How often should baby diapers be changed? When and how to change a diaper for a newborn When is it better to change a diaper for a newborn

Caring for children is not an easy job for a new mom. The to-do list for the day, it would seem, can be listed endlessly, but more recently, this list included such an item as washing diapers. Fortunately, diapers were created by the American chemist Victor Mills, which made life easier for parents. However, the question always remains how often it is necessary to change diapers for a newborn baby.

How often should a diaper be changed?

The neonatal period lasts from birth to the end of 28 days and is divided into two periods: early neonatal and late neonatal.

The early neonatal period lasts from the moment of ligation of the umbilical cord until the end of the first week of life. It is during this period that the child adapts to extrauterine existence, in addition, there is frequent urination (up to 15-20 times a day) and the process of releasing the body of the newborn from the original feces or myconia, which usually comes out within two weeks. In this regard, newborns need to change diapers more often than older children.

In the first months of a child's life, it is necessary to change the diaper often, every two to three hours. This period is the most optimal for the baby to feel comfortable. It also avoids the development of redness, diaper rash or diaper dermatitis. In addition, it is necessary to change the diaper before going for a walk and before going to bed.

As for care after the act of defecation, the diaper must be changed immediately after the baby has pooped, even if the new diaper was put on a couple of minutes ago. Fecal masses can irritate the delicate skin of the baby's genitals. Therefore, when going for a walk, do not forget about wet baby wipes and changeable diapers.

Pampers should be changed after every bowel movement.

The question of how many times I diaper babies at night remains relevant. There is no need to specially wake up the child every two hours in order to change his diaper. As a rule, infants wake up on their own at night in order to eat. If the child pooped at this time, the diaper should be changed, if not, then you can wait until the morning.

With each change of diapers, the baby must be washed with warm water, and after the act of defecation, thoroughly washed with soap and water. If possible, it is best to leave the newborn for 15-20 minutes without a diaper. When changing clothes, the child's skin must be dry, for this purpose powders or special-purpose talcs are used.

In the first few months, diapers will go up to 15-20 pieces per day, over time, the need for them will decrease to 5-8.

How to choose the right diapers?

This is important for all new mothers to know. Diapers for children of the first month of life weighing from 2.5 to 5 kg are marked with a special NB (Newborn) marking. When choosing a diaper, first of all, you need to pay attention to its absorbency, the composition of the materials used, the quality of the elastic bands and cuffs that protect the baby from leaks. Most manufacturers equip diapers with special indicator strips that notify parents that it is time to change the diaper (when the diaper is full, they turn blue). Over time, the need for these indicators fades into the background.

If even with frequent diaper changes, the baby has redness or irritation localized on the skin in the perineal area, it is necessary to change the brand of the product used and seek special help from qualified specialists.

Oh, great women, our mothers! They raised us without diapers! They walked with us, went shopping and even, oh horror, they put us to bed without them! Personally, as a mother of three children, I can’t even imagine how difficult it is! Constant washing-drying-ironing! The never-ending cycle of diapers and sliders in the house!

But one day, in the distant 1950s, one loving grandfather, named Victor Mills, after hundreds of washed diapers for his beloved granddaughter, made a revolution in the world of children's "surprises". They were invented. Of course, those disposable baby diapers were very different from those presented today, but the beginning was made. On the shelves of stores, the shelves are bursting with offers from various companies. Pampers, haggis, marris, libero. Often the name diaper and diaper are combined under the same meaning. This is not entirely true. "Pampers", it was under this brand that the American company began to produce disposable baby diapers Procter & Gamble. But the conversation today will not be about the correctness of this or that definition, but about how often to change a diaper for a newborn?

Diaper change frequency?

The frequency of changing a disposable diaper - after how many hours and how many pieces per day?
How often should a newborn's diaper be changed? Every mom faces this issue. The maternity hospital strongly recommends changing diapers every two hours, which is quite logical. Indeed, in this way, you can effectively track many important points, such as:

The amount of milk consumed (more precisely, colostrum) is necessary in order to decide on the need for adapted. That is, the baby, at a constant, pees and poops a little, which means that the mother does not have enough milk - the child should be supplemented with a mixture.
Cleansing the body of the baby from the original feces, called meconium. The passage of meconium in the first days of a baby's life is a very important moment. It contains fragments of prenatal hair, bile, amniotic fluid. If there is no discharge of meconium (and you will see this in a disposable baby diaper), most likely the neonatologist will prescribe the child (in case of an examination that does not cause concern for the child's health).

But here you are with the baby at home, in a familiar and new environment for him. Do you really need to change diapers at home just as often?

Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky, well known to all mothers living in the expanses of the post-Soviet states, more often referred to as Dr. Komarovsky, says that newborns should change the diaper as needed. Let's take a closer look at what he means.

Every brand that makes and sells disposable baby diapers claims to change diapers after each feed. And there is nothing surprising, because this entails the frequent purchase of diapers, which, as you understand, only plays into their hands. Such a position exists, but I don’t think that a mother who counts every penny of a child allowance can afford such expenses.

And here we do not run frantically to change a diaper for our child, but remember the features of our baby. Each child has his own individual characteristics of the administration of physiological needs. Someone poops after eating, someone before going to bed, there are children who do this exclusively at night. There are even babies who do not go to the toilet for several days. "big". But this does not mean that the diaper should not be changed all these days.

We remember the simple rules voiced by Dr. Komarovsky:

Change diaper after every bowel movement NECESSARY! Feces react with urine, all this causes a rash and redness on your favorite ass.
Before going to bed, walking, long trips to shops, hospitals, guests, change diapers for a newborn, and for older children, NECESSARY. Do not forget to grab a couple of diapers and wet wipes with you in order to change if such an urgency arises (read point 1).
Even if during sleep or a walk the child did not poop, you need to change the diaper. After all, his "absorbency" not endless. In my experience, a healthy baby pees very frequently, and a diaper change should be every 4-5 hours during the daytime. At night, if the baby did not go "in a big way" there is no need for replacement. Of course, only in cases where the diaper has not already begun to leak. And from this follows the following rule:
If during the check, the skin under the diaper is wet, the diaper should be changed.

After voicing these rules, I think it makes sense to dwell, in fact, on replacing the diaper.

Changing diapers - procedure

The part of the body covered by the diaper should remain dry and clean. If it's time to change the diaper, the algorithm of actions is as follows:

How to change a diaper for a newborn baby - a visual instruction

If the diaper is not filled, but the baby's skin is wet, you should think about the quality of the diaper. The frequency of changing the diaper in this case directly depends on its quality. There may be several reasons "leakage" diaper:

The quality of the diaper is doubtful, that is, a certain manufacturer uses low-quality materials and sorbents in the manufacture
Inappropriate diaper size - agree, changing a diaper for a newborn, intended for a child of 9 months, is not the smartest decision, and of course the situation is the opposite, a small size can lead to a "leakage" of the diaper
The direction of the urine stream does not coincide with the place where the absorbent sorbent is located. If for girls this is not fundamental, then for boys, in which direction the pipe lies, urine flows in that direction. In the diaper, the boy's genitals should be pointing down
If the diaper is leaking down your legs, straighten it more carefully when putting on the elastic on the sides of the diaper. It is a very rare case when the pattern of diapers does not fit exactly under the legs of your child.

Disposable diapers - Dr. Komarovsky (video):

And finally, let's summarize. Doctor Komarovsky says that a newborn's diaper should be changed as often as necessary. That is, when filling, when emptying the intestines, when leaking. And do not forget, dear mothers, that not a child needs a diaper, you need it! So that the constant change of sliders and diapers does not prevent you, dear ones, from enjoying the joy of motherhood, allows you to devote time not only to the baby, but also to your husband, other children, and of course to yourself!

It would seem that the answer to this question is obvious: newborns should change diapers as they fill up. But everything is not so simple. Firstly, it is necessary to take into account the fact that children under the age of 2 months pee about 20-25 times a day. Yes, of course, the amount of liquid is still small, but given the number of times, this is already significant. Accordingly, by virtue of the foregoing, we can conclude that the frequency of diaper changes depends on the age of the child. Secondly, regardless of age, if the child poops, then the diaper needs to be changed. And it doesn’t matter that you just put a new diaper on your child, and he literally pooped in it in 2 minutes. The baby needs to be washed and a new diaper put on. Otherwise, feces can get inside the genitals, especially for girls, and this can lead to serious consequences, such as infections, which then have to be treated with drugs. Well, among other things, of course, feces are a serious irritant to the skin. If a child spends some time - from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours - in a dirty diaper, then you will see an immediate result: the skin on the baby's buttocks will be red and inflamed. So it is better to avoid such an effect and constantly check the diaper. Try to check it at least once every 30 minutes.

How does age affect the frequency of diaper changes? How often should a diaper be changed?

Child from 1 day to 60 days. He pees 20-25 times a day, poops at least once a day (if he is breastfed) and after each feeding (if he is artificially fed). Accordingly, every 30 minutes try to check the diaper. The diaper should be changed every 3-4 hours.
Child from 2 months to six months. The approximate frequency of diaper changes is 4-6 hours. But be sure to keep an eye on the fullness of the diaper. And if the baby poops, do not wait, change the diaper unscheduled.
Child over 6 months old. Here everything is individual. As a rule, by this age, parents already decide on their own when it is necessary to change the diaper.

