by Madiha | May 14, 2020 | Baby Care, Motherhood
When you head out to the hospital for delivery, you should know you will be in the hands of responsible health care professionals for making sure both you and the baby are in good condition. The team at the hospital consists of the obstetricians, midwives, doctors, nurses, and lactation specialists.
The moment your baby is born, doctors or midwives encourage moms to have skin-to-skin bonding with a baby. In the case of vaginal delivery, moms can immediately enjoy bonding with the baby right after she is born. However, in C-section delivery, dad may get the opportunity to enjoy skin-to-skin contact with a baby.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more information.
What happens to the baby immediately after birth
Every baby that arrives in this world need some procedures immediately after birth.
Curious to know what happens to the baby after birth? Things you should know about post-birth procedures for the baby.
1. Apgar Evaluation
This is a necessary evaluation procedure done after birth. The purpose is to see if there are any medical concerns or not. Doctors measure five signs of the baby’s condition
- Heart rate
- Breathing
- Reflexes
- Activity and muscles tone
- Skin color
Apgar evaluation score varies from 0 to 10. Babies who score 7 or more are considered healthy. Low Apgar score does not mean any necessary medical concerns.
Researchers say that in more than 98% of babies, quite often the Apgar score reaches 7 within 5 minutes of baby’s life as it is checked twice in the first 5 minutes of baby’s life after birth.
2. Vitamin K injection
Babies are born with vitamin K deficiency as it does not reach the placenta during pregnancy. Thus, doctors make sure that babies get vitamin K injection right after birth to make sure no bleeding in the brain or intestines could occur. Right after the birth baby is given vitamin K injection to help with blood to clot.
3. Antibiotic eye ointment
Your baby will be applied Erythromycin an eye antibiotic ointment to her eyes so that it does not cause an infection that could occur during delivery. Infections could occur due to sexually transmitted diseases, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
If you are concerned, babies can see through the ointment and it is not irritating for babies.
4. Oxygen saturation testing
This procedure is done to check for lower levels of oxygen in the baby’s bloodstream that might identify any significant yet rare heart defects. This is a needleless procedure involves placing a band-aid-like sensor on the baby’s right hand and right foot.
4. Baby Foot is printed
Your baby’s tiny foot is printed for you to take home.
Haven’t decided your baby’s name yet? You can pick a unique name for your baby girl here.
Choose a unique name for your son.
5. Identification Bands on wrists and legs
Your baby will also be wearing an identification band on with your name as a mother.
6. Skin-to-skin
Research has shown that an hour after birth, when your baby is very awake and alert and during that time and it is highly recommended when mother and baby have to be more on skin to skin.
7. Regulating the baby’s body temperature
Baby’s lose body heat fairly quickly, thus it is highly advisable to practice more and more skin to skin to regulate the baby’s body temperature after birth. For that reason, hats are essentials for newborns for the first several weeks as they tend to lose body heat through the head -as the head is the largest organ of the body for newborns.
Check out cute hats for baby girls.
Hats for newborn boys
8. Latching or Breastfeeding right after birth
As soon as your baby is done with all those requirements after birth, mothers are advised to start breastfeeding their babies right away, as this will help with the flow of milk supply for moms.
Breastfeeding has numerous benefits along with it helps the uterus to come back to its original size within 6 weeks. Breastfeeding is tough for the first several weeks after that it becomes the most convenient and healthy way to nourish your baby.
40+ Breastfeeding basics for new moms.
Lactation consultants can help new moms with breastfeeding journey. Take an online breastfeeding class at your own pace by Stacey. She is a Certified Lactation educator at Milkology.
Also, You may want to take breastfeeding classes at the hospital.but at that time, you are so tired and exhausted, you may not even feel like struggling after those hard sleepless labor hours.
Check out the breastfeeding class now.
9. Bonding with your baby
Right after birth, It is very normal to feel overjoyed to see your little bundle of happiness. Some mothers cannot feel that way which is normal too. Do not stress about bonding if you are not in that state of mind, because most of the time it is the effect of medicines as well.
However, dads would be happy to perform skin to skin if mom is having a surgical delivery.
