When to change baby's diaper: tips and frequency

Your little wonder has just been born, and you're totally lost with your baby's diapers! Between the speeches of the pediatrician, midwives, nursery nurses and maternity nurses, it's panic time for parents. Here's a simple article to help parents get home as stress-free as possible, without the presence of nursing staff or mother-in-law!

Why change baby's diaper regularly?

As soon as your babyis born, you'll have the feeling that you're spending a lot of time changing his diapers. Your tiny baby will call on you at his or her own pace, with bottles, feeds, naps, restless sleep and multiple diaper changes. It's very important to change your toddler's soiled diaper for several reasons:

• To guarantee your baby's good hygiene. Stools and urine are full of bacteria;
• To ensure your baby's comfort during rest time;
• To avoid overflowing diapers and pee leaks if the diaper is too full;
• Avoid diaper rash diaper rash (uncomfortable red patches) or irritation ;
• Promote your child's sleep;
• For little girls, this will help prevent fungal infections.

To avoid any irritation, we recommend using organic cotton products, water wipes or liniment, and a cream suitable for infants for skin care. Avoid baths that are too hot or last too long. Use a dry towel to gently wipe the intimate area, rather than rubbing. The skin on your little one's bottom will be less red. Parents' tips: Every time you pee, try to change your newborn's diaper.

How long can a baby keep his diaper on?

Pediatricians recommend changing an infant's diaper every 3 hours for the first few months of life. Diaper changes are important care for your child. Use a safe changing table for toileting.

Depending on your child's weight and size , and the volume of his stools and urine, he won't be able to keep his diaper on for very long. It's often written on diaper packs that they can be kept on for up to 12 hours, which corresponds to the length of a night , but it all depends on the brand you use, the absorbency of the diaper and your child's rhythm! So there really aren't any precise rules:

• A newborn baby won't be able to keep his diaper on for more than 3 or 4 hours, because he'll pee in the diaper and poop anarchically;
• A toddler who sleeps through the night will keep his diaper overnight. The mattress may be wet in the morning.

Take the opportunity to clean the umbilical cord at diaper change time. This is important for proper healing.

How often should I change my baby's diaper?

Your baby's diaper is usually filled during or after each feeding, and sometimes even more frequently. You'll need to change your baby's diaper every 2 to 4 hours, or even more often, depending on the milk he's been drinking and his state of health:

• Breastfed babies have more explosive, liquid stools than bottle-fed babies;
• The composition of bottle-fed formula will potentially increase explosive yellow poo or small ball stools, which are a sign of constipation.

Once again, there are no hard and fast rules. It all depends on your child's sleeping patterns, whether he or she is comfortable wearing a soiled diaper, whether you use disposables, cloth diapers or training pants. It's up to you to adapt to avoid red bottoms or extra laundry!

Feeding time: should the diaper be changed before or after feeding?

This is THE most difficult question for a young parent to answer! Should you change your baby's diaper before or after feeding?

A newborn will wet or soil his diaper after or during each feeding, and for breastfeeding mothers this is a good indicator that the baby has eaten well :

• Change your baby's diaper before feeding to avoid regurgitation, as vomiting occurs when you handle your child. You're also exposing yourself to more crying and screaming during diaper changes if your baby is hungry. Without disturbing him, your baby will fall asleep more easily;
• Change your baby after feeding to satisfy his hunger more quickly. It's also a good idea to wait until your baby has finished eating before changing him, unless his diaper is already full and on the verge of leaking. *

Is it advisable to change baby's diaper at night?

After eating, your little one will probably drift off to sleep. Or so you hope! When your little marvel is an infant, you'll need to keep up the rhythm of diaper changes with feedings. Don't hesitate to change your baby's diaper every time he or she wakes up. After 6 weeks of life, your baby will be able to sleep through the night and won't necessarily need to be swaddled at night.

Peeing and pooping will no longer be systematic at night. There's no need to wake him up to change his diaper. If he wakes up at night because he's had a nightmare or is suffering from teething troubles, don't hesitate to make sure he's dry. Use a changing table or change your child in bed, using a towel to avoid staining the mattress. Use eco-friendly products, water or healthy wipes to clean your baby's seat.

Changing rhythm as baby ages

The change in your baby's diapering rhythm is closely linked to feeding and maturity. The older he grows, the more he'll develop habits and routines, and be able to control his perineum and sphincter.

• During the first week of life, a baby urinates at least 6 times in 24 hours. Each pee will contain between 30 and 45 ml of clear, odorless urine. The frequency of bowel movements will be 3 to 6 a day, depending on milk intake;

From the 6th week of life, volumes will stabilize. Between 2 and 5 poops a day, one poop a week, one poop every 2 or 3 days.

FAQ on when to change baby's diaper

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