Along with feeding and bathing your newborn, changing your baby's diaper is a task you'll face almost immediately as a new parent. Though it may seem a little daunting at first, learning how to change a diaper will become second nature with time.
And your baby will give you plenty of practice: Infants typically go through eight to 10 diapers a day, adding up to more than 3,500 diaper changes until they are toilet trained. Learn the most efficient way to get your baby from a dirty diaper into a clean one and get some pointers to make the process less stressful and more seamless for both you and your new baby.
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What You Need
Before beginning, make sure all the tools you need to get the job done are handy. Here is a checklist:
- Change of clothes for your baby (in case of a blowout)
- Changing table or changing pad
- Diapers (cloth or disposable)
- Diaper cover or pins for cloth diapers, if needed
- Diaper cream or ointment
- Disposable bag or diaper pail
- Wipes, soft cloth, or cotton balls
Many people use baby wipes to clean the diaper area. However, a newborn's skin is quite sensitive. Using warm water and a cloth or cotton balls during the first few weeks of life can help prevent skin irritation. Unscented baby wipes that contain mostly water are another option. Baby wipes that alcohol and fragrances can cause rashes and irritation on sensitive baby skin.
Options for places to change a baby include a changing table or a changing pad on the floor, bed, or couch. If you are using a changing table, use the safety straps and follow the pad's instructions for anchoring it to the table.
Safety Tip
Make sure your changing table pad is concave in the center (with the sides higher than the middle). This can help prevent falls due to the baby rolling off the table, which can cause serious injury. While a newborn won't move much, they will begin rolling over soon enough—and a baby of any age can potentially get their body in motion and fall. Practicing safety from the start is a smart idea before your little one is on the move.
How To Change a Diaper Step-by-Step
The following instructions are for changing disposable diapers. Using cloth diapers involves the same basic steps, but how you fit and fasten the cloth diaper may look different from a disposable one (you also won't throw the cloth diaper away after).
1. Get ready
First, wash your hands. Then gather your supplies. Make sure you have everything you need in arm's reach (but out of your baby's reach) so you won't have to turn your back while your baby is on the changing table.
2. Take off the dirty diaper
Gently lay your baby on their back on the changing surface. Unfasten the diaper tabs or pins on each side. Then raise your child's bottom up off of the diaper by gently grasping their ankles and lifting them slightly.
If there is a lot of stool in the diaper, you can use the upper half of the diaper to gently sweep it toward the lower half. Slide the dirty diaper away. Place it nearby or throw it out in the nearby diaper pail right away, but make sure its out of reach of your baby. Avoid leaving a dirty diaper near areas where food is prepared or eaten.
3. Clean your baby's skin
Thoroughly but gently cleanse the diaper area with wipes, soft cloths, or moistened cotton balls.
When wiping a vulva, always go from front to back to prevent infection. Note that you are only cleaning the external area of a vulva to remove any poop. Newborns with a vulva may have some mild vagin*l discharge. This does not need to be wiped away.
Similarly, for babies with a penis, be sure to clean all around the penis and scrotum. To avoid getting peed on, place a clean diaper or cloth over the penis while cleaning the diaper area.
Place any used disposable cleaning supplies on top of the soiled diaper and either set it aside or throw it away immediately if the diaper pail is nearby.
4. Put on the clean diaper
Slide a clean diaper under your baby's bottom. Make sure the tabs are on the side located under your child's bottom. Many disposable diapers have wetness indicators or colorful markings and designs that label the front of the diaper. Often the back of the diaper will also be clearly labeled.
Apply any ointments or creams you choose for rash prevention or treatment. Doing this step after you've placed the new diaper under your baby will help prevent you from having to clean ointments off the changing surface.
Don't I Need Baby Powder?
Though once a diaper change staple, experts including those at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) don't recommend using baby powder due to the health risks associated with inhaling airborne particles.
Before closing the diaper, be sure to point the penis downward to prevent peeing out of the diaper. To close the diaper, pull the front between your child's legs and up over their stomach. Pull the diaper tabs open and around to the front, making sure the diaper is snug but not too tight.