I had two C-section deliveries. At the time my first one was born I was in labor pains for three days, tired and exhausted, yet I just was super excited about bonding with my little guy. On the other hand, while with my second delivery, it took a while for me to feel normal again I was having extreme shoulder pain and my blood pressure dropped significantly. I just could not talk. And I could not hold her for a long time.
That being said, convey your concerns immediately if you do not feel okay about anything. You can bond skin-to-skin the moment you start feeling better and want to connect.
10. Nursing, latching, and feeding after childbirth
If you are a first-time mom, and you THINK that you KNOW how to breastfeed, do not stay in this misconception.
There is a big difference between knowing something and actually doing it.
Some babies do not know how to latch. They will learn slowly and gradually. However, some babies are great at latching. They know suckle very well since birth.
I would highly recommend first-time moms consult a lactation specialist. Many hospitals in the US offer super helpful lactation classes. Like I said, at that time, you are so exhausted to even try. The lactation consultants will visit you every day during your hospital stay and are there to help. Seek help, consult if you are struggling with breastfeeding.
Doctors would not allow you to go home if your baby is not having enough wet and dirty diapers within 24 to 48 hours. This means your baby is not having enough to eat although babies do not need a lot. For the first couple of days, a few drops of colostrum should be fine as long as you are seeing wet diapers.
Breastmilk takes a few days to establish a sufficient milk supply for the baby. I highly recommend taking a breastfeeding class online while you are still at home and you could learn new things.
Check out Breastfeeding class by Certified Lactation Educator.
11. Newborn Sleep
You might have heard from a lot of people that newborns love to sleep. Yes, but they do not know the difference between day and night just yet. It takes a while for newborns to follow a good sleep schedule even after sleeping 20 hours a day. New moms get sleep-deprived because getting straight 3 hour sleep is like a dream.
Try to educate yourself about baby sleep problems before the baby arrives.
Get this sleep ebook for you, it is about understanding the baby’s sleep dos and dont’s so you can follow a better, doable schedule for your baby. Eventually, it could get you some 5 hours of sleep at night.
Check out this Sleep eBook Now – a must-have for every parent.
Read More
22 facts about newborns, every new mom should know.
40+ newborn hacks for new moms
Get to know what happens during the hospital stay with mom and the baby.
by Madiha | May 2, 2020 | Baby Care
Choosing a name for your baby is an exciting and challenging at the same time. Parents may feel overwhelmed due to too many name choices out there.
However, the best way to making it easy to decide one name out of plenty is to funnel down your research about baby names.
The most important factors to short list few names are:
First Letter – The first letter you want your baby’s name to start with.
Cultural factors – Keeping your culture into consideration.
Pronunciation – How is the name pronounced in native accents. Especially, if you are bilingual, then you have to ruminate on all the aspects.
A name that clicks – You can feel a connection the moment you hear it. In my experience, I wanted to name my daughter with letter A or M, and the name for her that clicked starts with letter Z.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more information.
Modern and Unique Baby Girl names with meanings
Ideally, every parent wants a unique name for the baby. A name that stands out, and not too many people already have it. Keeping your wishlist about unique, fashionable, short, and sweet girl names in the context, here is a list curated for parents who want to choose a beautiful name for the baby.
