How many times should ideally change a baby's diaper each day?

Apart from clothes, milk bottles, and toiletries, diapers are something for newborns that should not be forgotten. Whether it's cloth diapers or disposable (pospak), it has the same function as a collection of urine or baby feces. Therefore, many mothers agree that your little one's diaper should be changed frequently, so that your baby stays clean and comfortable. How often should a baby change a diaper and how is the correct one?

What are the types of baby diapers?

There are two types of diapers available in the market, disposable diapers (pospak) and cloth diapers. Both have advantages and disadvantages that parents can consider. The following is the full explanation.

Disposable diapers (pospak)

Quoting from Healthy Children, disposable diapers have been around for 40 years and are now being used more and more because they are practical. Disposable diapers have an inner layer that helps baby's skin stay dry even when the diaper is wet.

However, the disadvantage of disposable diapers is that the waste is difficult to break down and can damage the environment. How to dispose of diapers also needs to be considered, that is, wrap the diaper in a closed condition, then throw it in the trash.

Cloth diapers

Environmentally friendly is one of the advantages of cloth diapers. You can reduce household waste from baby poop by using cloth diapers.

In addition, using cloth diapers also makes you more economical because diapers can be used repeatedly.

However, cloth diapers also have drawbacks, such as a more complex method of cleaning so that germs and bacteria from your little one's feces are immediately removed.

Not only that, the use of cloth diapers must be considered because it can make the baby's skin moist if not changed immediately.

For the washing method, first remove the sticky dirt then rinse with cold water. Then, soak them in a laundry detergent solution with bleach. After that, rinse again using hot water.

How many times do you have to change a baby's diaper?

The need to urinate and defecate in every baby is not the same. The factor of age, daily food and drink intake, to the condition of the digestive system are some of the things that determine how often your child soils the diapers he uses.

Launching from the official website of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), newborns until the age of two months, can defecate 10 times a day. Meanwhile, to urinate, it can be 20 times a day in the first month of life.

Of course, this is not an absolute frequency because the number can change as the baby gets older. Usually, the frequency of bowel movements for babies will be more regular, which is about 2 times a day at the age of 12 months.

In fact, there are no definite rules that say how many times your baby's diaper should be changed every day. It's just that, regardless of what type of diaper your baby uses, you should immediately change it to a clean diaper every time you find the diaper dirty.

IDAI recommends changing baby's diapers as often as possible, around 2-3 hours, especially for newborns who urinate more frequently.

You can use an alarm as a reminder to change the diaper or see the discoloration of the diaper when exposed to urine.

Even if you enter your baby's bedtime or at night, you still need to change the diaper when it is filled with urine.

For newborns whose umbilical cord has not fallen off, make sure the diaper is not hitting the navel to avoid moisture. Baby's navel should be exposed to air as often as possible so that it can easily come off.

Equipment that must be prepared for changing diapers

Changing your baby's diaper should be done more carefully, especially for girls. The reason is, baby girls are more at risk of developing urinary tract infections if the genital area is not cleaned properly.

Quoting from American Pregnancy, the following equipment must be prepared to change a baby's diaper:

Clean diapers
Wet tissue or washcloth
Soft cotton
Dry washcloth or towel
Soft or soft base
Baby powder and diaper rash ointment (if necessary)

Prepare and store these utensils near you, making it easier to change your baby's diaper.

How to change a baby's diaper

The matter of putting diapers on your baby is sometimes something that overwhelms you. Relax, you can become an expert if you know how to make diapers with these steps:

1. Prepare equipment

Prepare a place to put your baby's diapers, for example a special diaper changing table. Then prepare 1 changing diaper, damp cloth or wet tissue, dry towel, baby body lotion, and others.

Make sure all of this equipment is at hand at your reach. For newborns or those with diaper rash, it's best to use a cotton ball soaked in warm water.

Also, make sure the table where you change the diaper is covered with a rubber mat or plastic mat before putting your little one to sleep there.

To make it easier to put on a new diaper, it's best to take off the baby's clothes first. Put it on again or replace it with a new one when finished.

2. Wash your hands

Before touching your baby, make sure your hands are clean by washing your hands with soap and running water. If you are traveling and there is no water and soap, you can clean your hands with a wet tissue or hand sanitizer.

3. Open the soiled baby diaper

After washing your hands, place your little one on the diaper changing mat that has been prepared. Open the soiled diaper and pull it down a little.

When you start changing diapers, make sure you are ready to hold your little one's feet with one hand. This hand is responsible for lifting the baby's feet so that he does not move much.

Meanwhile, your other hand takes off the old diaper, cleans its bottom, and tucks in the new diaper.

4. Clean the baby's bottom

Lift the baby's bottom off his ankles so you can pull the dirty diaper and immediately fold the front of the diaper so that the dirt doesn't stick to the baby's skin.

