How to change a diaper: video (2024)

The average newborn goes through eight to ten diapers a day. For the parents of twins Jack and Madison, that's double diaper duty – and double trouble when they get it wrong.

Nurse Shari Criso: See how low this is? And that's probably why he's peeing through.

Narrator: Shari Criso – a nurse, midwife, and baby expert in New Jersey – is guiding these new parents through her tried and true diapering tips.

To start, you'll want to wash and dry your hands or clean them with a baby wipe.

Nurse: Make sure that the surface is nice and clean. Have all your supplies ready, so you're not having to walk away or reach for them.

Narrator: You'll need a clean diaper, of course, and plenty of baby wipes or something else to wipe your baby with, like moistened paper towels or a damp washcloth.

To prevent or treat diaper rash, keep diaper cream, ointment, or petroleum jelly on hand.

Nurse: You want to find a safe place where the baby's going to be safe and can’t roll off.

Narrator: Many diaper changing tables come with a safety strap, but you probably don't want to rely on the strap alone.

Keep at least one hand on your baby at all times. You never know when she may suddenly learn how to roll over or scoot off the table.

Nurse: Keep talking to your baby while you're changing their diaper. This is a great time for you to interact with your baby. Hi, sweetheart – yes, you like this? Lift the baby up and pull the clothes all the way away from the diaper.

Take your clean diaper and open it up. And you'll know which side is the back because it's the side that has the tabs on it.

Narrator: Grasp your baby by the ankles, gently lift her bottom, and slide a clean diaper under the soiled one.

Nurse: We'll take off the first diaper. I like to fold these in so they don't stick to everything. Okay? And then if the baby is soiled with a bowel movement, what you could do is use the diaper to actually wipe off the excess as you go down.

Narrator: Fold the dirty diaper in half under your baby, clean side up.

Nurse: Now we are going to take a wipe, and what we're going to do with a girl baby is always make sure that you're wiping from the front to the back. Okay, that way we avoid spreading any kind of infection to the baby. Okay? So we're going to wipe down. Turn the wipe over so you get a clean spot, wipe in the folds.

Narrator: Lift your baby's legs to clean her bottom.

Nurse: Clean anything that's residual underneath. Put that right into your dirty diaper, roll that up.

With a boy you want to make sure you're getting all around all the different areas that poop can hide in. And the other thing is try to keep it covered or you're both going to get sprayed.

For both boys and girls, it's a good idea to let the diaper area air dry before applying any ointment or cream.

Nurse: A little bit of cream on his bottom. And when you go to put the diaper back on, try to put his penis in a downward position so that when he does urinate it doesn't shoot up the top.

If your baby boy is newly circumcised, follow your pediatrician's instructions for special care you may need to take during diapering.

Nurse: So one of the most common mistakes that moms and dads make when they're changing diapers is they don't pull the diaper up high enough, okay, they have them like a low rider. We need to hike them all the way up.

So actually after the first two weeks when the belly button finally comes off, you want to come up and cover the belly button.

Narrator: Before your newborn loses his umbilical cord stump, you'll need to fold the front of the diaper back so it doesn't rub against the stump. Or you can use a diaper made for newborns that has a notch specially cut out.

Nurse: So you're gonna pull it up nice and high in the back. Now you'll be able to bring the front up over. Hold both sides nice and tight with one hand. Grab this, pull it across tightly.

Narrator: Make sure the diaper is snug, but not so tight that it pinches your baby's skin. Check the back and elastic around the legs to make sure there are no gaps.

Nurse: And then you'll have no leaks.

Narrator: Parents today have several options when it comes to diapers.

Nurse: The first type is the traditional disposable diaper – single use and then throw away. Today's cloth diapers are really different than our mothers' were. It actually opens with Velcro. Now these are completely reusable. And there's a third type of diaper, which is a hybrid. It's a combination of the first two. The outer shell is one that would be used again, and the inner part is an insert that would get tossed, so you can get the best of both worlds.

Narrator: Try out different kinds to see which is most comfortable for your baby or best suits your lifestyle, and check the manufacturer's instructions for specific tips. Once you pick a brand, you'll probably buy a supply in bulk.

After disposing of the dirty diaper in a diaper pail or disposable trash bag, dress your baby and wash your hands thoroughly.

That's it – you're done!
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