Aara means “Adoring”
Aini mean “spring Flower”
Aazeen means “Beauty”
Aleyna means “above us”
Ayra means “respectable”
Amal Means “hope and inspiration”
Amany means “a wish”
Claire means “bright”
Allison means “noble”
Amber Means “Jewel”
Amalia means “aspirations”
Amel means “hope”
Amena means “honest and utterly pure”
Ana means “prestige and self respect”
Anah means “Patience”
Anja means “beauty”
Anya means “Gracious”
Ariana means “Full of life”
Arya means “noble”
Aysha means “respectable woman”
Aida means “happy”
Luna means “moon”
Avery means “wise”
Layla means “night”
Nora means “honor”
Maya Means “water”
Riley means “valiant”
Lilian means “purity”
Mila means “Gracious”
Cara means “beloved”
Clara means “famous”
Erina means “beautiful lady”
Fara means “sunset”
Farha means “happiness”
Fatim means “a woman worthy of”
Ifza mean “protective angel”
Irsa means “Rainbow”
Arya means”noble”
Ella means “beautiful”
Jade means “precious stone”
Hannah means “grace of God”
Sadie means “Princess”
Zoya means “life and happiness”
Zoe means “Life”
Ariel means “Lion of God”
Abigail means “Father’s Joy”
Ray means “beam of light”
Blakely means “dark wood”
Kimberly means “royal fortress”
Freya means “noble lady”
Maha mean “moon like”
Mara mean “happiness and joy”
Daneen means “Princess”
Dina means “Love”
Dua means “Prayer”
Raina or Rayna means “Peaceful Queen”
Ranya means conqueror
Reem means beautiful Gazelle
Reyah means comfort
Roma means truthful honest
Zaara means beautiful flower
Zaina means beautful
Zaira means princess
Zareen means full of smile
Everly means “grazing meadow”
Savannah means “flat tropical grassland”
Zeba means beauty
Zeena means beauty
Zenia means flower
Zoha means light
Amy means “beloved”
Elice means ” God has answered:
River means “stream of water”
Olive mean “fruit of heaven”
Lauren means “sweet of honor”
Gemma means “Name of the jewel”
This list is a unique and modern blend of names you can choose for your baby’s first name. However, some of the names you may want to opt for the baby’s middle name. Some of the names are unisex that you can pick for both boys and girls.
Once you name the baby, you may like to have a customized baby name blanket as a keepsake.
Read more
Baby’s essential clothing and accessories.
Newborn care hacks for new moms.
Tips and ideas to set up baby nursery.
by Madiha | Apr 17, 2020 | Baby Care, Motherhood
The year 2020 had an unfortunate beginning due to an amid breakout of COVID-19. During this time, everyone is struggling to stay safe and healthy due to a rapid increase in the number of people tested positive.
New moms and expectant moms are worried more than ever now. Doctors are not seeing pregnant women in their clinics, rather most of them are having video appointments keeping safety and health into consideration for both mom and the baby
Keeping your newborn safe during this time is your top priority. If babies are exposed to sick people (or asymptomatic people) it is very likely for them to catch the virus. So for that reason, if you have a newborn at hand, please do not leave home unnecessary.
The government is on reopening the country now. Gradually, everything is going to open, and as a mom, you have to think about your kids’ safety.
We all are frustrated sitting at home, kids are cranky, but the truth is, this is not over yet. Every step matters, so try to make wise choices for your family.
Once the country reopens, it’s reasonably wise to avoid going to restaurants, malls, and anything crowded for now if you have kids at home. I completely understand the frustration of not being able to go out. Even if you do choose to go out for recreational purposes, take essential precautionary measures.
It is nearly impossible for a mom with little kids, to isolate from her kids if anyone falls sick. Unfortunately, this coronavirus situation is rough, as it is going to be our “new normal.” We have to take serious measures that we have never thought of doing it in the past.
In this post, we talk about how new moms can protect their newborns if they have to go outside, and you have no choice but to take their newborns with them.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more information.
Tips for mom to keep newborns (infant) safe during a pandemic
When you are living alone – independently, no family or you are a single mom – and you have to go get groceries. As a mom what are the precautions you need to do to protect your infant and other kids?
Protect yourself first
I always wondered why every time you board on an aircraft and the aircrew would tell you to put on your oxygen mask first and then on a child next to you.
A Mother in every mother would want to protect her child first.
Besides what is going on all around the world, you have to make sure, you are taking the right measures to protect yourself, even you are going out or not.
Read CDC Guidelines on how you can protect yourself and others.
Steps you have to take to minimize the risk
- Wear a mask at all times while you are outside. Make sure it is clean and washable – if you do not have disposable ones. I have sewn masks for my family after watching the video on Youtube I could make masks super quick.
2. Keep a sanitizer in your car. If you do not have a sanitizer, keep a hand wash and fill up a gallon of water for frequent and better handwashing.
3. Weather is getting a little warmer in several weeks, so it would be better to wear flip flops and wash them when you get home or leave your shoe outside. As per CDC guidelines, the virus does transfer on shoe soles. So why take a risk even.
