Congratulations! Your newborn baby has just entered the world and we hope you are loving the newborn cuddles, love and just the delicious newborn bubble that can make things feel like nothing else matters or exists in the world anymore.
Whether you’re a first time parent or have a lot of experience with changing the mass of dirty nappies that are ahead of you, we still want to help make that newborn changing experience as easy and as stress free as possible.
We want to go back to basics with you to arm you with everything you need to know to make the process as easy as possible each and every time you have to change a dirty nappy!
1.Comfort – Picking A High Quality Changing Mat
The base on which you choose for your baby to lie on is the most important part of changing and will be the make or break for those screams whilst you’re changing their nappy countless times each day. Whilst baby can be changed anywhere on a flat or warm surface such as a bed, a proper changing mat will allow you to build a base around your changing mat whether it’s on a changing table or in the nursery.
In the early days your baby is going to have up to 12 nappy changes per day…woah, with this in mind you’re going to need to invest in a high quality changing mat that is durable, comfortable and easy to clean after use.
For newborns and young babies we recommend our BabyDam SuperSnug Changing Mat , the gentle slope helps to aid reflux symptoms in baby and promotes better eye contact with the parent. The base on which the baby lies is 50mm thick, providing comfort and support to baby whether they’re being changing or having a baby massage. The gentle slope lends itself for any accidents that may occur as the mess will slide down the mat rather than pooling around baby. It really is a newborn essential!
2. Be Prepared
You might be thinking 12 nappy changes a day? Really? But this is the reality of newborn life to begin with so you really need to be as well prepared as possible during the early days. Buy nappies, wipes, nappy bags in bulk to save money. Don’t forget that as baby grows they’ll need different sizes of nappies, so bear this in made when buying them in bulk so that you don’t end up with an excess that you can’t use!
Think about their wardrobe too, they’ll need enough baby grows and wraps whilst they’re in the being worn, next change and washing & drying circulation!
3. Change Them Often
Babies need to be changed often, usually after every time they have been fed or something starts to not smell very nice! Having said that, if a nappy is left on for a while, their wee can start to irritate their skin. If you’re not sure when it’s right to change their nappy, you can check every hour with a clean finger to measure the level of wetness and change them accordingly.
When baby is sleeping, you don’t need to wake them up for a change. If they do wake up for a feed, then that’s the perfect time to give them a quick change before putting them back to sleep. The main thing is that you keep baby comfortable, dry and happy.
4. Nappy Changing Station – Dedicated Place To Change Baby
Having a dedicated place to change baby rather than just having a changing mat that you carry around with you will make such a difference to your changing experience. Whether it’s a dedicated changing table or a chest of drawers with a mat placed on top, being able to change baby whilst standing up will make a massive difference, especially in the early days post giving birth. Not sure about nappy changing stations or how they should look? Take a look at our nappy changing station blog post for plenty of inspo!
5. Choose The Right Nappies
Disposables? Biodegradable? Washable? There are so many different choices when it comes to nappies and none of them are right or wrong. It totally depends on your personal needs and your attitudes to them. Disposables are still the most popular choice with parents, with biodegradable and reusable nappies on the rise due to the waste that is produced with disposables and what impact this has on our environment.
Once you’ve decided what nappies you’re going to use, as we mentioned earlier on you need to make sure you get the right size for them so it provides a comfortable and supportive fit without being tight, and without the risk of any leakages.
6. Keep Them Warm
Especially when they’re very young, babies often don’t like being naked for long, especially during changing and bath time! When it does come to change time, place a warm towel on the changing mat for added warmth and undress them in stages so part of their body is always covered if possible. Babies can lose body heat rapidly, but the more often you change them, the quicker you will become at keeping them comfortable, warm and happy.
7. Make Changing Time Fun
Make changing time fun again! Changing is the perfect opportunity for bonding time with baby, your tone of voice will help to relax them and make them feel safe and secure. If they are a wriggler, give them a toy to play with or install a mobile above the mat if you have a changing table or surround the walls with prints, high contrast patterns and black and white, in the early stages of a newborns life they can only see black, white and grey.
The more changes you do, the easier the process will become and your baby will start to associate it with fun and enjoyment!
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