Baby Diapers: The Perfect Fit
Between feedings, burping, rocking, and napping, what new mom has time to think about the size of her baby’s diaper? Grabbing a few boxes from the grocery store shelf as you zoom home before a meltdown may seem like the easiest thing to do, but with two daughters, I quickly learned that a baby diaper that doesn’t fit is no fun for you -- or for your new baby. There’s more to diaper size than you may realize. Here are my tips and tricks for knowing if your new baby has the right diaper on, and when to move to a larger one.
Pay attention to the red mark. If my new baby had a reddish line across her belly or around her pudgy thighs, I knew that she was probably swaddled in a diaper that was too tight or too small. Once she was on the move, I looked out for signs of chafing, an indication that her baby diaper didn’t fit quite right.
Watch for fussy signals. Some little ones fuss when their clothes or undergarments don’t fit well. If your new baby is in a funk, check her baby diaper. It could be because the wrong size is making her uncomfortable. Try going up or down a size to see if she calms down.
Look for a leak. A too-small diaper can be prone to leaking. When I noticed that my new baby’s diaper wasn’t keeping wetness contained, it was a sign to choose a larger size. Also, if the baby diaper slipped down on her tummy or didn’t cover her buttocks completely, I knew it was too small.
Avoid the dreaded blowout. It was my (and probably every new mom’s) worst fear -- poop all over your new baby’s body, clothes, hair, and probably also on you. If a baby diaper doesn’t fit well, it won’t be able to contain her bowel movements. The fix? Go up a size.
Don’t buy too much at once. You may think it pays to stock up on baby diapers, but because babies grow so quickly, you may end up with many unused diapers. Buy only what you need, and if you do end up with a surplus of small diapers, reach out to other new moms and trade your smaller sizes for some that are larger.
Believe me: It’s worth the time to check up on diaper size. Knowing how to properly fit my daughter’s Pampers diapers made for a much less messy parenting experience!
Photo by Walaa Khaleel on Unsplash
