Time to Change the Diaper

For cloth diapers:

Changing a newborn is something many people experience for the first time with their own babies, and it's little more involved than changing an older baby, which many have probably done at least once in your life.

1. Lay baby on waterproof pad or changing table (never walk away from baby on changing surface - even for a second). Some parents place an open clean diaper underneath baby before removing old diaper. It's worth a try.

2. Open diaper carefully, to avoid any unfinished business from making contact with anything other than the diaper. Slide diaper out from underneath baby's bottom. When changing a boy, keep penis covered with washcloth whenever possible.

3. Using a washcloth soaked in warm water, clean urine from baby's vagina or penis, then double over cloth and clean baby's bottom. This may take multiple washcloths per changing. Washcloths are better than disposable baby wipes for baby's sensitive skin in the first weeks of life. When changing little girls, be sure to wipe vagina in a front to back motion, to prevent urinary tract infections.

4. Apply diaper ointment sparingly (if desired). Too much ointment makes for leaky diapers, so only use a little. Many doctors advise against the use of powders on baby. If you like powder, use a cornstarch powder made specifically for babies. Never use talcum powder.

5. Secure diaper with side tapes. Diapers have resealable tapes or Velcro fasteners these days, so a dry diaper is not a wasted diaper.

6. Diaper changes are good times to attend to baby's umbilical cord. See below for cord care information.

Circumcision care
Baby boys who have been circumcised (at the hospital or during a religious ceremony) need extra care during diaper changes.

Soak a cotton ball in warm water. Gently swab the circumcised area with a cotton ball at each diaper change. By the time baby boys leave left the hospital, they usually no longer need bandaging. If your little one does require a bandage, coat it lightly with petroleum jelly. Plastibell devices, used in place of bandages, fall off of their own accord within ten days. The circumcised penis usually takes a week to ten days to heal.

Umbilical cord care
Though umbilical cord stumps start out rather unattractive looking, they turn into sweet little belly buttons relatively quickly. For the two to three weeks it usually takes for the cord to fall off, it's important to keep the cord clean and dry so that it will dry out and fall off without incident. How do you keep it dry?

1. Keep diapers off the area by using newborn diapers with belly button cutout areas (no, that low-rise look in newborn diapers is not a fashion statement) or by folding the top off the diaper over, much like rolling a skirt which is too long.

2. Avoid submerging baby in water for bathing. No tub time. While the cord is attached, and for two to three days after it falls off, sponge baths are the way to go when getting baby squeaky clean.

That's not to say the cord should never get wet at all, because that would not make it possible to keep it clean. Clean the cord once a day, or if the stump appears dirty in between washings. Wash the area with a warm wet wash cloth and then gently pat dry. Do not redress baby until area is completely dry.

You might even consider some fresh air time every day. Allowing baby some "casual dress" time daily may be beneficial - let baby relax in an undershirt and folded down/cutout diaper for a little while each day.

Once the cord falls off, there may be a red or pink look to baby's belly button, perhaps even a small wound. Touch the area as little as possible until it is completely healed, which only takes a few days.

Watch for signs of infection both before and for a few days after the cord detaches. If you notice any of the symptoms below, it's time to call the pediatrician.

Signs of Umbilical Area Infection