Diaper changing rules

Here we outline the most important points related to changing diapers for children of any age and weight.

It is not in vain that diaper manufacturers indicate on all packs and packages the weight and age of the children for whom these diapers are intended. This is done for the convenience of the parents so that you do not get confused about which diapers your child needs. Try to buy diapers specifically for your baby. It’s better to start by buying one pack of each manufacturer and see which diapers will be the most comfortable for your child and you, which ones absorb better, fit more comfortably, put on and take off easier, and just like it even more visually. It's also important. There is a separate category - these are diapers for newborns. They are singled out in a separate line, as they are specially made with a slightly low waist so that the diaper does not reach the navel. In newborns, the navel has not yet healed. So that the diaper does not rub anything, it is made with a slightly low waist.
It is mandatory to change the diaper before going for a walk. As a rule, all children fall asleep during a walk, that is, it turns out that if you changed the diaper on time, while still at home, you did several things at once: the child will breathe air and sleep, and he will be comfortable and comfortable, dry and calm.
Check the diaper every 30-45 minutes when the baby is awake. When he sleeps, do not disturb him, otherwise you risk waking him up. And an awakened, sleepy child is guaranteed a bad mood, whims and tears.
Be sure to change the diaper if the baby poops. The baby's butt can be washed in warm water (preferably without soap, as soap dries the baby's delicate skin), or if the butt is not very dirty, just gently wipe it with a damp cloth. If the skin of the ass is red and inflamed, then it is better to use a special baby diaper cream or powder.
Girls should be washed and wiped with wet wipes from front to back (that is, from pussy to ass). It is important! If you do the opposite, you can bring the infection.
It is very good for each diaper change to let the child lie down for 15-20 minutes just naked. This is called taking air baths. For a small child, this is a kind of hardening and at the same time it has a very good effect on the skin of the child, through which he receives vitamin D.
Change your baby's diaper before going to bed so he can sleep through the night. If your baby wakes up at night to feed, be sure to check the diaper while you feed. If it is not full, then you can leave it until the next feeding and do not change it. Change your diaper in the morning. Don't leave your baby in a night diaper. It is better to wipe the ass with a damp cloth. It will be such a hygienic morning procedure.

How often should you change your diaper at night?

At night, children usually sleep very soundly. That is, you should not wake them up in order to change their diaper. Watch your child. If he sleeps restlessly, sniffs, whimpers in his sleep, it means that something is bothering him, he is uncomfortable and uncomfortable. Then it makes sense to check the diaper. Perhaps the child pooped. Then, without fail, the diaper should be changed. If the child sleeps peacefully all night, then there is no need to disturb him. Let him sleep. Change the diaper in the morning or during the night feeding, if necessary.

If you decide that you and your baby cannot do without disposable diapers, then it's time to learn how to use these miracle helpers. It depends on when and how to change a diaper for a newborn, whether your acquaintance will be successful and without accompaniments in the form of diaper rash and dermatitis.

What diapers / pampers to choose

When choosing diapers, you, of course, pay attention to how much diapers for newborns cost.

However, hygiene products are not the item on which you can save. But there are several interesting proposals with which you can significantly save the family budget:

In the first months of a newborn's life, you will have to change diapers up to 10 times a day, since your baby pees about 30 times. Therefore, it makes no sense to buy expensive diapers with a 12-hour absorbent effect, especially since a child can also poop several times a day;
You can arrange air baths for your baby by laying him on an oilcloth with a diaper. At this point, he will definitely pee;
Another option is to alternate disposable and reusable products. You can build the second ones yourself, from gauze and cotton wool, or you can buy ready-made reusable fabric panties with liners;
As for the night time, it is advisable to turn to those cherished expensive options with maximum absorbency and a fullness indicator. Manufacturers write about these advantages on the packaging: up to 12 hours of dryness and an indicator strip (for information on how to choose the right diapers that are right for your baby, read the article Which diapers / diapers are best for a newborn?>>>);
During the period of potty training, panty diapers will become your indispensable helpers. They are easy to take off and put on, while the kids themselves can easily master such manipulation;
An interesting offer - diapers with a disappearing pattern. As soon as the baby pees in the diaper, and not in the pot, as it should have, the pattern on it will disappear. Find out more in the article How to potty train a child?>>>

Please note that you can determine your version of the best diapers only through practice.