4. I would not suggest you wearing gloves, because in my opinion, when you are wearing gloves, you would never feel what surface you touched the last time. For that reason, you would not feel the need to wash your hands. Nevertheless, the best defense for this virus is frequent handwashing.
Newborn protection when going out
Well, as a matter of fact, we cannot have newborns wear the mask due to a risk of SIDS. However, you still have to protect your baby from inhaling anything that is dangerous.
You need a car seat cover to keep anything from inhaling.
You can also use a muslin Blanket to cover baby’s carseat so it would not slip away.
When you cover baby’s car seat or baby’s face while sitting in the stroller, you have to make sure there is enough breathing room for the baby.
This pandemic is going to take several months to even slow down, thus, protection and safety are essential during this time to keep your household safe. Days are going to be hot and if you have covered stroller or car seat with a blanket, be vigilant of the temperature inside the cover.
You must know that a temperature under the blanket or cover or inside the car (Closed windows) is several degrees higher than outside.
Never leave your baby in the car alone, even you have to leave for 5 minutes. Nope, not at all. It’s not worth it!
How to protect your newborns when you are going out in normal circumstances.
Breastfeeding helps immune support for babies
Nursing moms are aware of the benefits breastmilk has. It has antibodies that protect babies from getting sick and it makes immune system strong.
If you are pregnant and do not have any other health condition that could keep you from breastfeeding, you must choose to breastfeed for the better health and safety for your baby.
If you are breastfeeding already, amp up your game of nursing and feed your baby on demand as much as you can.
40+ Breastfeeding tips for new moms.
Do not quit breastfeeding at this point
Breastfeeding gets hard and painful sometimes and you do not want to continue anymore. Right now that’s not what is needed. Nurse for a little longer if you can.
Common breastfeeding discomforts and how you can ease.
But if you want to wean off your toddler from breastfeeding, I would say wait for a couple more months and keep nursing for baby’s health and safety.
Be mindful of how you soothe your crying baby
While you are outside, you have to be super vigilant when and how you are soothing a crying baby.
- The moment your newborn gets hungry, she is going to suck on her hands. Try not to touch baby’s hands once you are out of the house, only if it is to clean baby’s hands.
- Sanitize your hands before you pick up your baby.
- Do not take baby toys along for a short visit to grocery store.
- When you hold your baby, you need to make sure, it would not have any consequences.
- Take baby inside only if you have no other choice to leave baby at home with a caretaker (a family member).
- You can also have someone watch your baby in the car while you can run errands.
Baby clothing & Accessories
When all the stores are closed nationwide during these times of pandemic, chances are, you have to order baby items online if you are expecting anytime soon or have a growing child with growing. Wash baby’s clothes before you have your baby wear them, regardless.
Either clothes are hand-me-downs or brand new, try to wash them.
In case you are wondering what clothes you need for your newborn, here are the essential must-haves for the baby.
How to protect your toddler and other kids
Teach your toddler how to wear a mask while you go outside. You can make some fun masks for your little ones, using their outgrown character shirts, flannel blankets, etc.
Focus on kids immune support.
Once your toddler turns two, start giving your child supplements as a part of her diet (if she does not have any health concerns).
Elderberry fruit supplements are known to be effective for protecting kids from influenza-like viruses. Always discuss with your pediatrician before you start multivitamins for your kids.
Multivitamins would help to improve the immune support system. Also, it would help your body fighting common cold and flu and other diseases, so your chances to fall sick get slim. and if you do in the worst case, you recover fast.
What to do when country re-opens
Moms and dads with little kids need to be extra cautious once county re-opens, regardless of where you are living.
We all are frustrated and depressed because of the lockdown, financial stress is taking toll on everyone’s mental health. Experts say people may get infected more once the county reopens. For that reason, we have to strive for not being a reason for infecting others in any way.
- Practice Social Distancing – Hard it may sound, but that’s the only way we can pull ourselves out of this pandemic safe. Thanks to our health workers who are working 24/7 around the clock for us.
- Practice hand-washing inside and outside of the house. Again, I would say keep a gallon of water (make sure you can cap it well, so it doesn’t spill) and hand- soap in the trunk of your car.
