Your baby’s diaper needs to be changed up to 7 or 8 times a day. An infant’s very delicate little "bottom.": can easily become irritated from dampness, contact with urine and stools, or friction from diapers. As a result, special care is needed each time you change your baby’s diaper. Here are some tips for preserving the vulnerable skin on your baby’s bottom!
Here are some tips for preserving the vulnerable skin on your baby’s bottom:
- Prepare everything you’ll need in advance on the changing table: diapers, cotton pads, cleansing product, diaper cream, etc.
- Change your child’s diaper as soon as it is damp or with each bowel movement, preferably a little after meals. Newborns need to be changed more frequently, since they urinate and produce stools more often than older infants.
- Choose diapers that are appropriate for your child’s size: if the diaper is too small, it can create irritating friction and will not provide adequate protection from leaks.
- When you’re ready to change the diaper, place your baby on a clean bath towel. Open the diaper, then wipe the baby’s bottom with the front part of the diaper. Fold the diaper and dispose of it.
- Clean your baby’s bottom with a no-rinse cleansing fluid, a cleansing lotion or thick diaper wipes. If you prefer, you can also use a cleansing gel or emollient soap, and rinse with water.
- Clean from top to bottom, from the cleanest areas to the dirtiest, so as not to spread impurities elsewhere. For a baby girl, clean from the vulva (the outer folds of the lips and then the middle) towards the buttocks. For a baby boy, clean the penis, the scrotum and surrounding area, and then the buttocks.
- Thoroughly dry the folds in the skin to prevent any maceration, or if possible, let the skin air dry.
- Open the clean diaper and place your baby right in the center, so that the tabs are level with the navel. If you have a baby boy, be sure his penis is properly positioned downwards before closing the diaper, to prevent leaks. Don’t wait until your baby’s bottom is red before taking care of it! Each time you change a diaper, apply a protective cream or a talc that contains zinc oxide as prevention.
- In case of diaper rash, leave your baby’s bottom exposed to the air as much as possible and use a suitable skin care product.
- Finally, never leave the changing table at any time during this process: a fall can happen very quickly!