How often to change a newborn's diaper day and night

Oh, great women, our mothers! They raised us without diapers! They walked with us, went shopping and even, horror of horrors, they put us to bed without them! Personally, as a mother of three children, I can’t even imagine how difficult it is! Constant washing, drying and ironing! The constant cycle of diapers and onesies in the house! But one day, in the distant 1950s, one loving grandfather, named Victor Mills , after washing hundreds of diapers for his beloved granddaughter, made a revolution in the world of children's “surprises”. They invented diapers. Of course, those disposable baby diapers were very different from those presented today, but a start had been made. The store shelves are overflowing with offers from various companies. Pampers, haggis, marries, libero. Often the names diaper and diaper are combined under the same meaning. This is not entirely true. “Pampers”, it was under this brand that the American company began producing disposable baby diapers. But today’s conversation will not be about the correctness of this or that definition, but about how often to change a newborn’s diaper?

How many times a day should you change your diaper?

How often should a newborn's diaper be changed? You can answer this way - as it fills. But with regard to newborns, it is necessary to take into account that they pee very often - up to 25 times a day. The volume of liquid released is small, but the diaper quickly becomes wet. Therefore, it needs to be replaced at least once every 2-3 hours.

During the first few weeks of life, the baby adapts to independent life “outside the mother.” At the same time, the body is actively cleansing itself of original feces, and therefore diapers are often changed for newborns.

Even if it was put on just a few minutes ago, but the baby is soiled with feces, immediate replacement is required. Otherwise, the baby's skin will quickly become red and inflamed, and bacteria entering the baby's genitals can lead to infection. Therefore, it is recommended to check the cleanliness of a disposable diaper every half hour. A clean diaper should be put on after bathing, before bed and before going for a walk.

It turns out that newborns have to change diapers often. This expense item is quite expensive for the budget of a young family: up to 20 diapers per day.

What to do if a rash appears on the skin

If you notice that your child has a rash or redness on his bottom after putting on a diaper, you need to take action.
Firstly, it is worth doing hygiene procedures more often - constantly wash the child, keep him naked longer, regularly apply cream or powder to the bottom. Secondly, the rash may be an allergy to the diapers themselves. That is, perhaps this brand of diapers is not suitable for you, choose another manufacturer. Fortunately, in the modern assortment there are no problems with this. Thirdly, you need to take certain measures to get rid of the rash. Be sure to add a decoction of string to the water when bathing - it will dry and heal all wounds on the body. Try lubricating your child's skin with a healing agent, such as Bepanthen cream. It perfectly regenerates the skin and quickly relieves delicate baby skin from diaper rash and rashes. If you cannot cope with the problem on your own, be sure to consult a doctor. A diaper, a washing machine, a slow cooker, various nasal aspirators and bottle sterilizers make the life of a new mother much easier. Now she can devote more time to her tiny man. But in order for these fruits of civilization to be safe, the rules of their operation must be followed. Change your baby's diaper every 2-3 hours and after each bowel movement, and there will be no problems with your baby's delicate skin!

how to stop a child from peeing in bed at night

What you need to know about changing a diaper?

Each baby gradually develops its own individual rhythm of dealing with natural needs. Therefore, the first rule of changing a diaper is to focus on the child. You shouldn't do this by the hour. Some people need to change diapers much more often, while others stay dry and clean longer. But there are still certain rules that must be followed.

The question of how often to change a baby’s diaper can be answered as follows:

After every bowel movement. Regardless of whether it has been put on for a long time or just recently, fecal matter when it comes into contact with the baby’s skin greatly irritates it. Therefore, it is important to stop such contact as quickly as possible.
Before a walk, going to the doctor, visiting, traveling in public transport, sleeping at night. After the above, it is also necessary to put a clean diaper on the child. Even if it is not full after sleep or a walk, it is better to replace it, because the little one has been in it for too long.
If the skin under the diaper is wet, no matter how long it has been in place, you should remove it immediately.
In summer, or if the room is hot, the time spent in a diaper is reduced. In the cold season, the baby is allowed to stay in it for up to 6 hours, provided that it is a product made of high-quality, highly absorbent material.
A newborn's diaper in the maternity hospital should be changed as often as the need arises, that is, at least once every 2 hours and after each bowel movement.
A newborn boy needs to change his diaper as often as a girl. The gender of the baby in this case does not matter.

If the diaper gets wet after just two hours, if it leaks on the sides or causes diaper rash, you need to change the brand. A newborn's diaper has to be changed more often if it is the wrong size.

Just about the important things! Should I change my newborn's diaper at night?

In our lives, it is simple and ordinary things that raise the most questions, and with the advent of a child, such “incomprehensible situations” become extremely numerous. Especially when the first child appears in the family. The simplest confirmation is the frequency of requests - do you change diapers for a newborn at night or similar ones on specialized parenting sites and forums.

Let's figure it out together!

