Normal Vaginal Discharge In Baby Girls
If you notice a white-ish discharge on your baby girls genitals, fear not. This is a normal discharge and you dont need to try and remove it.
If your newborn daughter has a blood-tinged discharge in the first few weeks after birth, fear not. This is also normal and is caused by the maternal hormones still in your babys system. It will go away by itself.
If you are concerned about a discharge see your GP or maternal child health nurse for advice.
How Often Should You Change Your Babys Diaper At Night
Sleep comes at a premium for you and your baby. Thats why you might find yourself asking this question in the middle of the night: Do I need to change my babys dirty diaper?
During the day, thats a straightforward question. But at night, its slightly more complicated. On one hand, your baby may have soiled her diaper while sleeping . And on the other hand, you dont want to wake them unnecessarily to change them. So if your baby is still asleep, should you risk waking them to change the diaper?
Luckily, the answer is simple, and will mean you can get the most rest possible. Unless your baby is extremely wet or has pooped, you can probably let them sleep. Believe it or not, theres no need to wake your baby every time they wet their diaper a little. Many of todays diapers are so absorbent that your baby may be able to sleep through the night, or as long as theyre capable, even if theyve wetted one. When they wake up on their own, or you need to wake them for a feeding, youll have a chance to clean them up and put on a fresh diaper. Until then, you can probably rest easy .
Now I know what youre thinking, Okay smarty pants, I get that I dont need to change my babys diaper every single time they wet it in the middle of the night, but what about when I do need to change them at night? What then? And can you tell me in an easily digestible listicle format? Well, thats an oddly specific request, but dont worry, weve got you covered.
What Is The Best Time To Bathe A Baby
Its best to be at a comfortable pace because you could be interrupted or rushed. The morning or night time has evolved into whether babies are better treated to bath time or whether parents are better rewarded with sleep time. Before taking your baby to the bath, make sure that your babys tummy is settled first.
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Help I’m Seeing Blood In The Diapers
If you see reddish-orange staining in a diaper during changing, you don’t necessarily need to panic. It’s common to find something called urate crystals in the diapers of newborn babies, which can cause a reddish discoloration.
Unless you’re seeing dark red colors or a particularly large amount of red staining in a diaper, it isn’t necessarily cause for concern. Red staining from urate crystals can be a common occurrence in a newborn baby that is breastfeeding, although it can also be a sign of dehydration.
If you’re concerned about red staining in a diaper during changing, you can always call parents to confirm whether it’s normal for their baby or not. You can take a picture of it with your phone and send it. But I would definitely recommend checking with them before you panic and immediately take the baby to the hospital.
Open Up The Diaper And Clean Your Baby
Unfasten the diaper and survey the scene, then follow the same basic rules for both boys and girls:
- For a wet diaper: Fold the dirty diaper underneath the baby and wipe the area.
- For a poopy diaper: Wipe as much as possible with the diaper itself, then fold it underneath, as above. Lift the legs and clean baby’s front well with warm water or wipes, being sure to get into all the creases. Then lift both legs and clean baby’s bottom thoroughly.
Once baby’s diaper area is clean, slip the soiled diaper out and put a fresh one under baby before releasing baby’s legs. Pat baby dry before putting on the clean diaper or any diaper rash creams.
If the umbilical cord is still attached and you aren’t using special newborn diapers, fold the diaper down to expose the area to air and avoid getting it wet. Fasten it tightly to avoid leaks, but not so tightly that irritation occurs .
For disposables, the tabs go in the back, underneath baby, and then wrap around to front.
A few more tips to follow when changing baby’s diaper:
- Girls need to be wiped from front to back, to avoid getting poop in the vaginal area. There is no need to open the labia and clean inside .
- Boys may offer an unwanted surprise in the form of a fountain of pee, so keep his penis covered with a clean diaper or cloth whenever he’s undressed. Expect erections sometimes , and don’t be afraid of gently cleaning around the penis and scrotum. When you do put his new diaper on, point his penis down to minimize leaks .
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Clever Parent Hacks For Wrangling Wriggly Babies
Now lets get to the bits we need to clean. Hold your babys feet together and gently flex their legs up towards their tummy, this will allow you easy access to clean the nappy area.
Quickly pop the used nappy out of reach of your baby. You can tidy it up once the baby is safely changed.
Pro tip: Stinky situation? Try mouth breathing only if you are a bit squeamish or sensitive to smells.
Grab a couple of wipes and clean your baby up. Just do a general once over concentrating on the back and bottom first. Then pop your baby back down on your clean change mat or towel.
Now begin a more detailed tidy up of the genital area and surrounds.
Slide The Clean Diaper In
Once you’re experienced at changing babies, you can slide a dirty diaper out and then a clean one under them almost in a single fluid motion, and it becomes second nature. But for the sake of inexperienced diaper changers, I’ll list this as a separate step.
Nowadays, most diaper brands have markings or colorful characters to indicate which side of the diaper is the front, so it’s pretty foolproof and easy to do when youre busy dealing with arms and legs.
Any creams or ointments that parents want you to apply for prevention, or special ones for rashes, should be done at this stage after the baby is clean and the area is dried, but before closing up the diaper. It’s best to do this with a clean diaper under the baby. That way, creams won’t get on the changing surface, as they can smear all over the place as you continue the process and be hard to get off sometimes.
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Don’t Worryjust Take A Look
Although you never know what you may find inside a diaper, usually it’s not that bad. Depending upon what type of outfit the baby may be wearing, you’ll need to locate the “diaper area”. Unzip, unfasten or unbutton all clothing until you get to something that looks like this. This puffy thing covering the junction between the torso and the legs is called the “Diaper area”. This is the area that may need some attention.
