Diaper Change

Diaper change is a very common activity that you will find yourself occupied with most of the time. It is not uncommon for you to undergo the diaper change process at least ten times in a day. Although this can seem frustrating, keeping your baby dry is of the utmost importance. Keep talking to her during the entire diaper change process to make it an interesting activity for her. Remember not to leave her unattended even for the minimum time.

What You Must Keep Ready Before a Diaper Change

• One of either of the following - disposable diapers or cloth diapers.
• Fasteners, if needed, in case of cloth diapers. Specially made large safety pins with plastic heads are available for this. Many cloth diapers are available today with velcro fasteners as well.
• A bowl of warm water and some cotton balls or soft sponge to wipe your baby clean if you find that her skin is very sensitive. If your baby has a normal skin, you may consider using a clean soft cloth or diaper wipes.
• A diaper ointment or petroleum jelly to be applied on the area after wiping. This is to prevent your baby from developing diaper rashes and treating the diaper rashes if they occur.

Wash your hands thoroughly. Clean your baby thoroughly using the cotton balls or diapers from front to back. You should always wipe her from front to back. Never wipe her the other way round to avoid bacteria from spreading which can cause urinary tract infection. You may have to lift her legs to help you to wipe her better. Do not forget to wipe her thighs and buttocks. After wiping her, use a clean soft cloth to pat her dry. Place her on the bed and apply the diaper ointment. Wash your hands again before putting her on a new diaper.

Shoppers Stop has a range of diaper accessories by the international brand Mother Care. Kid Studio offers you a wide range of diapers that are either cloth, waterproof and plastic. The cloth diapers are made of cotton. They also have a few knit and woven diapers. Most medical shops in your area are likely to stock disposable diapers.

• Disposable diapers for my baby
• Cloth diapers for my little one
• How can I treat my baby's diaper rashes?

How do I fasten disposable diapers for my baby?

You can use disposable diapers for your baby by adopting the following steps:

• Wash your hands thoroughly.
• Open the diaper and keep it ready.
• Lay the baby on the surface you want to change the diaper. Remember to lay her on her back.
• Using one hand lift the baby's legs and feet by holding on her ankles.
• Slide the diaper under your baby using the other hand. The back of the diaper that has the adhesive strips should be at the same level as the baby's belly button.
• Move the front part of the diaper to in between your baby's legs and on top of his or her stomach just under her abdomen.
• Using the adhesive straps, fasten the diaper. Ensure that the tape does not stick on your baby's skin. If your baby is a boy, lower his penis downwards before fastening the diaper so that you can avoid leaks above his waist.

Video on Changing Disposable Diapers for Baby

Tips to Consider When Fastening Disposable Diapers

• Dispose the soiled diapers regularly to prevent breeding of bacteria.
• Check for marks around the baby's waist and legs where you fasten the diapers. Marks indicate that you have fastened the diaper too tightly and you may have to loosen it a little.
• If you find rashes on your baby's waist and legs at the point where you open the diaper, try a different kind of diaper. Your baby may be sensitive to a particular brand.
• When you use a diaper before the umbilical cord has fallen off, remember to fasten the diaper below the baby's waist lines.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly after a nappy change to prevent spreading of germs.

I find using disposable diapers expensive. Please tell me how I can use cloth diapers for my little one.

Cloth diapers come in different shapes and sizes. Traditional cloth diapers require pinning using fasteners specially designed for this. However, many cloth diapers are available in today's market that come attached with Velcro straps like disposable diapers. You can fasten traditional diapers using the triangular fold or rectangular fold.

Video on Changing Cloth Diaper for Baby

Fastening Triangular Fold Cloth Diapers

Some of the steps when you use the triangular fold for cloth diapers are the same as for disposable diapers. Try the following steps if you prefer to use the triangular fold:

• Wash your hands thoroughly.
• Fold the diaper into a triangle.
• Lay the baby on the surface you want to change the diaper. Remember to lay her on her back.
• Using one hand lift the baby's legs and feet by holding on her ankles.
• Slide the diaper under your baby using the other hand.
• Move the front part of the diaper to in between your baby's legs and on top of his or her stomach just under her abdomen.
• Lift the diaper from one side and place it on her front so that it overlaps the centre portion.
• Do the same with the portion of the diaper on her other side so that it overlaps the other two portions.
• Fasten all three portions using a safety pin.

Fastening Rectangular Fold Cloth Diapers

• Wash your hands thoroughly.
• Fold the diaper into a rectangle.
• Place the diaper under the baby as in the triangular fold. The longer sides of the rectangle should be in the same direction as the baby.
• Move the bottom part of the diaper to top of your baby's stomach.
• Now lift one side of the diaper and keep it such a way that it overlaps the portion of the diaper placed on the top.
• Fasten the two portions on the sides using a safety pin.
• Do the same on the other side.

Tips to Consider When Using Cloth Diapers

• Use oversize pins specially designed for nappy fastening.
• When you use a safety pin, keep your hand between the pin and the baby's skin to avoid pricking your baby.
• Wash the diapers separately with a mild detergent. Do not wash them along with other laundry and avoid treating them with a fabric softener.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly after a nappy change to prevent spreading of germs.

How can I treat my baby's diaper rashes?

Diaper rash is quite common. However, it passes off quickly. In case the rashes do not subside within three days, you may have to show your baby to a doctor.

Tips to Deal with Diaper Rashes

• Change diapers regularly. It is best to discard a soiled diaper to prevent infection and for hygienic reasons.
• Make sure that the wipes you use to wipe your baby's bottoms do not contain alcohol. You can consider buying diaper wipes meant especially for this.
• Apply diaper ointments with zinc oxide every time you change a diaper. This serves to protect your baby's skin against moisture. Coconut oil and petroleum jelly (Vaseline) are other alternatives to diaper ointment.
• Leave him without a diaper for sometime till the ointment is fully absorbed. You can lay him on a diaper cloth during this time.
• Wash your baby's cloth diapers using a dye-free and fragrance-free detergent.