When caring for a child, there are no universal answers or standard recommendations - everything is always individual. This means that those recommendations that were great for one case do not work at all in another. This is related to situations when some parents believe that changing a newborn’s diaper at night should be mandatory, while others calmly leave changing the diaper until the morning, and at the same time, everyone is right.

The child’s body has a number of physiological characteristics that need to be emphasized:

Physiological tachyuria is frequent urination, but in small portions.
Tendency to frequent bowel movements - from passing stool after each feeding to once a day.
The beginning of the process of colonization of the digestive tract by bacteria.
Immaturity of the layers and protective properties of the skin.
Imperfect thermoregulation.

It is impossible to answer the question of how often to change a baby’s diaper at night or throughout the day without indicating what kind of diapers are used. Yes, there are options that can quickly absorb greasy baby stool, but they are generally not widely available. Therefore, we will talk about the situation using high-quality affordable diapers without being tied to a specific brand.

Any diaper ensures rapid and complete absorption of fluid during urination. Moreover, they all have a supply of adsorbent sufficient to absorb the night’s volume of urine. If you wear a clean diaper before going to bed, then there is no need to change the baby’s diaper during sleep if there is no bowel movement!
Initially, the intestines of a newborn baby are not populated by microorganisms. Settlement occurs during the process of breastfeeding or artificial feeding. During breastfeeding, feces themselves have a low irritant effect when the skin is intact. If the child pooped in the morning, there is not much time left until he wakes up, he sleeps soundly and does not show anxiety in his sleep, then there is no need to change the child’s diaper in his sleep!
In newborns, the ability to sweat is just beginning to develop and for this reason, even when in a diaper, they do not develop heat rash. For this reason, there is no need to change the diaper when the baby is sleeping and the diaper is not full.
In any case, with or without bowel movements, the diaper must be changed, if the child is sleeping and shows restlessness in his sleep, or if he already has signs of irritation of the skin of the perineum and genitals.
Since the intestinal microflora changes to a greater extent when switching to artificial feeding or completely using artificial infant formula, as well as the introduction of complementary foods and supplements, diapers should be changed at night, even if the child is sleeping. Since the level of infectious threat in this case is much higher, which means the risk of developing irritation is higher.

The main danger in this case is the development of contact or diaper dermatitis, which occurs when the delicate skin of a newborn is irritated by waste products. If the baby has already developed symptoms of dermatitis, then the solution to the question of whether a newborn needs to change a diaper at night will be as follows.

It is necessary to achieve the fastest possible reverse development of irritation and inflammation. In this case, it is necessary to change the diaper on time, with the obligatory thorough hygienic treatment of the skin.

During the daytime, the diaper must be changed every 4 hours, regardless of the degree of fullness;
The answer to the question of how often to change a diaper at night is at least once during the night;
When defecation occurs, the diaper is changed immediately, regardless of the time of day.
Each diaper change is accompanied by mandatory hygiene procedures - in the form of washing the perineum with warm water and soap and drying the skin.
After drying, special oils, creams or preparations in the form of ointments are applied to the surface of clean skin.
All used cosmetics or pharmaceuticals must be discussed with a pediatrician.
In order not to disturb the child's night sleep and change the diaper without waking the child, it is possible to wipe the skin with sanitary napkins and apply protective agents with the obligatory thorough washing in the morning.
In this case, constant “air baths” are useful, when after changing the diaper and treating the skin, the child remains in the air for 10-20 minutes.

We recommend that if the symptoms of contact diaper dermatitis do not subside with the correct implementation of all hygiene procedures, if the area of skin irritation increases or if an infectious process occurs, then it is imperative to contact a pediatrician for consultation and prescribing the necessary treatment.

Another rather important issue remains the quality and completeness of a child’s night sleep. Since sleep is important not only for rest, but also for the full development of the nervous system and the basic functions of higher nervous activity, according to generally accepted medical expert opinion, it is best not to interrupt sleep and do not need to wake up the newborn to change the diaper.

Even in the case of skin irritation, you can always minimize treatment by postponing full care of the skin of the perineum and genitals until the morning when the child wakes up. To do this, before changing the diaper at night, you need to prepare everything in advance, and make the change itself minimal in time and in dim lighting.

Yes, there are no universal recommendations, but the main points were presented above, based on which you can easily choose the best option for changing diapers and skin care based on your specific situation.

Should I wake the child?

Some parents do not use disposable diapers during the day, preferring reusable ones. But at night, diapers allow the baby to sleep more soundly and give the mother, who is tired during the day, the opportunity to rest. And here the question often arises: is it necessary to change the diaper at night? Should I wake my newborn to change his diaper?

It’s not easy to say unequivocally how long it takes to change a newborn’s diaper at night. It depends on various factors. The rate at which a diaper gets soiled is affected by what the baby eats (breast milk, formula), the state of the digestive and urinary system, the air temperature in the room, and the age of the child.

