Change the Baby's Diaper
It's smelly and gross, but somebody's
got to do it and you're getting
paid. Our advice? Hold your breath
and dive into it. Changing a diaper
may seem like an awkward and messy
job at first, but after some practice,
diapering will become second nature
to you-we promise. Maybe you won't
even notice the smell anymore.
(We don't promise that one.)
When it comes to diapers, there
are a couple of options: cloth and
disposable. Cloth diapers help the
environment out, but disposable
diapers are as easy to handle as
the name suggests. We leave the
option up to you and are prepared
to guide you through either choice.
To find out if the baby has wet
her diaper, stick your finger down
the front of the diaper and see
if you feel anything moist. Following
this test, wash your hands IMMEDIATELY.
If the baby did a number 2, you
won't need to stick your finger
down her diaper; just rely on your
sense of smell. Hold the baby's
diapered tush up again your nose
and take a long, deep breath. Your
maternal instinct and olfactory
system will tell you whether you'll
be doing some changing. Cloth or
disposable, the concept of changing
a diaper is the same:
1. Always start by washing and drying
your hands. You think a baby's poopy
bottom is gross; relatively speaking,
the bacteria found on your hands
are even worse. Dirty hands will
wreak havoc on the baby's delicate
and sensitive skin so make sure
you wash all the germs away prior
to every changing.
2. Settle the baby down on a changing
table, or any soft, warm, clean,
and dry area. You can even place
your baby down on a blanketed floor.
3. Unlatch the baby's old diaper
and use its corners to wipe away
any excess poop, but don't remove
the dirty diaper just yet. If the
baby's a boy, you might want to
stick a clean cloth over his penis
at this point, just in case he decides
he has to go again while your face
is looming right above it. Babies
are funny like that.
4. Gently grasp the baby's ankles
together with one hand and lift
her bottom off the table. Use baby
wipes or a wet cloth to wipe the
baby's genitals clean. If the baby
is a girl, make sure you wipe her
from front to back to minimize the
chances of infection.
5. Some people would now apply baby
powder or some other kind of talc
to the baby's bottom. If you're
babysitting, check with the parents
beforehand to see what they usually
do.
6. With the baby's bottom still
in the air, fold the dirty diaper
in half under her and pull the diaper
out.
7. Slide a fresh diaper into the
dirty one's place, keeping half
of the diaper under the baby's butt.
The other half gets folded over
the front of the baby. For a boy
baby, tuck his penis down so his
urine won't seep out over the top.
8. Attach the two ends of the diaper.
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