What is perfect for your neighbor's child may not be anatomically suitable for your baby.

Diaper change frequency

The question of how many times to change a diaper for a newborn is, of course, individual. But there are a number of unwritten rules that cannot be ignored:

How often to change a diaper for a newborn depends on the number of bowel movements. After each stool, you should definitely change the diaper (read the article on the topic: How many times should a newborn have a stool?>>>);

Some manufacturers have developed a special protective layer that absorbs liquid feces and does not let it back through. Yes, this is a good innovation, but for an emergency when the baby pooped on the street. But if you have the opportunity, be sure to change the hygiene product.

Babies up to 3 months, it is advisable to change every 3-4 hours. Even if you think that the diaper is not so full, wet material can cause irritation and diaper rash on the delicate skin of the newborn. In an important article on this topic, you can find a lot of necessary information, read Diaper rash in a newborn >>>;
The next stage of development will allow you to slightly increase the interval between diaper changes. But if your baby is often attached to the breast, and, therefore, often pees, then no time frame set for you: sk He only pees, so many times to change a diaper for a newborn;
Already in the first months, you can learn to plant a child over a basin or sink. Many succeed, the main thing is to learn when the baby pees more often: after sleep, or during feeding. As for the diaper change, during this period you are guided by the situation and change as needed. In general, in this case, you will need 3-4 diapers per day;
A separate question is how often to change a diaper for a newborn at night. You can choose a dense, absorbent option without having to wake your baby up to change a full diaper. If you know that even a super-absorbent diaper cannot withstand the pressure of your water drink, then combine the moment of changing clothes with feeding, trying not to stir up the baby (you will be interested in the article: How long to feed the baby at night?>>>);
If you use reusable diapers, then you should change the liners or diapers after each urination. It's tricky, but there's no other way.

You will not get an answer how many diapers per day a newborn takes, also for the reason that on a hot day the baby may practically not write, while it is a little colder and the child may write almost every half an hour.

How to change a diaper

If this is your first child and you have yet to get acquainted with diapers, then the first time it is advisable to practice on a doll or a large plush toy.

Changing place. Well, if you have purchased a special changing table with protective sides and a shelf for everything you need (read a useful article about choosing a changing table >>>);
A good option is an overlay for a crib: you do not have to bend over the bed, and the overlay itself is covered with oilcloth and has high soft sides;

Important! Remember: under no circumstances should a child be left alone on the surface!

Clothing. A great option for changing a diaper is clothes with buttons between the legs. You will not need to completely undress the little one, it is enough to unfasten the buttons and release the legs and ass of the baby. If you have not prepared things for the baby yet, pay attention to the article List of things for newborns for the first time >>>;
Diaper preparation. Do not be surprised, diapers also need to be prepared. First of all, take one diaper out of the package, unfold it completely and twist it like a flagellum several times. By this simple manipulation, you will not only level the product, but also fluff up its ball system. Check if the Velcro is working, align the cuffs. Just in case, prepare a spare diaper;
The access area should have hygiene products, wet wipes and a diaper. Hands should be washed with soap. Find out which wet wipes are best for babies in the article Wet wipes for newborns >>>;
Direct change. So, the important point - you start dressing up:

The baby is laid on the back on the changing table;
Release the legs and bottom of the back from clothing;
Unzip the diaper, and if the baby just peed, take it off;
The ideal option is to wash the child under running water. If this is not possible, wipe it with wet wipes (by the way, how to wash a baby is well written in the article How to wash a newborn girl and boy?>>>);
Put the baby on the table again, take the ankles with one hand and lift the ass, put the diaper under the back, lower the ass and pass the diaper between the legs;
Fasten the Velcro, but without squeezing the baby's tummy. Then straighten all the cuffs and dress the baby.

Changing a diaper after a bowel movement. If the baby poops, you need to immediately change his clothes:

You put the baby on the back;
Carefully remove the front part, wipe the feces between the legs with it;
Then lift the baby's bottom by the ankles, and wipe the back;
It is advisable to wash the newborn with water, for this you put the baby on your palm and lather and wash with your other hand.

Know! Please note that girls need to be washed from pussy to ass, and boys need to wash their genitals well.

There is a small nuance on how to put on a diaper for a newborn boy. So that the baby does not wet all the clothes, you need to lay out his genitals in a downward direction, then the urine will be evenly distributed over the diaper, and not accumulate in the upper front part and leak when pressed.

What size to choose

You have already noticed that the packaging of hygiene products indicates the size of diapers for newborns and the weight category of children. However, the weight of toddlers in different sizes overlaps. So 0 is from 2 to 4 kg, and 1 is from 3 to 6. You must navigate yourself.

