As soon as you get the hang of diapering your sweet baby he or she will throw in a new twist, literally. Here are some time-tested diaper-changing tips for little squirmy worms:
- Prep. To prevent tumbles, it’s important to always keep a hand on your baby. Before you lay her down, unfold your diaper, have wipes in hand, and keep creams, powders and toys on a shelf or tray within your reach (and out of baby’s).
- Or, for a pre-crawler try the lap maneuver: Sit in a chair or on the floor, protected by a portable-size changing pad (like those that come with diaper bags). Lay your baby on your thighs with her head at your knees and his rear end at your waist. Slip a clean diaper under the soiled one, slide the old one partially out of the way, then wipe down and fasten on the fresh one.
- Distract. Designate some particularly small and noisy toys for changing time, like jingle bells or measuring spoons. In a pinch, whip out a usually “forbidden” item like your cell phone or car keys (just don’t let baby mouth them).
- Change venues. As soon as your baby gets big enough to stand, expect her to try that trick on the table! Once she does, consider relocating your changing operations to the bed or floor, which will be safer for her (and your back).
And finally, - Have a poop plan. Every new parent will get hazed sometime with an “eeeek, poop is everywhere!” moment. In case of emergency, grab a handful of wipes and seat baby in a couple of inches of lukewarm water in the bathroom sink (… you’ll probably want to spray down the sink with a 10% bleach-in-water solution before you use it again.)
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