Tips to sooth a crying baby while diaper change
Changing your baby’s diapers is of utmost importance on a day to day basis. It is so because while your baby is asleep its urine combined with the bacteria present in the poop can chafe the skin and cause diaper rash. Hence, diaper change should be conducted before or after feeding your baby and also when the little one has pooped.
To begin with, babies poop numerous times in a day and pees every 1 - 3 hours. However, wetness doesn’t irritate most babies and therefore, they may or may not mope in discomfort. To ensure that the diaper doesn’t saturate and leak, keep a check on it from time to time with a clean finger. This also allows you to keep a tab on the hygiene, preventing any form of infection or rash.
When to change a baby’s diaper
If your baby continues to remain fussy and your endless session of cradle goes in vain, know that it’s a sign of the uneasiness. In some cases, its hunger that drives them insane, while in other instances, it’s the oh-so-dirty-diaper that needs a change. When it comes to diaper change, you mama’s there aren’t alone. It’s a common fact that babies dislike diaper changes, but it is must that their diapers be changed at regular intervals. The frequency of diaper change differs from baby to baby. During the first couple of months, many parents change their baby’s diapers 6 - 8 times every 24 hours for the first couple of months. In case your infant poo’s in the diaper, then you need to change them more frequently. However, bowel movements usually become dip down in frequency after a couple of days.
In a general scenario, small babies weep more often than little bigger babies. This indicates that their diapers need to be changed every 5 - 6 times a day and sometimes as often as 8 - 9 times. Keeping all that information in mind, you should definitely change your baby’s nappy once they’ve pooped in them. Always ensure that your little munchkin is dry before or when you cradle them back to sleep.
Why does a baby cry during diaper changes
Almost every baby hates their diapers being changed, and often there are various reasons why your baby gets distraught at times.
Cold - Many babies, especially newborns dislike the coldness that accompanies diaper change.
Hungry - Avoid changing the diaper before feeding your baby as the little one may be too hungry to wait for it to be fed. Try changing them after feeding.
Unsure what’s happening - Try putting yourself into the shoes of the newborn. Completely oblivious why and what’s happening. They hate diaper change because they don’t understand what’s going on with them.
Wants to be in charge of his body - With progressing time, the baby learns to be in charge of its body. That’s because they hate to be swept away when they’re in play. So, one minute you could notice your little one being totally content and playing in the soiled diaper, but the very next minute with the sudden disruption could make him unhappy.
Prevents newly established skills - Positioning your baby on its back for a diaper change stops it from developing and discovering new skills like sitting up, rolling, crawling, and more. Infants loath being restricted.
The diaper changing pad is a necessary tool to begin your operation of poop cleanup. It is an essential piece of baby equipment as it not only saves your baby from filthy surfaces but also prevents diaper leaks from soiling the changing area. An ordinary diaper changing pad is too heavy to carry when you’re traveling. Hence, the advantage of a diaper changing station proves to be essential for parents when they’re traveling because it comes handy when your baby muds the diaper and changing becomes inconvenient. Here’s an essential diaper bag checklist that might come very handy to you when changing a diaper.
It includes a changing pad and allows space for all the other essentials like baby wipes, diapers, storage pockets to stash your phone or keys. The advantage of a diaper changing pad is that it is portable and folds up into its own carry bag. This also proves to be beneficial while undertaking short trips as it averts the need to lug around with a heavy diaper bag.
Soothing benefits of baby wipes
Since the area around the baby’s skin is sensitive and gets regularly exposed to urine, poop, and wetness, soothing baby wipes should be used to cleanse the area. In order to prevent diaper rash, frequent changes of diapers are important to thoroughly cleanse the area. Using gentle baby wipes will help this task easy and quick. These wipes help in removing irritants and restore the skin back to its natural, healthy balance.
Quick steps to change a diaper
Before you begin to change, ensure your supplies are within reach. Supplies here can include items like cotton balls, warm water, clean diapers, baby washcloths, and diaper cream.
Place your little one facing the back on the bed or table. Unfold the diaper and lay it on one side. Remember to hold your baby with one hand all the time to prevent it from rolling over.
Place another clean diaper beneath your baby. Make sure you do it efficiently to prevent it from peeing or pooing on the bed or table. While you are in the changing process, try singing, talking or making funny faces to divert the attention.
While wiping go frontwards cleaning all the creases. If your little one passes stool while changing the diaper, use the unsoiled part of the dirty diaper to clean up the mess.
To prevent rashes hitting the baby’s skin, allow the area to dry before putting a diaper cream or a clean diaper. You can also dry the area with a soft baby washcloth or lightly blow on the region. Apply a diaper cream or oil on areas that look rashy.
Lift up your baby’s legs and place the clean unfolded diaper. Pull the front of the diaper between the legs and fasten it.
Diaper changes are specially made for intimacy. Being parents, you need to turn a dull, dreaded chore into a mutually gratifying task. Diaper changing just gives you just that! Irregularly changing the diaper may cause ordeal for both you and your baby in the long run. And since babies poop and pee incessantly in a day, their diapers must be changed on a timely basis to prevent rashes and any form of skin infection. Thus, make the most of the time and ensure that you indulge in your best self while changing a diaper for your little one.