- If you are going for a long drive, try not to stop at rest areas public restrooms for handwashing if you have little kids with you. Also, instead of using hand sanitizer (which is rarely available in stores now) kids and you can wash hands with soap and water.
- Avoid using public bathrooms and rest areas as much as you can while you are at the beach or at a restaurant.
- Wash your clothes regularly.
- Wear a mask while we are outside, and we might have to wear it for at least a year since we still do not know if it comes back in a second wave.
Stay safe, be prepared and protect your family and yourself.
Read more
Healthy choices you should make to keep your family safe and healthy.
Tips for moms for going out with a newborn
by Madiha | Apr 1, 2020 | Baby Care
Clothing accessories you need for your baby realistically in the coming weeks and months are a few items not in a dozen of quantity as your baby is going to grow out of it before you even know it.
What your baby needs after birth and several weeks after, should be enough for you to get ready with before you bring baby home. Typically, it is not as easy to go out and shop around with a few days old babies. For that reason, have every clothing essential ready for at least 6 to 8 weeks for you and the baby.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more information.
Baby’s Clothing and accessories you should have for the baby
Hospitals in the US provide basic onesies while you stay at the hospital for delivery. You don’t have to worry about your hospital bag if you need to rush – just in case.
Here is what to expect – what happens during your hospital stay for child birth.
By week 34 your hospital bag should be ready as it could be anytime now. So here is what clothing essentials you need for the first several months for your baby.
Related: Here is what you need to pack in your hospital back without overpacking.
Undershirts or onesies
You need a few basic onesies in a newborn size that can be worn as an undershirt.
Keeping the weather in mind is always a fair approach to reasonably dress up your baby. Avoiding too many layers in heating and air conditioning is a good idea. Also, try to limit layers depending on the location if you are inside or outside the house.
Pajamas and sleepers – for newborns, you do not need special Pjs, just a footed onesie or a nightgown, whatever makes the diaper change easy at night.
Baby Blankets or sleep sacks
Wearable blankets or sleep sacks would also ensure sound night time clothing. Burt Bees 100% organic cotton wearable blanket is very popular among new parents. Especially for babies who have over-sensitive skin or eczema concerns.
As a safety consideration, do not use baby blankets in the crib as it may increase the risk of SIDS. Although you may want to have a baby blanket for the car seat or just as a cover-up. You can get a cute customized blanket for your baby.
Baby swaddles are essential for a perfect sleep schedule that you may want to start right from the beginning.
Check out the Halo sleepsack that parents love for their babies. It has a lot of room for the baby to relax, wiggle, and stretch.
Baby Socks
Getting too many socks is not a sound idea for this newborn period. You also do not have to find non-skid onesies as long as your baby starts walking. Once the baby is ready to crawl and tries to stand holding on to something, then you need no-skid socks and onesies.
Check these out:
no-skid socks
footed no-skid onesies.
However, if you still want to get something to cover the baby’s feet, get a footed onesie or put on socks underneath to keep them warm and cozy.
Baby socks are essentials when the baby is crawling and learning to walk. You may get zillion pair of socks. But here are some fun socks that your baby is actually going to love and enjoy.
Check out these cute fun socks ideal for a baby’s sensory development.
Baby shoes
Newborn’s shoes look so cute but they are not for walking. I would not suggest you buy too many shoes for newborns. There is quite a possibility you get a few pairs in your baby shower gifts. However, you just have to make sure you have enough pairs for newborn Photoshoot or month-by-month photography.
Check out these “Too Cute” Baby Girls Shoes.
Baby Hats
Do you know why babies need to wear hats, despite how hot it is outside? The baby’s head is the largest organ as compared to the lower body, tends to lose heat faster and for that reason, the baby has to wear a hat at all times at least for the first several weeks after birth.
Get hold of a cute looking no-slip hats for your baby. Sometimes hats tend to slip away and covers the baby’s face while they are in the car seat. New parents need to be vigilant at all times once you have a newborn along.
Baby Bibs
For nursing moms and formula-feeding moms, baby bibs are a must-have. Baby bibs have a purpose, and that is, you need to make sure the baby’s neck folds do not have milk residue that may be dripping while you feed.
