The dirty bits – changing nappies

Whooah! What a smell.

Sooner or later you’re going to get to change your first nappy. There’s just no way out of this messy part and before long you’ll be an old hand. For the first two years at least, you’ll be changing nappies up to half a dozen times a day, so get used to it!

Fortunately disposables are now widely used and make the whole process so much easier for you and the baby. With everything prepared and a little practice, the whole drama can be over in a minute or two, the soiled disposable neatly folded up with its smelly contents tucked up inside and a fresh dry nappy snugly on your daughter’s bottom.

Newborns will poop themselves half a dozen times or more in a 24 hour period, usually a light brown/yellowy goo as their stomachs adjust to the new diet. If mother is breast feeding and has eaten anything intense beforehand, like curries and chilies, the baby’s digestive system will react and they might get diarrhea. Often you can hear or feel them relieving their bowels as you hold them and sometimes they have the cheek to let go right after you’ve just changed the nappy! The smell really is unpleasant so you’ll want to change them right away. If you are unsure you can squeeze the nappy bulge to check.

It will soon be an easy routine for both of you and a good bonding process!

The good news is, within four to six weeks the frequency is reduced to a few times a day though they do continue to urinate often, but modern disposables are so absorbent that you can get away with leaving the nappy on a little longer. With your daughter going through 30 or more disposables a week, babyhood can get quite expensive and some opt for old fashioned re-usable nappy sheets when they’re at home or as the baby gets older. They’ve come along way since these were on your own bottom, with waterproof, Velcro-fitted re-usables now available.

Babies do suffer from constipation and may not even poop at all in a 24 hour period. This probably means the formula mix needs more water, or the baby needs to be given more water from the bottle before breast feeding. There’s no need to worry adversely but if it continues for more than two days you may want to call the hospital midwife or pediatrician for advice.

The five minute nappy change

Step 1: ensure you have fresh nappies stashed nearby, at convenient places in the house, in a small accessories basket (for trips) or in the storage pockets of the stroller. You will need a flat surface, a damp cloth or some water to dip cotton wool buds into, a dry cloth and a water-resistant changing mat. Have all the materials handy and place a fresh nappy, open, beside her.

Step 2: now, open the nappy without removing it. Use one hand to hold your daughter’s legs up in the air and the other to wipe the mess off her bottom using the wet disposable cloth which you can conveniently dump in the soiled nappy. You might have to repeat this a few times, ensuring all the ‘bits’ are clean.

Step 3: next, dry her bottom carefully, including the creases in her groin to avoid any nappy rash, applying some talcum powder if necessary. Then remove the dirty disposable by pulling it out from under her, and wrap it up using the sticky tags to keep it closed in a neat parcel.

Step 4: pick up your baby and transfer her onto the open fresh nappy, fold the front over her genitals pull the sides around her hips and seal them all together using the sticky tabs. That’s it, all done.

It helps to calm your baby while changing her nappy by constantly talking to her in a babble of baby talk, your voice will reassure her and before long she’ll recognise the routine and behave well. If you have just fed the baby it’s probably better to remove the soiled nappy and leave her there a few minutes to see if she does ‘the dirty’ again. If you have a son, they might even urinate on your clothes while you’re changing them. Remember, they have no control over their bowel movements until 16 months old and it could take up to 36 months before you get through potty training.

It’s all part of the fun of parenthood.

Getting some sleep
Feeding
Baby care