Babies, Parenting

24 Diaper Changing Hacks All Parents Need To Know

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24 Diaper Changing Hacks All Parents Need to Know

By the time your child reaches a year old, you’ll be an expert.  You will have changed approximately 2,500 to 3,000 diapers (according to experts and many experienced mamas out there).

There will be horror movie scenes that you will live through.  You will get poop on you.  You will get peed on.  There’s really no escaping any of it… but if I can give a few helpful tips to keep in the back of your mind along the journey, that can’t hurt!

Magical Mama Blog - 24 Diaper Changing Hacks All Parents Need to Know

  • Have the next size up on lay away

Your baby can literally change sizes over night.  Even if your baby is a few pounds away from stepping up to the next size, have at least a small package around…you’re going to need them eventually anyway.

You will reach a time when you will have constant blow outs…either up the back or out the legs.

Unfortunately, if you’re experiencing blowouts up the back, you can go up a size, and it will come out of their legs…the only option you have at this point is to try switching brands for a different shape or waiting it out and having lots of extra outfits ready.

(This applies mostly to Preemie, Newborn, Size 1 and Size 2… once you get into size 3, you’re usually good for about a 10 pound window of their life)

  • Size up at night

If you’re getting up every morning and…

  • your little one’s pajamas or bed are wet
  • the diaper’s wet indicator has reached some kind of magical color you haven’t seen before
  • your baby’s diaper is huge and weighs a ton

…it is time to size UP at night.

If your little one is sleeping for longer periods of time (or even through the night…woohoo!), they’ll be missing out on several diaper changes.  They’ll need more storage to get the moisture off of their skin so they don’t get diaper rash.

Magical Mama Blog - 24 Diaper Changing hacks All Parents Need to Know

  • Know the secret of the envelope sleeves!

Most onesies come with magical double folded fabric on each shoulder that can be opened up and rolled down.

If your baby has a blow out up their entire back, you don’t want to try to maneuver all of that mess over baby’s head.

Fold the top piece of fabric back, the bottom piece of fabric forward, pull their arms out, and pull down.

Cheers to all the Dads I just saved from the first blowout mess!

  • Use the onesie to your advantage

If you have a particularly handsy baby, unsnap the buttons at the bottom and roll the onesie up and encase their arms into a little onesie straight jacket.  Voila!

  • Newborns won’t cry when they’re wet

Newborns have been hanging out in liquid for a few months.  A wet diaper doesn’t bother them too much.  Newborns are known to have about 10 wet diapers per day.

Checking them every hour or two is a good habit to get into as it can keep their sensitive little bums from diaper rash.

  • Babies need naked time

Nothing is better for preventing and treating diaper rash than a little naked time.  All of that moisture constantly trapped in there with friction is just asking for a rash!

Check out my blog on 7 causes of diaper rash and 11 cures!

  • Diaper under diaper

Especially in the first few months, little ones will feel a cool breeze and things can spew out of both ends with serious projectile force.

Your safest bet is to:

  • Open up a new diaper & place it under baby’s current diaper
  • Carefully open up the diaper that is on them
  • Clean up and prepare to use it as a shield just in case
  • Remove the dirty diaper
  • Place baby’s bum safely on the new clean diaper waiting beneath

This will save you countless changes of clothing and changing pad covers.

  • Ruffles out

Those extra little ruffles of fabric that surround baby’s legs?  They tend to naturally fold in because that is how they are packaged to be compact.

PULL THEM OUT!  They are meant to be on the outside so that the elastic can be as close to the baby’s legs as possible to prevent blow outs!

  • Extra wipes for boys

Boys tend to put on water work shows during changes.  Instead of investing money in a useless “pee pee tee pee”, throw a wipe over his business and you’re safe.

Some people put clean diapers on top…and that’ll just waste a ton of diapers in no time. Unhook his dirty diaper, throw a wipe on top, give him a few seconds, then continue on changing.

  • Keep bags in your bag

Diaper bag necessity: a handful of sandwich bags.  It’s always when you’re at your baby-less friend’s fancy house when your baby decides to make the nastiest mess in their britches.  You’ll want to be able to seal that up as to not frighten those around you with stench.

It’s also handy if your little one has a blow out when you’re on the go.  You can get them into their fresh change of clothes and contain the mess until you can get home and soak those clothes.

  • Have a car stash

Make a stash with a few of baby’s current size diapers and a few of the next size up, an outfit in the next size up, wipes, and cream. I suggest having things up a size so you don’t go to use your kit in an emergency and have everything be unusable.

I suggest getting a sealed box if possible (a plastic tub with locking lid).  Cars over heat and freeze and you don’t want your wipes and cream to dry out on you!

