The most important thing about diapering: 7 tips | Liliput Lounge

Even before birth, parents deal with diapers. You set up a changing table and think about which diaper is best for your child. A bit of planning is also good – after all, a baby uses up about 6,000 diapers on average by the time it is three years old. That's why a back-friendly changing table is really important.

1) How should the changing table be?

There are different variations. Special changing tables, self-made attachments for a normal shelf or padded changing mats for the washing machine. Everything is possible. The height is important: It should be such that parents can relax and change the child without having to bend down all the time. You should be careful with shelves above the changing table - the things standing there can fall on the child!

A washable changing mat belongs on the table. It is practical to put a towel over it - it is more cuddly for the baby and the towel quickly goes into the wash in the event of a mishap.

A heat lamp is not absolutely necessary - but the room temperature should be around 21°C when changing diapers, because the baby must also be able to feel comfortable naked. If changing is done in a room that is rarely used (e.g. in the children's room) in winter, red light lamps etc. make sense. So the whole room does not have to be heated.

Good lighting is pleasant for the parents. It should not be too bright and not too dark at the changing area - because babies do not like being blinded and parents naturally want to be able to see their bottom clearly.

The essentials should be kept right next to the changing table, fresh diapers and clothes, the necessary cleaning products. Important: Never leave the child alone on the table! It is best to have everything you need ready before changing the diaper. If necessary, lay the baby on the floor or hold it in your arms, but never leave it unattended. Even newborns can make unexpected movements and fall off the changing table!

2) When do diapers need to be changed?

As a parent, you'll quickly learn when to change your diaper. A very wet diaper makes the baby uncomfortable - and it usually makes it known out loud. A dry bottom and frequent diaper changes ensure that inflammation in the diaper area is avoided. A newborn's diaper gets wet six to ten times in a 24-hour period — and that's a good sign because it shows the baby is taking the food well. Because newborns have immature bladder muscles, they cannot hold their urine for long. For an infant, you can expect to use four to six panty diapers or six to eight cloth diapers per day.

Newborns have immature bladder muscles and are therefore unable to hold urine in their bladders for long, often needing up to ten fresh diapers a day. Babies later need a fresh diaper about five to six times a day. Cloth diapers need to be changed more often.

Babies should only be changed at night if they are awake, have sore skin or have a very full diaper to avoid disrupting their sleep.

In general, it is usually practical to change the baby's diaper during the meal (e.g. between breast changes) or shortly after a meal. If the diaper is full and uncomfortable, many children drink poorly.

The older the baby is, the less often the diaper needs to be changed. Usually after waking up or after meals and at night. Some small children from the age of one give a clear signal when they want a fresh diaper.

3) What's inside the diaper?

Baby diapers are full of urine and stool. And very different. Breastfed babies may have a bowel movement several times a day to once a week. Some utilize the milk so well that they rarely excrete.

The stool of babies who are breastfed is soft to runny and light yellow. Sometimes it also turns green, but this is harmless and not a sign of illness. Infants who are pre-fed have a similar stool. The stool of infants smells very intensely, but usually not unpleasantly.

Because newborn stools are usually quite liquid, diarrhea is difficult to diagnose. However, if the stool is unusually frequent or exceptionally liquid, the pediatrician or midwife should be consulted. Even if the chair suddenly stinks, you should ask.

4) And how is the wrapping done? An instruction

The midwife already explains the most important steps during the birth preparation course. But practicing on a doll is different than practicing on a fidgety tiny newborn. In the maternity clinic, the baby nurses like to show the new parents how to hold the children carefully. Very few babies like being undressed. It is therefore best to choose practical clothing that is as easy to open as possible. Depending on whether the baby's clothes are also soaked or not, it has to be removed when changing diapers.

When changing diapers, lay the baby on its back and carefully open the old diaper. If there is stool on the bottom, you can wipe it off with the dry part of the diaper. Soft toilet paper is also suitable for this, or simply soft molton cloths (simply cut up a molton diaper).

If it's just a "pee diaper", just take it off. Before the fresh diaper, it is now important to clean the genital and anal area. A grip technique that is gentle on the hips is good: grab one leg in the thigh area and lift it up. The second leg rests on the mother's arm.

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Lukewarm water is sufficient for cleaning the delicate baby skin, soap attacks the natural acidity of the skin. Wet wipes are practical for on the go, but should not be used at home so that the children's skin does not get unnecessarily too much chemicals. The water variant is also cheaper. If the bottom is particularly dirty, a few drops of oil in the water are sufficient. Whey or wheat bran are also suitable for cleaning.

For girls, the diaper area should always be cleaned from front to back so that no intestinal bacteria can get into the vagina. Even little boys should be cleaned from front to back. Under no circumstances should the foreskin be pulled down for cleaning. It gradually dissolves. By the time the little boy is about three years old, the foreskin can usually be fully retracted.

Little boys in particular, but also some little girls, can pee in a high arch. Not very nice for the diaper changing parent! So be careful. You often read the advice to blow dry the freshly washed baby. Even if it can be good for the skin, there is a danger here - if the stream of urine hits the hair dryer. So make sure to cover the penis a little when blow-drying.

Once the baby is clean and dry, it can get the dry diaper. Light wound healing creams (e.g. from Weleda) are only recommended if the child has a sore bottom. Thick fat creams are unnecessary. Powder is even dangerous because thick lumps can form and particles can be inhaled. An open powder compact can be dangerous for the baby! Fresh air is good for the buttocks. Babies should be allowed to kick "bottomless" more often. The diaper should not be too loose or too tight, one finger should always fit between the end of the diaper and the little leg.

5) Avoid skin irritation

Wearing a diaper irritates the skin as it gets little air and is irritated by urine and faeces. If baby's bottom is very red, it has a skin irritation. It can be diaper rash or a fungus. Some foods and inelastic diapers can also attack the skin.

Special creams, such as zinc cream, can provide first aid. Otherwise, the midwife or pediatrician should look at the skin so that the baby can be treated properly. If you have a sore buttocks, it is particularly important to change diapers more frequently, as every wet diaper promotes irritation even more.

6) What should be wrapped with?

Both cloth diapers and disposable diapers have advantages and disadvantages. Disposable diapers are more expensive than cloth diapers and ecologically at a disadvantage. Cloth diapers need to be changed more frequently and are more labor intensive.

Most parents choose disposable diapers. Here, however, it is important to choose the right size for the weight of the child. Not every child tolerates every type of diaper. If you have red pustules or skin irritation, you should change the brand. Some diapers are soaked with lotions to which certain children are allergic. Only testing helps here or experienced parents or the midwife ask for advice. There are currently no fragrances, optical brighteners or chlorine-bleached cellulose in German disposable diapers, and the controls and requirements are high.

Changing with cloth is likely to be cheaper based on currently available information. However, many parents shy away from all the work - whether the wearing comfort for the children is less is controversial. Diaper delivery services, which in some cities relieve parents of having to wash cloth diapers, are certainly practical.

7) What to do if the baby is restless and fidgets on the changing table?

A few diversionary maneuvers will help here. For example, a beautiful, colorful mobile above the changing table. A favorite toy can also be a good distraction for restless little ones. Babies like to be given a light massage while they are being changed, to be cuddled and to hear their parents' voice. The diaper changing can also become an intimate ritual full of closeness for parents and children.