If the baby is thin and small, then size 0 is ideal for him. Another thing is if you put a size 0 diaper on a 4 kg strong man, it will leak immediately after the first urination, even if the fullness indicator says otherwise.

But you should not put on a newborn and a diaper with a margin, hoping that it will be possible not to change it for a longer time. This option will not fit snugly against the legs and back, and leakage situations cannot be avoided.

Disposable diapers make life easier for new parents. Thanks to them, the baby sleeps peacefully all night, allowing mom to rest. Models of such products are being improved every year, new technologies are being developed. Quite often, young parents ask themselves the question: how often to change a diaper for a newborn in order to prevent irritation and diaper rash? Let's try to figure it out.

How many times a day do you need to change diapers?

Diapers are recommended to be changed as they fill up. Newborns pee quite often - up to 25 times a day, so diapers become wet very quickly. It is recommended to change them at least once every 2-3 hours. In addition, in the first few weeks of life, the baby adapts to live independently "outside the mother." His body begins to actively cleanse from the original feces, which also makes it necessary to change diapers frequently.

This should be done as soon as the baby gets dirty with feces, even if the product was put on a few minutes ago. If this is not done, then the skin of the newborn quickly turns red and inflamed, and the bacteria that get into the genitals lead to infection. Therefore, how clean the diaper should be checked as often as possible. A clean product must be worn before a walk, after bathing and before going to bed.

In this way, newborn diaper should be changed very often. Up to 20 pieces can be used per day for these purposes.

What should you know about changing a diaper?

Every child after birth an individual rhythm is established for the administration of natural needs. The first rule is to focus on the baby. You should not change diapers by the hour. In one child, it can remain dry and clean for quite a long time, while in another it fills up very quickly. However, there are certain rules. when to change diapers:

If the diaper gets wet very quickly, leaks on the sides or provokes the appearance of diaper rash, you need to change the brand . The newborn has to change the product much more often if it doesn't fit.

Should you wake up your child?

Many parents do not know whether it is worth waking up the baby at night to change his diaper. In this case, the following factors must be taken into account:

what does the newborn eat (formula, breast milk);
air temperature in the room;
the state of the urinary system and digestion;
baby's age.

It doesn't matter if the baby is sleeping or not A clean diaper should be changed immediately after a bowel movement. If the product is overfilled, it should also be removed to avoid skin problems. It is best to change diapers when the baby is awake. This usually happens quite often.

If the baby sleeps soundly for several hours, and the diaper is not full, should it be changed? In this case, the baby should not be disturbed, but dressed immediately after waking up.

Why do diapers need to be changed regularly?

The main reason for frequent diaper changes is diaper dermatitis, which is manifested by reddening of the skin, diaper rash, irritation and rash. When the baby's skin is in contact with urine for too long, such a problem cannot be avoided.

For those children whose skin is too sensitive, this problem is very important. Therefore, a diaper should be changed as often as it gets dirty or full. The appearance of diaper rash gives the child anxiety.

How to change a diaper correctly?

How to change a diaper? To do this, you will need a new diaper, soap, sanitary napkins or warm water, a towel, powder or baby cream.

The process itself is carried out as follows:

When washing, it is not recommended to apply too often. soap-based products, even if they are designed specifically for children. Soap easily upsets the balance of intimate microflora, which is highly undesirable for girls. Soap should be used no more than once a day. In the absence of severe contamination, plain warm water or sanitary napkins can be used.

Putting on a new diaper, it must be properly positioned. The back of the product should be exactly under the baby's ass, and the front is straightened between the legs. If the baby is not yet a month old, then you need to make sure that the edges of the diaper do not rub against the wound on the navel. To do this, purchase products specifically for newborns..

Choice of emollients

If everything is clear with how often to change a diaper for a newborn, then the last question remains - how to properly care for the baby's skin? Even if the products are changed in a timely manner, you cannot be 100% sure that the skin under them will not turn red. That is why it is recommended to use auxiliary products - baby cream or talc.

If the product is chosen correctly, then it will not cause allergies in the baby, and there will be no irritation on the skin. Sometimes, after applying a cream or powder, the skin begins to turn red, which means that they should be replaced with other products.

If the baby suffers from prickly heat, then be sure to use powder. When the skin, on the contrary, is dry and often flaky, foams and gels are used when washing, and the skin in the genital area is treated with a greasy baby cream.

So diapers should be changed necessarily after the act of defecation or their filling. Urine and feces adversely affect the condition of the delicate skin of the baby, leading to the appearance of a rather painful rash. If the baby is just born, then you have to change diapers very often, while always using emollients.