  • Have a mobile stash

Props to you if you’re willing to take baby to the changing station in their room 10 times per day…but for most of us, it’s just not realistic.. especially for those with multi-level homes!

Have a basket or bin in a few different rooms with at least diapers and wipes. It will save your sanity and your energy.

  • No need to waste a diaper

You’ll find out that you have some kind of hidden Superman strength after a few hundred diapers have been changed.  You’ll rip off an entire tab and render a diaper “useless”…fear not!  It doesn’t have to be this way!

Place a second diaper underneath baby.  Wrap it around the ripped diaper and secure.  When it comes time for the next change, simply clean baby and remove the inner diaper and you have a clean diaper with tabs still intact already in place!

  • Don’t waste money on a warmer

Diaper warmers…while it sounds so nice to not have anything to shock baby’s sweet bum, it’s unrealistic.

If you’re on the go, there will be no warmer, and baby will have to go through it just like everyone else has.

You can easily hold a wipe in your hand for 10 or 15 seconds and get the chill out of it.

Magical Mama Blog - 24 Diaper Changing Hacks All Parents Need to Know

  • Get set up before you start

This may sound like common sense, but go ahead and double check your stash before you get started.  When you’re nesting, I’m sure there were hundreds of diapers and wipes at the ready…but move down the line a year later, you won’t be so on top of it 100% of the time.

Make sure you have enough supplies and that it is within easy reach…at one of these diaper changes, baby will roll over, crawl away, stand up, and eventually run away…you’ll want to have at least one hand to keep them there.

  • Check your changing area

Babies are curious by nature.  Check that wires, heavy objects, boxes, bins, displays, etc. are all far out of arm’s reach.

Those arms grow quickly and they’ll be able to squirm into trouble before you know it.

  • Prepare to wrestle

Once your baby is rolling over, they’re going to be in explore mode.  The stationary diaper changes are mostly of the past.  There is no great way to stop them.  Just prepare for it.

  • Let your toddler help

Your baby will start doing a lot of monkey-see monkey-do.  My child adores getting her hands all up in the diaper changing business trying to figure out what I’m doing down there.

If baby is wanting to see and do…give them a wipe (after you’re done actually wiping) and let them get some practice in…go ahead and see if this helps the potty training stage!

  • Get a changing station buddy

Get a toy or two that are specifically for diaper changes.  Something preferably plastic that can be wiped and sanitized if it gets messy…which it likely will.

We give our little one an old remote with no batteries in it.  She is fascinated with the remotes in the living room and she is not allowed to play with those.

This becomes a treat and then she is distracted for a few moments while we get the changing done.

  • Get the sticky off without wasting wipes

When you are in the hospital after baby is born, the nurses may advise you to add some warm water to the wipes to help scrape the mess from that sweet little bum.  Though it works, I am hardly ever changing the baby and able to run over to the sink and wait for warm water.

Have some baby oil on hand.  You can even put it in a spray bottle mixed with a bit of water.  The stickiest of meconium doesn’t stand a chance against it!

  • Make a dirty football

Master rolling a dirty diaper from the front to the back with one hand.  Re-secure the tabs on your newly formed dirty-diaper-football.

This prevents baby from getting hands and feet in the mess as well as it accidentally slipping onto the carpet or falling out of the diaper genie.  Save yourself.

  • Let toddlers be on the go

If it’s just a wet diaper, try your skills at a standing diaper change.

Some days, you’ll go the extra distance to avoid a screaming, wrestling diaper change.

  • Get a Baby Bum Brush

This gem!  I don’t know how people went so long without inventing this beauty!  You can check it out on my blog about 15 Amazon Products all First Time Parents Need

Diaper cream needs to be spread liberally to work properly and when you’re doing it by hand, it ends up more on your hands than on your baby’s bum.

The bum brush applies even and thick, wipes clean, and keeps your hands as clean as possible!

If you’re not about the bum brush, grab a wipe and wrap it around your finger.  Then apply from there to save your hands.

Even if you have a diaper shower or register for diapers, you’ll wind up with Newborn, Size 1 and maybe a few Size 2.  My child has already used more of Size 3 than the rest combined.

Amazon sends me bulk amounts of diapers to my door. That’s right…to my door!  Diapers are never on my grocery list and there are never any late night runs to the store!

I can change the size, amount, and delivery date as needed.  It is magical!

 

If all else fails, talk to them, sing to them, make funny faces, point out what each body part is called as you put their head and arms and feet though different articles on clothing.  They can sense fear, anxiety and anger.  The more relaxed they are, the easier it will be!

magical mama blog 24 diaper changing hacks all parents need to know tricks tips life saving life changing diaper changes

Happy diapering and may the odds be ever in your favor!