With cloth diapers, use the attached snaps or carefully pin the diaper closed. If you are not using specially cut newborn diapers, fold the front of the diaper down to avoid irritation of the umbilical stump until it falls off.
5. Finish up
Place your baby in a safe location (such as in their crib or in a baby carrier) while you clean up. Firmly roll up the soiled diaper and wrap the tabs all the way around it. Place the diaper in a bag, diaper bin, or garbage can.
With cloth diapers, drop more solid stool (if any) into the toilet and rinse away any residual poop. Then, put the diaper into a bin for the laundry.
Clean the changing surface. Use a disinfectant to prevent contamination the next time you use the changing table. Finally, wash your and your baby's hands.
How Often Should I Change My Baby's Diaper?
Ideally, your baby's diaper should be changed as soon as it becomes soiled. Typically, this means eight to 10 times a day for young babies but the frequency will vary quite a bit as your child gets older—for instance, a potty training toddler may only use 4 diapers per day. Often, babies will need a diaper change soon after each feeding, but you'll usually know due to the smell—or you can simply take a look.
While urine is germ-free and doesn't usually irritate the skin, stool is very caustic. Leaving stool in contact with your baby's skin for any length of time, especially if they are very young or have sensitive skin, will increase their chances of developing a painful diaper rash. Do note, however, that diaper rash is very common in babies and may occur no matter how quick you are to change your baby's diaper.
When you change your baby's diaper, the AAP recommends rinsing the diaper area with lots of warm water in addition to using wipes. This extra step isn't always practical, especially if you're on the go, but doing it at home when you can will keep your baby's skin healthy and free from irritation.
Diaper Changing Tips
You will soon be able to change your baby's diaper without a second thought, but these tips may be helpful as you learn how to change a diaper.
Wound care
If your baby has been circumcised or still has their umbilical stump, follow your health care provider's instructions for caring for a healing circumcision or umbilical stump. Remember to complete any steps such as cleaning or rinsing.
Safety
Keep one hand on your baby at all times. This helps your baby stay safe when you're reaching for a clean diaper or other supplies. Regardless of your baby's age, never leave them unattended on an elevated surface.
Comfort
Don't fasten the diaper too tightly. You want to avoid leaks, but a diaper that's too tight can cause pressure on your baby's stomach, potentially causing discomfort and making them more likely to spit up. Tight diapers can also trap moisture and cause rubbing, both of which can lead to diaper rash.
When To See the Doctor
While you'll see many colors, consistencies, and textures in your baby's diaper in the early days—from sticky, dark black-green meconium to softer yellow or brown milk or formula stools—you may also discover things you weren't expecting.
For example, babies with vulvas may have vagin*l discharge. Discharge that is white or blood-stained is normal for about the first two weeks of life. Let your baby's health care provider know if the discharge persists beyond two weeks, turns yellow, or has an odor, as these could be signs of an infection.
You may also see rust-colored urate crystals for the first few days after birth. This normal end-product of metabolism is more common in breastfed infants. Breast milk is high in protein, which results in acidic urine that encourages the formation of urate crystals. Although they can be normal, urate crystals may also point to dehydration so be sure to speak to your pediatrician if you have concerns.
In the first few days of life, the baby may not pee enough to change the color on the diaper's indicator. Since monitoring urine output is important in newborns to make sure they are staying hydrated, if you do not see the indicator change for a few hours always check for wetness inside the diaper too.
When To Seek Immediate Medical Care
Call a health care provider right away if your baby shows any of these signs of dehydration:
- Crying without tears
- Dark yellow or brown urine
- Fewer than six wet diapers in 24 hours
- Skin that is dry to the touch
Additionally, while mild diaper rashes can often be effectively treated at home, if your baby has a diaper rash that doesn't clear up after a few days, or if they seem to be in pain and their skin is red and raw, call a health care provider. These symptoms could point to an allergy or other health condition.
