Diaper Changing 101

For almost two months now, my husband and I have been changing Zeke's diaper round the clock. I know diapers cause environmental problems so we make sure that we only use them at night and when we go on pedia visits.

My husband is now an expert at nappy changing so I thought I'll blog about how he does it. Of course, I'm still better that's why I'm the one doing the 101 lesson

But before I go and walk you through the process, let me just give out a personal opinion on two diapers we've used --- Pampers Newborn v. Huggies Newborn.

Pampers Newborn

We used this diaper because it was the one given at the hospital when I gave birth to Zeke. At first, we liked it because it seems comfortable and budget-friendly at Php 202/ 24 pcs. During Zeke's first few weeks of using it, he was able to sleep soundly and there's no mess on his bedding. It also has a snug fit that was perfect for his not-yet-fallen cord stump. Unfortunately, when Zeke turned a month old, his diapers started to leak! It always woke Zeke at night even though he has just changed. So, instead of being budget friendly, it's actually costing us more with each diaper change! One bag (consisting of 24) only lasts about 2 days without cloth diapers.

Huggies Newborn

We started using this once Zeke turned a month old and he loves it! He sleeps comfortably at night and it's matipid. It's more expensive than Pampers (about Php5 difference) but with the high performance it's showing, I can recommend this for all the mommies out there. I especially love the cord stump cover it features (Zeke's cord stump didn't fall off until August 21st so it was really useful). However, Huggies Newborn only caters for babies up to 4kg that's why we now switched to Huggies Small.  Anyway, Huggies Small is cheaper than the Newborn range (I don't know why) so yeah, it's cost effective too!

Okay, now that I got it out there, let's begin with the diaper changing tutorial.

changing station

things you will need

You will need:

• cloth or disposable diaper
• rubber mat
• baby wipes or cotton balls with lukewarm water
• alcohol (for you to use before changing baby's diaper)
• dry cloth (any for drying baby's tush)
• baby powder (optional)
• changing area (good thing Zeke's playard has one so it's a space saver)

How to: 

1. Unfasten the dirty diaper, but don't remove it yet.
2. Use the front half of the diaper to wipe away any poop. If your baby is a boy like my Zeke, cover his penis with a clean cloth so he doesn’t pee on you.
3. Grasp your baby by the ankles and gently lift his bottom off the changing table. Don't grasp him too hard or else he might get bruises.
4. Fold the dirty diaper in half under your baby, clean side up.
5. Use a baby wipe or wet cotton balls to thoroughly clean your baby's front.
6. Lift both of your baby's legs and clean his bottom with a wipe or wet cloth. Apply baby powder for comfort.
7. Remove the dirty diaper. Position the back half of the clean diaper under your baby’s bottom and the front half between his legs (spread as wide as seems comfortable). Try not to bunch the diaper between your baby's legs – it can cause chafing and discomfort. For newborns, avoid covering the umbilical cord. You can buy special disposable diapers for newborns with notches cut out for the stump, or fold down the front half of cloth diapers. For boys, be sure to tuck the penis down so they’re less likely to pee over the top of the diaper.
8. Fasten the diaper securely, making sure it's snug but not so tight that it pinches your baby’s skin. Check the manufacturer's instructions for specific tips.

Okay, there you have it Happy diaper changing!