Bandana bibs are stylish are work best for everyday drooling. However, on the practical side, silicon oversized bibs are best around 4 months of age, when the baby is starting solids.
Right size clothes
For an average-sized baby around newborn clothing size fit for about 2 to 4 weeks. When your baby is about a month old, it is very likely, 3 months size would fit your baby.
Every baby has its own growth pattern. Generally, formula fed babies gain weight rapidly as compared to breastfed babies.
You do not have to pile up so many outfits for newborn size as baby grow out too soon before you even know it. However, you can stock up size 3 to 6 months and 6 to 9 months as they may fit for most of the months until your baby turns a year old. Keeping a significant amount of diaper blowouts in mind, you sure need enough size 3 to 6 and 6 to 9 during the first several months.
Read all size and weight specifications on clothing tags when you are purchasing outfits. Carter’s clothings are very practical for every day wear. For some reasons they do run small or accurate as per baby’s weight and height. Thus, the best thing is to buy a bigger size rather than getting a small one.
Remember sizing varies with every brand. Some may fit accurately as described, whereas some may run small or big. When choosing the colors, if you want to go for neutral colors that may be of some benefit for more babies to come.
Rest assured, babies size do not change that quickly, once she turns one (or as faster as the first several months).
Here is the list of minimums you need in each size. You can add or subtract as per your choice.
- Newborn Size 0 – 5 to 6 outfits, if you really want to have plenty, not more than 8 in my opinion. .
- Infant Size 3 to 6 months at least 10 outfits.
- Baby Size 6 to 9 months at least 15 outfits.
- Size 9 to 12 months at least 15 outfits
Other than that – I would highly recommend you getting significant amount of baby bottoms in each size. Thanks to baby diaper blowouts.
Learn how you can prevent diaper blowouts from happening.
As per my experience, do not get anything that is tight on the abdominal or tummy area for night-time. Loose-fitting clothes will help baby release gas quickly. Read more effective tips to ease baby having gas issues.
Easy access for diaper Changing
When choosing your baby’s outfit for day and night, you have to make sure it has easy access for changing diapers at night too. Some parents find two-piece clothing as perfect for night time, however, some prefer the pack and play onesies with zipper. It’s all about preference. You will figure out in a few nights what seems easy for you and your baby.
Learn how you can prevent diaper leaks during the night.
If you choose clothing with
zippers, make sure you keep zip and fabric away from baby’s skin in order to
avoid inadvertently zipping your baby’s skin.
Dressing Technique
When you are dressing up your
baby, make sure you position her well on the changing pad.
Make sure you have your hand
at the back of baby’s head for support
Put on onesies Over the head
and then gently put baby on her back and then limbs one by one through arm
holes.
Be gentle and keep baby in
safe position at all times.
For zippers and one-piece outfits, lay down the outfit first on the changing pad. Lay down your baby gently on the outfit and then put arms inside and then legs and then zip it up.
In case of a huge blowout, keep a disposable pad or a towel on changing pad to avoid further mess. Read this for everything you need to know about diapers.
For soiled clothing, for
those which have shoulder snaps, pull it down from the waist to legs to keep
mess contained and not getting it in the hair.
For onesies which have no
wide shoulder to pull it down, roll up carefully to contain the soiled onesie
getting into baby’s hair.
Use mitten to Keep the baby’s hands covered in order to avoid face scratching. Mitten may tend to stay loose on the baby’s tiny hands. Look for newborn outfits that come with a flap inside the baby’s sleeve to keep hands covered.
Check out some babies onesies that come with sleeves flap.
Safety consideration for baby’s clothing and accessories
- Your baby should feel safe and comfortable to sleep.
- There should be no strings, pins or anything that could be dangerous for baby’s health.
- Making sure your baby does not have any removable object on her clothing that could be a potential risk in any way.
How to Clean and wash baby clothes
Some babies, not all, may have sensitive skin and it could trigger some allergies with particular fabrics. So, just to be safe, you can wash all baby clothes prior to use only those which are going to have direct contact with skin, not outerwear.
I know many moms and grandmothers like to pack washed and clean baby clothes in your hospital bag. I did not do it for my kids because I never thought bout doing it, so it’s your choice anyway.