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76 Comments

  1. A lot of these don’t apply to us cloth diaper families. I’m talking ZERO blowouts! If that’s not enough incentive to switch, I don’t know what is.
    Anyway, they’re great tips otherwise! All babies need to be clean, dry + happy
    #globalblogging
    Katleynn, hampersandhiccups.com

    Reply

  2. These are awesome tips! And all things I learned the hard way. The only thing I could add to this list is if you have a boy, make sure everything points down in the diaper or it’s pee city and you’re the mayor lol

    Reply

    1. Thank you! I’m hoping to help a few expectant parents out there from learning it ALL the hard way. Haha That’s a brilliant point!

      Reply

  5. The onsie envelope trick has saved me many times! These are great tips for new parents (and experienced ones). I didn’t find out about the onsie folding down until my third baby. I really wished I had known it with my first, who had a blowout daily!

    Thanks for joining #WanderingWednesday with Confessions of Parenting! 🙂

    Reply

  6. These are some really good tips. we have a baby started pack that was fully of mini baby baths, talcs etc and we’ve replaced it with nappies, cream and bags for on the go. Perfect to put under the buggy and not go diving for everything when out and about needing to change little ones! #dreamteam

    Reply

    1. I can’t wait til the diaper days are over… but I’m enjoying all the fun other than the diaper changes! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  9. Ah the blowouts, I’ll be honest I don’t miss those, they rarely happen once your little gets older. But certainly remember those days. I would also mention (bc alot of people dont know this) but when you get a bunch of diapers at your baby shower and your baby outgrows them before you even get to them don’t give them away, take them to walmart or evne target and they will give you store credit/or even let you exchange for the next size up. 🙂
    Susan @petitepepper.com

    Reply

    1. Yes! They’re great about exchanges! I tried to keep the info in this specific post about changes and was hoping to make another post with useful money-saving tips for new parents! Thanks for stopping by and the tips!

      Reply

    1. We’re talking about baby number 2, but we want to have this one out of diapers first…nut then we’ll be starting all over again… 5 years straight? You’re a trooper!

      Reply

  12. These are amazing hacks! I wish I had this post in my life when my daughter was a baby it would have saved me a lot of nappy change dramas! Off to pin this one. Thanks for linking up to #coolmumclub x

    Reply

  13. We are cloth users but I’m glad to see the baby running off thing still applies. Ive never heard of a baby bum brush before. They sound like a good idea.

    Reply

    1. Babies will always be running off! The baby bum brush has saved us eons of time! No more having to wipe & wash your hands and still have them feeling greasy for hours!

      Reply

  15. Great tips and I am infamous for not changing my new-born’s nappy convinced he would not need it or even do a wee or poo on his first day in the world. Good job a doctor arrived to put me right and change the nappy! Just pleased to be well past the nappy/diaper stage now! #FabFridayPost

    Reply

  28. The ‘get set up before you start’ is where my husband fails every time! He never thinks things through, just wades in, which means the baby ends up without a nappy on for ages, and then inevitably has a wee, meaning a change of clothes now too! Mind you, I wouldn’t call myself an expert – it was a long time before I knew about envelope sleeves! Luckily we rarely had incidents that required them. Second time around, I’m far more clued up! Thanks for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove

    Reply

  29. We were on our second baby before I realised the truth about envelope sleeves! It was like an epiphany. Thankfully the nappy days are behind us now, but gosh this post would have been great for me as I started on my happy journey! Thanks for linking to #DreamTeam x

    Reply

    1. I’m hoping to save some new parents from some dreaded moments. I can’t wait to have these days past us! Thank you for stopping by!

      Reply

  31. Great tips! I found having a wet wipe packet that had a lid rather than a tear off bit so much easier to get them out. It ‘s hard to find ones that come out by 1 and not a clump of 10! Thanks for linking up to #fortheloveofBLOG x

    Reply

  32. This is brilliant and so helpful to remind me just how much can happen with a diaper and a baby. I loved it. Shoulder roll down thing how did I not know it wasn’t just the design. Silly me. Thank you ever so much for linking up to Bumps and Babies. #bumpsbabies

    Reply

  34. These are fab tips. I wish I had read this when both of my daughters were little, it would have given me some much needed advice! Thanks for linking this up to #thursdayteam

    Reply

  36. These are great tips. I love having me kids having nappy free time. I must say I haven’t heard about bum brush before. I learn something new every day! 🙂

    Thank you very much for linking up with us on #FabFridayPost

    Reply

  37. So many amazing tips here!! I had no clue about the stretchy neck on the vests things, it wasn’t until I had my second baby and I read it on another blog that suddenly it all made sense! This post is so useful for new parents xx #blogcrush

    Reply

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