For a baby boy, before cleaning his bottom, you can cover his penis with a clean cloth so that he doesn't pee on you while he is changing his diaper.

Wipe a damp cloth or baby wipes starting from the penis, testicles (testes), and the surrounding area before moving to the buttocks.

For baby girls, wipe dirt from front to back to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. This is because girls are prone to urinary tract infections.

Don't forget to wipe every skin crease and wrinkle. Then put it on lotion and pat the baby's bottom dry, do not rub.

You can massage the baby's stomach while changing pospak so that your little one feels comfortable.

5. Keep cleaning even if the baby does not defecate

Even if your little one is not defecating, you should still clean the front and back. Also clean the surrounding skin area with a damp cloth or tissue.

You can apply a special cream as directed by your doctor on the skin if you have a diaper rash.

6. Pull out the soiled diaper and put a new one on

Open the clean diaper and place the baby by tucking it under the buttocks and sliding it toward the waist, where the adhesive is on the back. Pull the diaper in front of your baby's stomach.

For baby boys, point the baby's penis downwards to prevent urine from reaching the top. For newborns who have not removed the umbilical cord, take care that the diaper does not cover the umbilical cord.

Make sure the diaper part is between the legs of your baby in a balanced way. Then fasten the diaper by removing the tape, which is then pulled towards the stomach to stick it.

Avoid taping the diaper too tight so that your baby feels comfortable. The same steps are carried out when finished bathing the newborn.

7. Discard old diapers

Fold and tape your old diaper tightly so that the contents don't spill out. Put it in a special plastic bag before throwing it in the trash.

Don't forget to wash your hands after cleaning and changing baby's diapers so that your hands are always clean when touching your little one.

What are the consequences of not changing the baby's diaper for too long?

The problem of changing your little one's diaper is tiring, especially for newborns. The frequency of defecating is so frequent that it is just replaced, it must be replaced immediately.

Sometimes there are parents who wait until the diaper is very full or even leaks and then it is replaced by a new, clean diaper.

In fact, letting a baby continue to use a dirty diaper for a long time, risks causing several conditions, such as:

Diaper rash on the skin around the baby's bottom
Irritation, redness, itching, and pain
There is a risk of bladder infection, as well as fungal and bacterial infections

Your little one responds in different ways when they realize that their diaper is wet and feels uncomfortable. Sometimes the cause of crying babies is the condition of a wet diaper.

You may not realize that your little one's diaper is dirty, because he doesn't show any reaction. The solution, always check the condition of the diapers regularly and immediately replace them with new ones when they feel they are no longer clean.

Tips for using cloth and disposable diapers

There are two types of diapers to choose from, namely cloth diapers and disposable diapers. Here are tips for wearing it.

Cloth diapers

The following are tips you should keep in mind when using cloth diapers:

Use a large safety pin

If you are using a diaper that requires a safety pin, use a large safety pin with a plastic head that is secure so that the baby is not pinched.

When putting it on a baby, use your hands to limit the safety between the safety pins and the baby's skin.

Wash the diaper immediately when the baby has a bowel movement

Put wet diapers directly into the wash, but if there is baby droppings, you should clean it first.

You can clean the diapers first before washing them or putting them in the washing machine. You can rinse it with water and baking soda to get rid of the smell.

Separate cloth diapers from other clothes

Keep diapers and other baby clothes separate from other clothes when you wash clothes. Use a detergent that is hypoallergenic or recommended for washing baby clothes.

Also, avoid using fabric softeners or fragrances, this can cause diaper rash in babies whose skin is sensitive. This is a way of caring for your baby's skin which is still very sensitive.

You can also rinse baby clothes in hot water and rinse them with water repeatedly. Wash your hands before and after putting diapers on babies to prevent the spread of germs.

Disposable baby diapers

If you use your little one in disposable or pospak diapers, there are a number of things to consider, such as:

Discard regularly

Dispose of disposable diapers regularly. Don't let it build up for too long. This is to prevent unpleasant odors and prevent bacterial growth.

Change diaper sizes regularly

If you find rubber diaper marks around your baby's thighs and waist, this may be a sign that the diaper is too small. We recommend that you change to a larger size disposable diaper.

Change the diaper brand when the rash occurs

If you find a rash on your baby's skin around your baby's bottom and thighs, it's best to change your baby's diaper to a different brand.

Choose diapers that don't use dyes or perfumes. Sometimes, babies can be sensitive to certain brands of diapers.

Watch the umbilical cord if it is not loose

If your baby's umbilical cord hasn't come off or isn't dry, put the diaper under the umbilical cord or below the waist. This is done to prevent irritation.

Don't forget to always wash your hands, both before and after you put your diaper on, to prevent the spread of germs.