tuesday tip - diaper changing

today's tip is something that i hope to not be doing much longer and i don't even want to think about how many i have already changed! i thought most of this was common knowledge/practice but over the years i have realized that it isn't so before we say 'farewell' to diapers at out house, i thought i would share what years of experience have taught us.

spider-man will be used for this demonstration because changing manning's diaper now requires a leg and both hands.

open neatly folded diaper

step 1: pull apart the 'ruffles'...

...one ruffle fully in, one ruffle fully out.

lay clean diaper under baby still wearing dirty diaper.

step 2: open dirty diaper and use front to wipe off bulk of poop (if required).

holding baby's ankles in one hand, tuck top of dirty diaper under baby slightly.  use wipes to finish wiping off baby and pile on top of dirty diaper. this keeps them from getting 'mess' on the bottoms of legs and feet that might wiggle free and still away from busy hands - most of the time.

step 3: lift clean baby bottom and roll up dirty diaper and wipes towards the back of the dirty diaper with free hand. 

slide dirty diaper roll away from baby a safe distance (i.e. out of kicking range).

step 4: release baby's legs and close clean diaper all ready in place.

step 5: (i forgot a picture but this is the most important step!) check to make sure that the inside ruffle is inside and the outside ruffle is completely outside.  9 out of 10 times we have had a blow-out it has been where an outside ruffle was caught inside.

the nice part about having the clean diaper in place before opening the dirty diaper is that if they start peeing during the change, you can quickly pull it up between their legs to absorb the stream.  yes, you occasionally 'waste' a clean diaper but i find it to be less stressful than having to clean up, yet another, pee mess.

do you have any diaper changing 'tricks' that work great at your house?

love.