How Often You Should Change a Baby’s Diaper

When a baby arrives, first-time mothers usually have a lot of questions. Many of them are about how to take care of a baby: how often to feed them, whether water can be given to them, and how often a diaper should be changed.

5-Minute Crafts decided to find out how often you should change a diaper of a newborn baby and toddler.

❗ This article is for information purposes only and doesn’t replace professional advice.

Why is it so important to change baby’s diaper regularly?

Not changing a diaper regularly can lead to unpleasant consequences such as diaper rash, skin chafing, and infections, apart from the smell and leakage.
The skin of newborns is especially sensitive to various irritants, so experts recommend to change diapers often.

How often should you change a baby’s diaper?

It may take you some time to figure out how often and in what amounts your baby goes to the toilet. After all, how often you need to change a diaper will directly depend on this.

Newborn babies may need their diaper changed more often. They are more active in asking for food and may also go to the toilet more often. Change their diapers at least every 2-3 hours, and diapers with feces should be changed right away.
This is why you should be careful about using scented diapers. They mask the smell and you may not realize it’s time to change a diaper.

On average, a newborn may need about 12 diapers a day. As the baby grows, this number will gradually decrease.

Should you change a diaper at night?

It’s not necessary to change a diaper at night if the baby is sleeping and comfortable. However, you should also know that if you don’t change a diaper at night, the baby’s skin will be in contact with urine for a long time which can cause irritation and diaper rash.
To minimize the consequences of wearing a diaper for a long time, it’s recommended that you either change it during the night, or do it as early in the morning as possible.

The things you should take into account when changing a diaper:

• While cleaning the diaper area of a girl, clean from front to back to prevent feces from entering the crotch area.
• When cleaning the diaper area of a boy, cover the front of the baby to avoid a pee fountain.
• Before putting on a clean diaper or applying moisturizer to your baby’s skin, make sure the skin is completely dry.
• Never leave your baby unattended on the changing station. Always hold them with one hand.
• If your baby is restless, give them a toy or a rattle to keep them busy, and change their diaper faster.
• Please note that a diaper should not be tied too loose or too tight. Both are bad for the baby.
• Don’t use wipes containing alcohol and fragrances to clean the baby’s skin.