Diaper Duty Health Article

It's an unwritten law of nature: When there's a baby around, a diaper will need changing very soon. Change your baby's diapers when the diaper feels wet or heavy or if you find stool (bowel movement). In general, expect to change your baby shortly after every feeding. But don't worry. With so much practice, you'll be a quick-change artist before you know it.

Diaper Decisions

Which diaper to choose? A few of the pros and cons of cloth and disposable diapers are listed below. Like many parents, you may end up using both.

• Cloth diapers are softest against a baby's skin. If you wash them yourself, cloth diapers are probably the cheapest choice overall. A diaper service costs a little more, but it means less work for you.

• Disposable diapers usually fit and absorb better than the cloth variety. On the other hand, disposable diapers often cost more, and throwing them away can be an environmental concern.

What to Expect

By the end of the first week, expect about 6 to 8 wet diapers daily if your baby is eating enough. The urine should be pale in color and have little odor. Most babies have a bowel movement after every feeding or at least several times a day. Stool color and consistency should change as the first week passes.

• For the first 48 hours, your baby's stool will be greenish-black and sticky. This tarry stool (meconium) is the waste that built up in your baby's system during the time spent in your womb.

• By day 3 or 4, your baby's stool becomes browner and looser.

• By day 5, a breastfed baby's stool will be runny and very bright yellow. If your baby is fed formula, the stool will be more solid and grayish-yellow in color.

• Most babies have a bowel movement after every feeding or at least several times a day, though some babies have one less often.

At Each Diaper Change

• Keep your baby rash-free by cleaning his or her bottom every time you change diapers.

• Wash away urine and stool with a warm, wet cloth, or commercial baby wipes, and don't forget to clean between the skin folds.

• Wipe girls from the front to the back to help prevent infection.

• If your baby boy was circumcised, care for the penis as directed.

• Dry your baby's bottom completely before putting on the clean diaper.

• Wash away urine and stool with a warm, wet cloth, or alcohol-free baby wipes.

If You're Diapering with Cloth

Safety Tips

• Never leave your baby alone on a changing table, a counter, or any surface that's above floor level. In fact, don't even turn your back. In only an instant, a baby can roll off a counter and fall.

• Try changing your baby's diapers on the floor. Put the baby on a changing mat or a small blanket. This way, you'll have plenty of space and your baby can't fall off the edge.