walks and changing diapers outside the house.
Tip: If you cannot place the changing table next to the sink, you can pour warm water into thermos which you can place next to the things to be changed. This way you will save a lot of time if the changing table is in a room other than the bathroom. This is also a nice option for walks if you decide to only use reusable washcloths.
(Emulsion for scrolling - Liniment Minois)
3. Natural emulsion LINIMENT for cleaning the diaper area
After a long stay in a diaper, it is a good idea to refresh and clean your baby's diaper area. LINIMENT is perfect for this: natural, non-irritating, made of olive and coconut oil, and does not require rinsing. This is an extremely versatile and universal cosmetic that will not only cleanse the baby's sensitive skin, but also moisturize it, soothe it and cure irritations.
Liniment will work especially well if you are changing a diaper filled only with urine. There is no need to wash the bottom with water. All you need to do is gently clean the baby's diaper area and leave the protective layer provided by Liniment.
(Emulsion for scrolling - Liniment Mapiel)
This type of emulsion is also irreplaceable in dealing with stains caused by acidic, yellow stools (very common in newborns and infants), which are difficult to clean with water. Liniment will deal with the remains of such dirt, limiting friction and "scrubbing" of the child's very sensitive and delicate bottom.
It can also be used simply for washing the face, hands and delicate toilet of a child of any age, as well as for removing make-up.
4. Ecological diapers - they will take care not only of the environment, but also of the baby's skin
Many mothers cannot imagine going back to plastic, skin-irritating, popular diapers, which not only cause rashes on the skin (because they are made of artificial materials that increase sweating), but also harm the environment. Of course, reusable diapers are the most ecological, but their use takes a lot of time, which many parents lack. But ecological diapers are also a great choice - made of natural fabrics, biodegradable and - above all - safe and gentle on children's skin. The harmfulness of classic disposable diapers is confirmed by a number of independent studies that are worth reading.
Some people fear that such eco diapers will get wet faster - but nothing could be further from the truth. Good quality eco diapers work as well as popular, more artificial alternatives.
It is a higher cost, but you can take advantage of the fact that many people want to give a gift to a new mother and baby - it is worth asking for a supply of eco diapers, instead of being gifted with another rattle or clothes that are not entirely to our taste :) We recommend asking especially for sizes 2 and 3. Size 1 will usually be used only in the first weeks.
5. Bet on good barrier creams based on butter
Caring for sensitive and delicate diaper areas involves not only washing and good-quality diapers, but also creams. For everyday use, choose products without synthetic fragrances, petroleum and artificial ingredients that do not allow the skin to breathe and only irritate it. The best creams for babies' skin will be rich and rich creams made of natural oils and butters: they will ensure proper hydration and protect the skin barrier against pollution, and you can also use them on other places on the child's body that require additional care.
(Unscented diaper rash cream - Little Butterfly)
It is best to use the cream only after changing poop or before putting on a diaper at night, when you want to create a thicker barrier against moisture. After changing a pee-covered diaper, Liniment alone is usually enough - unless we are dealing with severe redness and rash - then we apply the cream every time we change the diaper, and we air the baby's bottom as often as possible without putting a diaper on it.
(Protective multi-tasking Baby Balm - JouJou)
6. Remember about friendly care
We cannot fail to mention here an extremely important issue in relation to changing diapers, i.e. friendly care. When changing the baby's diaper, we repeatedly lift it, turn it over and raise its legs. All this should be done gentlyand attention - so as to support its development and take care of the hip joints, learning to turn on the belly, bilateral loadand the baby's comfort. How we carry and lift our children matters – let's remember that.
Additionally, from the first days of your baby's life, it is worth remembering a positive attitude when changing the diaper. Let's never let our child feel that this activity disgusts or disgusts us in some way. This is a VERY important aspect of the child's sexual development and what attitude he will later have towards his intimate sphere. Even a several-month-old baby very carefully observes the parent, his facial expressions, tone of voice... if the parent, while changing the diaper - i.e. direct contact with the baby's intimate parts, usually has a crooked face, is nervous, says words such as "it stinks" "oh yuck", the child learns this type of attitude towards his or her body. Such a baby cannot logically separate the fact that the parent only refers to his feces and the act of ch nging the diaper. You can read more about this in book about a child's sexual development, which is also intended for new parents :)
We know that sometimes scrolling can be very tiring or frustrating if we do it 15 times a day or in the middle of the night, but it's worth just doing it without unnecessary comments. However, if we have the strength, let's use the changing time to build a bond with the baby, talk to him, smile and play together for the first time.
7. Take care of the lifebuoys, i.e. toys
Especially when your toddler stops being such a toddler and starts becoming an increasingly curious baby who fidgets and tries to "run away". It is worth hanging activating and contrasting pendants above the changing table, and have at hand your favorite, safe for the child teeth or sensory toys that will not only keep him busy, but will be a great exercise for his development, and will make it easier for the parent to quickly change his diaper without circus activities. acrobatics ;)
8. Goal situations
If this unfortunate "poop up to the armpits" or worse... up to the neck has already happened, then instead of scrubbing the child from head to toe with cotton pads, it is worth simply putting it under the tap and rinsing it in the sink. Therefore, if we see that we are having an emergency, it is worth immediately preparing a towel and something to change next to the changing table.
9. For parents of boys who want to avoid being peed on
Unfortunately, you will usually find out that your beloved little son pees on you only after the fact - no midwife or friend usually mentions it (at least no one warned us ;)). So if you are expecting a little boy, remember not to remove the entire diaper at once while changing the diaper until the clean one is ready for changing - lightly cover your son with an old diaper or a warm cotton pad to protect him from flooding in the event of a sudden "fountain" :)
10. Night scrolling
In the first weeks of life, it may turn out that your baby has a bowel movement during each feeding - including at night. If the diaper is only covered with pee, there is no need to change it at night - your rest is much more important. However, if your baby poops at night, he or she should be changed to avoid irritation and rash on the very delicate skin under the diaper. The good news is that you can often change your baby's diaper without waking him up. For this purpose, it is worth having everything at hand, a thermos with warm water or a liniment with which to gently clean the baby's bottom, cotton pads, a change of diaper and, above all, night lamp that has a mild enough light that will not wake the baby. We can turn on the gentle noise of the humming teddy bear, which will additionally lull the baby and help us deal with the nighttime changing quickly and efficiently.
