Just the thought of having to change diapers can be frightening to anyone who has never had any experience with babies. How do you tell the front of the diaper from the back? How do you fold a cloth diaper? How do you manage a dirty diaper? All these questions about changing a diaper, and more, will be covered in this article, so read on.

Changing a diaper holds no mystery for the experienced, so get lots of experience before baby comes along. Just get a teddy bear about the same size as a new-born, and use it to practise until you gain more confidence. Once you have put a diaper on half a dozen times, you will be more relaxed about the process. When baby is born, you will very soon gain the added experience of changing a diaper on a wriggling infant.

Before you begin, gather all the necessary requirements; that’s right, you do need more than the baby and the diaper. The best solution is to keep everything in the one place and use this place to change diapers. You will probably have a change table in the baby’s room, and this is where all the ingredients for a happy diaper change experience will be kept.

This is what you will/may need:-

• Clean diaper
• Baby wet wipes or a wash cloth, damp with warm water
• A spare wash cloth or burp cloth (especially for boys, who have the habit of urinating as soon as a diaper is removed)
• A suitable diaper change place
• A change pad (useful when you are doing a diaper change away from the change table to protect the surface you change baby on)
• Baby lotion or ointment in case of diaper rash or redness
• A toy to distract the baby (necessary for an older baby to prevent wriggling)
• The baby (or substitute, if you are practising)

The step-by-step process for a disposable diaper:-

• Lay the baby on its back on the change table or surface
• Remove the clothing necessary to access the diaper
• Undo the soiled diaper, but leave it in place
• Cover the baby with the spare wash cloth, particularly if it is a boy, to avoid being a target!
• Gently clean the diaper area with the wet wipe or wash cloth. Clean in the folds of skin and avoid spreading feces to other parts of the genitals.
• Pick up the new diaper and check for the front. The tabs are attached to the back of the diaper and then pulled firm onto the front. If there is a pattern printed on the waist band, this will be the front.
• Hold both the baby’s legs in one hand and gently lift the bottom up to remove the old diaper and replace the new one. Make sure the tapes are at the back.
• Use lotion if necessary, getting into the creases.
• Pull the front of the diaper between the baby’s legs and hold it across the baby’s stomach.
• With your free hand, release one tape and pull it firmly to the front of the diaper, repeat with the other tape, making sure it is firm but not too tight. If the diaper is too loose, feces and urine will escape onto the clothing.

Dress the baby again and apply a big hug! You are finished!