Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a new father like the thought of changing a baby’s dirty diaper. Have no fear, because there are only four responsibilities for a dad to remember when tackling this dirty deed.
Dad Responsibility #1: Ensuring the Baby’s Safety
Set the baby, face up, on a changing table or a changing pad secured to the top of a dresser. Make sure to always have one hand on the baby at all times. Never leave the baby alone on the table, even just to turn around and grab some new diapers from a box under the crib. It is irrelevant whether the child is yet capable of rolling over, because that could change at any time. Be safe and keep that hand in place!
Dad Responsibility #2: Removing the Dirty Diaper
Remove any clothing that needs to be removed to get to the diaper. Look for small snaps around the legs of the infant, as most infant clothing is designed to be unsnapped for diaper changing. On either side of the diaper, around the waist of the infant, will be two small white tabs. Pull each tab up and away to the sides of the infant to open the diaper. Holding both legs toward the ceiling with one hand around the feet, pull the top of the diaper from the stomach down between the legs. With the other hand use baby wipes to clean up the mess, moving from the front parts to the back parts of the baby. A corner of the soiled diaper can be used as a wipe in emergency out-of-wipes situations. Double check creases and wrinkles of the baby’s skin with a fresh wipe before putting on a new diaper. If there is any redness, use a small dab of diaper rash cream or powder on the area. Roll the dirty diaper up in such a way that the tabs fold around the bulk of the diaper like a package, and dispose of it in a diaper pail placed within arm’s reach of the changing table.
Dad Responsibility #3: Putting on the New Diaper
Place the end of the new diaper with the white tabs under the bottom of the infant, to be secured around the waist just under the belly button. For the person confused about where the tabs of the diaper need to go, it is a good idea to place the new diaper under the infant while the dirty diaper is still on. The dirty diaper will serve as a reference for the placement of the new. Due to the fact that a diaper does not always contain big messes, check the back of the infant for leakage before placing a clean diaper directly under the dirty one. When the new diaper is in place and the dirty one is discarded, fold the new diaper around the infant between its legs, and secure the tabs on the side by pulling them out and pressing them down to the tummy of the baby. The diaper should be snug, but not so tight that it cuts into the infant’s legs or waist.
Dad Responsibility #4: Changing the Diaper Pail FREQUENTLY
After the baby’s clothes are snapped back in place, do not breath a sigh of relief yet. No matter what brand of diaper pail is used, what deodorizers are sprayed, or what scented bags are inserted, the fact remains that the unpleasant odor from a dirty diaper will grow exponentially within a very short time. It cannot be contained by plastic containers or flowery scents. Frequently empty the diaper pail, twice a week or more! Remove the bag in a smooth motion and remove it to the garbage outside of the home. It may be tempting to only change it once a week, but a baby will go through anywhere from 5 to 12 diapers in a 24 hour period.