Three Things To Know About Changing Diapers

Diaper duty is not a favorite activity of many mums (I doubt it's anyone's favorite, actually.) It is the one thing no one looks up to but is still inevitable. The exercise may be a little challenging for new mothers, especially those who have not had much experience around newborns.

You may find yourself doing it wrong, and most times (as many moms would say) it ends up in a tragically disgusting but still funny poop explosion. Here are a few tips you need to know about changing diapers that will save you a lot of time (and sanity):

KNOW THE DIAPER SIZE YOUR BABY WEARS

It is possible for anyone to assume that all newborn babies wear the same diaper size once they are born, but that is not entirely true. Babies come in different sizes (you'll probably know this better if you've been eating REALLY well during pregnancy). Some will need maxis while others will do just fine with preemies. It is therefore essential to carry the newborn diapers, preemie diapers, and the size one diapers while preparing for birth. Also, the nurse should help you diaper your newborn for the first time and let you know the baby's exact diaper size. The perfect fit will prevent any irritations and discomfort as well as those random poo-splosions.

THE NUMBER OF DIAPERS USED IN A DAY

Most times, mums receive diapers as presents and gifts for their newborns which may turn out to be quite a cost-saver in the long run. This way, you will have a nice stack to use for the first few days without making a trip to the store. Every baby uses a different number of diapers in a day, and this will depend on various factors such as how old they are, what they are eating and their health. You need to know how many diapers yours uses in a day so that you can stock the number of boxes you'll need. You don't want to be running to the store with a bare-bottomed baby because you run out of diapers.

ROLLING A DIAPER

ROLLING diapers is almost a skill, and it takes a lot of time and practice to muster. It is even regarded as a form of art. Having someone to help you change a diaper makes it very easy because you can hand them the dirty diaper and while they dispose of it, you can finish cleaning up the baby.

When you're alone, it is difficult to remove the dirty diapers and dispose of them while at the same time holding the baby's legs up to prevent them from spreading the poop all over. To make this easy when you are alone, hold the baby's legs up after undoing the velcro straps and with the other hand, use the front part of the diaper to wipe out any excess poop back into the diaper. Carefully roll the diaper from bottom to top to prevent pushing the poop out the top of the diaper. Wrap the diaper and use velcro straps to hold the diaper in place and after that discard it.

Conclusively, changing diapers is easier than it looks. You only need to understand the basics and accept any help you can get. It's okay not to know how; we all take our time to learn. Trust me, it only gets easier with time!