Before your toddler is potty or toilet trained, you’re probably going to be facing a total of around 4,500 nappy changes. If you average a nappy change at around 2 minutes (if you’re lucky), that equates to 9,000 minutes of nappy changing, or 150 hours of your life!
If that hasn’t put you off, I hope to keep your attention by introducing a few top tip parenting style hacks to make nappy changing less of a chore, and more fun. I know fun and changing nappies don’t generally go hand in hand, but it’s about time to change that around.
- Mentally Prepare for the Situation
If you know what you’re dealing with before entering the zone, it can make things a little easier. I know I’m going to sound a little crazy here, but you can turn it into a bit of a guessing game. Maybe your little one makes a certain face or noise when they’ve done a poonami. You could start scoring points between you to see if you can guess right or wrong.
- Pull Everything Down
When your little monster decides to create a messy explosion, it can cause a lot of mind boggling as to how not to get the contents of their nappy in their hair. My little hack here is to pull everything down, thus creating a pile of mess in one location. Lots of baby clothes are designed to ensure you can dress a baby up or down. You know those little vests with an envelope style neckline? They pull all the way down past that messy bottom.
- Be Pre-emptive with Boys
There’s something in the air when it comes to little boys and their nappies. I have lost count of the amount of times my munchkin has done a wee during a nappy change, during a weigh-in, you name it. With this one, I like to act fast! Be sure to have a nappy at the ready, or a paper towel to act as a barrier between you and the inevitable wee that’s about to hit you.
- Get Your Wipes at the Ready
I guarantee that you don’t want to be caught short by faffing about with packs of nappies during a nappy change. Certain wet wipe brands are easier to deal with than others, but they all tend to have one thing in common. The dreaded sticker layer between the pack and your much-needed wet wipe! Always make sure that sticker is removed before you enter a nappy changing war. You do not want to be fighting to get into a packet of wipes whilst your baby wriggles around on the supermarket changing table which of course they find hilarious.
- It’s Okay to Admit Defeat
Sometimes it’s simply just not possible to partake in a nappy change without reinforcements. Whether this is a helping hand or a bathtub, it’s okay to give in. I guarantee you will find yourself in this situation plenty of times with your bundle of joy. I have on many occasions looked at my little boy, threw my hands up in the air and turned the shower on. Babies are geniuses when it comes to spreading their nappy contents all over their body and frankly no wet wipe is going to tackle that beast. I once called my neighbour in the early days in a panic; I witnessed a fountain of poo seep out from under the highchair. Sometimes just having someone to talk to is enough to get you refocussed – make sure your Mum support crew are available via WhatsApp!
- Distraction
This is an art you’ll need to master, and every baby is different to each other. Perhaps yours enjoys Peppa Pig or a song, or maybe he or she finds Mummy or Daddy’s funny facial expressions enough to keep their attention. Whatever trick you have up your sleeve, use it as a distraction! When your baby starts to move and shake, things get a lot more difficult. Having a toddler trying to escape mid nappy change is a skill unbeknownst to man.
- Improvise
I’ve saved the best until last, or so you think! Improvisation may not have been your strong point up until now, but I can assure you that it will need to be. The thing is babies and toddlers have a knack for timing their nappy filling at the worst moments. I have probably changed more nappies in the back of my car than I’ve had hot coffees in the last 12 months. Improvising is now your best friend. Yes, you may get some funny looks, but as long as you and your baby are safe, a clean nappy makes for a happier baby, and that is going to be invaluable during a 2-hour drive.
More Parent Hack Blog Posts That You May Enjoy:
The Ultimate Multi Tasking Parenting Hack
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