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While raising a baby, the one thing that you absolutely can’t do without is the diaper. Without a diaper, taking care of the baby’s poop would prove to be a herculean task because it’s not practical to use fresh cloth and bedsheets every time your baby has a leak. Diapers also help in avoiding wetness after urination, keeping the baby dry and clean. So having a good supply of diapers at the convenience of your home is a must at all times.
However, it’s also common to see leaks and blowouts from diapers. If not used properly, a diaper can give you more of a headache instead of making life easier. To ensure that they do their intended job, make sure you are correctly using them. Let’s dive in and get to some easy hacks that would help you make the most out of diapers:
1. Make Sure The Diaper Is Of The Correct Size
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It’s essential to keep a tab on your baby’s diaper size, considering their fast growth. If worn too tight, diapers can cause rashes on your baby’s delicate skin. When too loose or too tight, a diaper will also be ineffective at containing the poop and cause blowouts. Usually, diaper sizes are categorized by weight. Find below a guide to the various diaper sizes:
- Newborn: Up to 10 lbs.
- Size 1: 10 – 14 lbs.
- Size 2: 14 – 18 lbs.
- Size 3: 18 – 21 lbs.
- Size 4: 21 – 32 lbs.
- Size 5: 32 – 35 lbs.
- Size 6: Over 35 lbs.
This makes it important that you keep track of your little one’s body weight. Diaper brands also provide size charts with measurements. You can strive to provide your baby the best fit by utilizing this chart. Have a measuring tape handy so that you know the measurements accurately. Though it might seem like a lot of work in the beginning, it’s worth the extra effort in ensuring the utmost comfort for your tiny tot.
2. Use The Full Skirt Of The Diaper
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Have you experienced the situation where even after putting on the diaper with the utmost care, poop finds its way outside from the sides and corners? This happens because no matter how well you put on the diaper on your kiddo, gaps still remain. Now the diaper brands are aware of this situation and have put in place extending skirts that can be used to seal the gaps. However, most parents don’t notice the small side skirts and put on the diaper just as they come. This way you are really not utilizing the full potential of a diaper. So the next time you are putting on the diaper, pay attention to the velcro-like extendable skirt that can be spread around the corners. Gently unfold the skirt and after you are done putting on the diaper, attach the velcro and seal the gaps. This simple yet effective trick ensures sealing the small gaps in the corner from which excrements can find their way out.
3. How To Stop Babies Taking Off The Diaper At Night
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Babies can be quite determined at taking off diapers when they feel discomfort from it. You will be surprised at this motor skill at such an early age. If a baby manages to kick out the diaper in the middle of the night, it will add to your woes as the poop will get everything spoiled. You would need to get your baby, their clothes, and sheets cleaned. So make sure that you’re not putting on the diaper too tight, which might cause irritation. You can also experiment with different brands to see if your baby prefers a particular one and doesn’t try to remove it. Another neat trick would be to put on the clothes backward with the opening in the back. This would stop your baby from reaching the diaper easily.
4. Taking Off The Diaper When Worn With Onesies
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Onesies are very comfortable and convenient pieces of clothing for infants. They are easy to put on as well as easy to remove. Washing them is a breeze as they can be put in the washing machine or even hand cleaned and dry quickly. However, in the particular situation where a baby lets out a poop while wearing a onesie, the situation can get a little tricky. Removing a onesie often causes much trouble to parents, especially when the bottom part gets soiled. Taking it off over the head is an absolute no as it will soil the rest of the body. A better way is to slide the onesie down instead of pulling it upward. Onesies generally come with flaps on each shoulder. Use these flaps to pull and broaden the neck area and then slide it down. This way, you can easily take off the onesie without worrying about getting your baby dirty.
5. Use A Diaper Box
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Babies poop unannounced, causing you to rush into cleaning and drying them. It’s a lot more convenient to be able to reach the diapers and sanitizers quickly. And parents know well that there are many things that are needed at an arm’s reach when tending to a baby. Baby powder, massage oil, feeding bottle, baby wipes, etc are some of the other essentials high on demand. Keeping these essentials in a single place makes it easier for you. A box would prove to be of more help than a bag as you wouldn’t have to fumble and waste time searching. You can neatly arrange all the essentials in the box and grab them quickly when needed.
Cleaning up after the baby can take a toll on the parents. In case of leaks and blowouts, parents have to clean the baby and everything that comes in contact with the excrement, like sheets, clothes, and blankets. When a diaper does exactly what is expected from it, cleaning up your baby’s poop becomes a much easier task. It would also save you from over-exerting yourselves and getting exhausted from all the work.
We hope these tricks solved some of the struggles you were facing while using diapers. We’d like to hear from you in case you happen to know some other equally useful tricks. Feel free to comment below.
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