How To Change A Boys Diaper
Follow the step-by-step guide above to learn how to change your boyâs diaper. You’ll want to cover his penis with a diaper or burp cloth while changing him to prevent getting wet yourself, or pee getting on the wall.
Another tip is to place his penis in a downward position before closing the diaper as this can help prevent leaks.
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Dont Panic When Learning How To Change A Diaper
Lots of dads panic about diaper changes. Some get frustrated at their lack of knowledge. Others get grossed out. Many feel like theyre failures when they screw up and have to start anew, while some freak out because they think theyre upsetting the child by taking too long. But keeping your cool can help your baby stay calm, which cuts down on the chaos of the situation.
Public Diaper Changing Tips
When you feel as though you dont know what you’re doing, changing a diaper in public can be a little stressful. In fact, fear of changing a diaper outside the house might get so intense that parents can be put off going out altogether.
So first of all, just know youre not doing anything wrong. There is no perfect way to change a diaper and there is certainly no perfect baby that always lies still. You’re doing your best and these tips should help you along the way.
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How Often To Change A Babys Diaper After Introducing Solids
As your baby gets older and you adjust his feeding schedule to include solid foods, he may produce fewer wet diapers than before. Though diaper changes may be less frequent now, continue to check his diaper every few hours to ensure heâs not too wet. Always change him after he’s had a bowel movement.
A diaper change is required with every soiled diaper to prevent skin irritation, especially when babies become more active and mobile. As your baby reaches developmental milestones such as rolling over and crawling, he’ll be moving a lot more often. Avoid any messy situations with a diaper that moves with him, like Pampers Cruisers 360° Fit®, and make sure to change him as often as needed.
As your baby grows, his diapering needs evolve with him. You may be starting to get a handle on just how often you should be changing his diaper and when to expect a bowel movement. You can get additional help with Lumi for a better grasp on his ever-changing diapering schedule. Plus, you can even get personalized insights into his overall development and daily routines.
Diaper changes canât be avoided, but you donât have to go it alone! With Lumi youâll be able to track his diapering needs, feeding schedules, and even sleep patterns. Plus, tailored tips and diaper alerts deliver help along the way, at any stage in your babyâs developmentâfrom infancy to toddlerhood.
Cleaning Your Daughters Labia
Nappy creams, sweat and other substances can collect in and around the labia. But in general, you need to clean in and around the labia only to remove traces of poo.
To clean your baby girls labia, wet a cotton ball with warm water, hold your babys legs apart and wipe between the labia with the cotton ball. Start at the front and gently wipe backwards. Use a new cotton ball if you need to wipe again. Dry your babys genital area by gently patting with a soft towel.
Dont use vaginal deodorants or douches. They can upset the natural chemical balance of your babys vagina and increase the risk of infection.
Sometimes your baby girl might have a thick milky discharge this doesnt need to be cleaned away. If youre unsure about any other discharge, see your GP or child and family health nurse.
Its common for newborn baby girls to have bloody vaginal discharge in the first few weeks after birth. This is your babys response to her mothers hormones, which are still in her body. But if this discharge doesnt go away, you should contact your GP or child and family health nurse.
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How To Change Teen Diapers
This article was co-authored by Laura Marusinec, MD. Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 444,636 times.
Diapers are a part of everyday life for many people with disabilities or other physiological issues. It is important to be prepared and efficient when changing a teen’s diaper as they may be easily embarrassed by the process. Knowing your position options and understanding how to use your supplies will make everything go much smoother. Try your best to preserve the teens privacy and give them as much control over the process as you can.
Combat Diaper Rash Through Prevention
Diaper rash is an inevitability that starts with irritation, peaks with screaming, and promises to be repeated often. Controlling it is all about controlling moisture. If a babys wet, change them. Clean the area with water, then dab it dry.
Dr. Jana notes that most diaper rashes typically have one of two causes. One is irritation of the skin, and that can be from sitting in a bowel movement for too long, she says. Or not being changed frequently enough cause a rash due to an infection. Like with a yeast infection diaper rash, since yeast lives in the intestinal tract and can cause problems if there is broken skin in the diaper area.
Once a rash breaks out, it can be tough to get under control so keeping it from starting is worth the effort.
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Undo The Baby’s Dirty Diaper
After laying the baby down on the table and making sure they are secured, carefully unfasten the diaper. With a disposable diaper, you’ll unfasten the diaper tabs, whereas cloth diapers will usually have snaps or velcro. Hold the baby’s legs in one of your hands, and use your other hand to pull the front of the diaper down. You don’t want to remove the diaper yet.
For a diaper that’s just wet, you can fold it underneath them so that the clean outside part of it is under their bottom. For a poopy diaper, youre going to wipe up as much as you can off the babys bottom first, and then fold it under as well.
How Often To Change A Newborns Diaper
When your newborn finally arrives, itâs all about the cuddles and the love you feel for her. Along with these joyful parenting moments come less glamorous chores, of course, such as changing wet and poopy diapers.
Experts recommend that you change your newbornâs diaper every two to three hours, or as often as needed. Why? Your little one may urinate as often as every one to three hours, and have between two and five bowel movements a day. And there are a few health reasons to consider as well:
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Overly wet diapers left on too long can contribute to the risk of diaper rash
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Poop can irritate your babyâs skin
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Leftover bacteria may lead to a bladder infection .
Plus, a soiled diaper can cause leaks, and the mess can spread to your babyâs clothes, crib, car seatâyou name it! The simplest way to avoid the mess is with frequent diaper changes.
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