Itâs been nine months of a roller coaster of emotions, and your bundle of joy has finally arrived. Relief, pride, elation and excitement are probably what you are feeling right now. Yet, thereâs an underlying feeling of fear you just canât shake away. How does one actually take care ofa baby? Well, we donât have all the answers, but at Stay Sure we can help you with what could perhaps be one of the first things you need to learn; How to change a babyâs diaper. So letâs dive right in.
The Preparation: Apart from having the right-sized diapers with you, changing a babyâs diaper needs a wee bit of preparation from your end.
First, make sure you have a safe surface to use. The surface needs to be flat and clean. Ensure that the baby canât roll over and fall. While at home, most people prefer to use the bed or the couch, sometimes with a changing pad. When outside, look for places that preferably have a changing table.
Second, keep a wipe handy. This could be baby wet wipes or even a clean cloth with access to warm water. A babyâs skin is very sensitive and needs to be cleaned well in order to avoid rashes. Along with this some parents prefer to keep a diaper cream, baby powder and lotion. These additions are a personal choice and you can discuss what you may require with your doctor.
Third, have a burp cloth nearby. These are tiny napkins specially designed to catch the spit of the baby. In this case you may not need to catch spit, but these cloths are soft and safe to use on your baby, and will be useful while changing the diaper.
The last thing you need to have is a change of clothes, both for yourself and for your baby. Things can get out of hand especially when there is a blowout. Also keep a dirty bag where you can put your soiled clothes.
How to Change a Baby's Diaper: Â Now that you are prepared, letâs get to the actual task. You are going to perform a messy task, but remember even in this situation, cleanliness comes first. Wash your hands well before starting. You donât want your baby picking up any infections from you. Now follow the below steps:
Step 1: Lay your baby on the flat, clean changing surface, facing you (i.e. â On his/her back)
Step 2: Remove your babyâs clothes.
Step 3: Unfasten the diaper, but donât remove it.
Step 5: Place the burp cloth on the baby in order to prevent any spray on your face.
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Step 4: Hold your babies ankles and lift his/her bottom off the diaper.
Step 5: Slide the soileddiaper out of the babies reach.
Step 6: Wipe the baby clean. How you do this is important especially for girls. Always wipe your baby girl from front to back.Also, clean thoroughly between the skin folds.
Step 7: Once youâve wiped your baby clean, slide the fresh diaper under his/her bottom. Use the markings on the diaper to put it on the right way.
Step 8: Now apply any lotion or creams that your doctor may have recommended to prevent rash.
Step 9: Youâre almost done. Pull the front of the clean diaper through the babyâs legs and use one hand to hold it against the babyâs stomach.
Step 10: With your other hand pull the tabs on each side of the diaper and fold them up towards the front. Fasten them onto the diaper so the diaper is secured to the baby. Dress your baby and keep him/her in a comfortable, secure place.
Step 11: Now remove as much solid waste as possible from the soiled diaper, and flush it down.
Step 12: Roll the front of the diaper three times. Fold the edges and secure them with the tabs on the back of the diaper. Your diaper will now be a tight ball.
Step 13: Dispose the diaper safely in a bin. Diapers are not recyclable or flushable.
And now youâre done! One last step though is that you wash both your hands as well as your babies, even if you donât think s/he touched any dirt. Prevention goes a long way in keeping your infant healthy.
We hope this complete guide on changing diapers, has cleared all your fears and doubts. Additionally with our wide range of diaperproducts you can rest assured at Stay Sure you will find the âperfect-fitâ diapers, keeping your little one as neat and clean as possible.