It is impossible to say exactly how long it takes to change a newborn’s diaper, but you can follow the following rules:

It doesn’t matter whether the baby is sleeping or not, you should put on a clean diaper immediately after bowel movement.
If the diaper is full, then it will also have to be removed, even if the baby does not wake up. Otherwise, you can cause skin problems.
It is better to change the diaper as soon as the newborn wakes up. This usually happens once every few hours.

Is it necessary to change a newborn's diaper at night if it is not full and the baby is sleeping soundly? In this case, it is better not to disturb the baby and change his clothes after waking up.

What do you need to know?

In the first months of a baby’s life, a very large number of diapers can be used every day. After all, he is able to defecate after each feeding. But they need to be changed as many times as necessary. Such actions will help maintain the health of the child.

It is worth knowing the main points related to dressing a toddler in clean clothes.

It makes sense to try products from different manufacturers. Some are poorly suited for a particular child and quickly begin to leak. This happens not so much because of poor quality, but because of the physiological characteristics of the baby.
You should pay attention to the recommended weight and age indicated on the pack. A sign that it's time to upgrade to a larger size are rubber bands on the legs. Another signal is that the baby is soon becoming wet, the diaper does not hold feces, or puddles are forming. Most often, a new size becomes relevant when the baby weighs 1-2 kilograms less than the minimum indicated on the package. That is, diapers, for example, from 5 kg will be suitable for a newborn at 4.
Diapers should be changed every 3-4 hours. But even if this time has not passed yet, and it’s time for the baby to go to bed at night, then you need to change him into dry clothes. This will make him sleep more comfortably.
It is also worth putting on a clean product for your baby before going for a walk. Many babies fall asleep in a stroller, which means they can rest peacefully.
It is worth checking the condition of the diaper at least once every half hour. A child does not always cry when reporting bowel movements. You also need to look in his panties if he has become restless for no other apparent reason. This applies primarily to periods of wakefulness. It is better not to touch a sleeping baby so as not to wake him up. Although in the case when the baby is wearing a product from a new pack or, especially, an untried brand, control is required. A product, even from a reputable manufacturer, is not always suitable for a particular baby. And within a few hours a severe allergic skin reaction can develop. It is easier to prevent the situation than to treat it later.

Why do diapers need to be changed regularly?

The main reason for frequent diaper changes is diaper dermatitis, which manifests itself in redness of the skin, rashes, irritation and diaper rash. If the baby’s skin comes into contact with urine for a long time, then it is impossible to avoid such problems.

For a certain category of children whose skin is especially sensitive, especially infants, this problem is very relevant. Therefore, a newborn’s diaper in the maternity hospital needs to be changed as often as it becomes overfilled or soiled. Diaper rash that appears causes anxiety to the baby and requires treatment.

How to change a diaper correctly

Changing a newborn's diaper is easy:

All replacement supplies must be prepared in advance so that the child is not left unattended. Even if the baby has just been born and is still lying quietly on the changing table, he can fall and get injured.
After each act of defecation, it is necessary to clean the baby’s skin with a damp cloth, or better yet, wash it with clean water. There is no need to use soap every time you wash your baby. It can dry out a newborn's delicate skin.
In between changing diapers, you need to give the baby the opportunity to take air baths - lie naked for about 15 minutes. This procedure will improve the skin and strengthen the child.
If irritation and diaper rash appear on the skin, you need to use special products. This can be an ointment, cream or powder.
A newborn's diaper should be changed as often as needed. At first, up to 20 pieces can be spent per day. Of course, it’s not cheap, but you won’t be able to save money in such a situation without compromising the baby’s health. Later, when the child grows up, these expenses will be reduced.

Compliance with the basic rules for using disposable diapers allows the baby to be in a comfortable dry environment, and the mother does not have to constantly change and wash diapers. To keep your baby's skin healthy, you should remember that a newborn's diaper needs to be changed as often as required due to his age and physiological characteristics. Failure to comply with this rule in order to save money can lead to serious problems in the health of the newborn.

How to change a diaper correctly?

How to change a diaper? To do this, you will need a new diaper, soap, sanitary napkins or warm water, a towel, powder or baby cream.

The process itself is carried out as follows:

you need to unfasten the dirty diaper, but don’t take it off yet;
all traces of discharge from the baby’s skin are removed using the clean front part of the product;
to remove the old diaper, the child is taken by the ankles and carefully lifted, and his butt is above the table;
the old diaper is folded and thrown away;
the baby is washed with soap and water, and girls should be washed from front to back;
wipe the skin with a towel;
cream or dry powder is applied to the perineal area.

When washing, it is not recommended to use soap-based products too often, even if they are specifically intended for children. Soap easily upsets the balance of intimate microflora, which is extremely undesirable for girls. Soap should be used no more than once a day. If there is no severe contamination, you can use plain warm water or sanitary napkins.

When putting on a new diaper, it must be positioned correctly. The back of the product should be located exactly under the child’s bottom, and the front should be straightened between the legs. If the baby is not yet a month old, then you need to make sure that the edges of the diaper do not rub against the wound on the navel. To do this, purchase products specifically for newborns .