However, if your baby happens to have a skin allergy or sensitive skin, you should get Burt-bees organic clothing for your baby. I am a huge fan of soft fabric, and Burt Bees have the organic material that is safe for baby’s delicate skin.
Washing Baby’s clothes
Detergents, using baby-safe soaps or fragrance-free detergents for at least the first three months, is not a MommyTrap kind of a thing. Some fragrant products may trigger eczema in babies. Before you switch to regular laundry detergent, it is indeed a great way to wait for the first couple of months to rule out any signs of skin allergies or irritations which the baby might develop after birth.
Stain removal
Washing breastmilk or formula milk spit up, or a soiled outfit instantly can minimize stains but sometimes you do not have that option. Some diaper blowouts are so massive that you cannot even think about washing them in such circumstances. I even had to trash some brand new onesies at public restrooms while we were traveling as they were impossible to be washed or packed dirt.
You can use this stain remover to save your baby’s new outfits.
In order to prevent diaper blowouts, you can get a diaper extender to protect your baby’s clothes from poop stains. I think it’s time to go to a whole new level of baby essentials.
Read more
Baby’s first year essentials you must have before baby comes home.
Baby Bath essentials – What you need for bathing at home.
How you can organize baby’s clothes and accessories in your home before baby arrives.
Newborn care hacks for new moms.
by Madiha | Mar 18, 2020 | Baby Care, Motherhood
Diapering is an unavoidable part of parenthood. Your kids cannot go diaper-less until they are 2 to 3 years old. On average parents change 3000 diapers during their first year alone, and that makes roughly about 8 to 12 diapers a day.
Baby diapering Guide – Everything new parents need to know
As a matter of fact, not everyone is a pro in diapering. There are potential risks of pee sprays, blowouts and a lot more battle going on for parents. The art of diapering involves doing it, faster, less mess, and getting better every time parents change baby diapers.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more information.
Cloth versus disposable Diapers
There are two ways for diapering, one is a disposable way and the other one is a washable way, meaning cloth diapering. Before you decide which one to choose, as a new parent you need to consider both options.
Disposable diapers
Disposable diapers are very absorbent and feel dry for the baby until they get over soaked in pee. Most of the good diaper brands take about 8 to 12 hours on average with one diaper taking in pee only.
However, newborns tend to change at least 8 to 12 diapers a day as they are peeing and pooping more frequently.
Also, Using disposable diapers make babies more vulnerable to diaper rashes believed by cloth diaper advocates.
However, no matter what may be the pros and cons are of cloth and disposable diapers, the biggest advantage of using disposable diapers is it definitely adds convenience to parenthood.
Cloth diapers
Cloth diapers are made with soft cotton and believed to be more comfortable than disposable ones. However, they are not very absorbent and needs diaper change quite frequently. They have an outer layer of stay dry cover which does not let everything getting wet outside.
The main advantage for moms using cloth diaper for their babies is, it is COST SAVING only if you are washing it by yourself at home. If you are getting the washing done from diaper service then it is going to cost for detergents and water. That being said, it is not as cost-effective if you have to pay for washing services.
Certainly using a cloth diaper is an environment-friendly choice and less convenient for the most part.
That being said as a parent, you know what is best for your child.
PreemieMomTips blog has a detailed guide on cloth diapering.
What Diaper brand to choose
Choosing a good brand of diapers is very important. Generally, some more absorbant diapers tend to be more expensive, and the cheaper ones happen to be less absorbent. Either way, It costs you pretty much the same meaning, more cheap diaper approximately equal to less expensive diapers.
And one more thing is about the baby’s sensitive skin. Keeping the baby’s skin in mind is an important aspect of choosing diapers (Cloth Vs Disposable).
Pee detector is another factor you have to choose for the newborn phase. Diapers that have pee detectors are perfect for the first 3 months when you have to monitor baby’s wet diapers. Just FYI pee detector turns the line blue when your baby urinates.
Diaper sizing
Choose the right size for
your baby. As babies grow they get to pee and poop more so eventually you would
need more absorbency.
If you notice you are having frequent diaper leaks and blowouts, it’s time to go a size up. Bigger size means more absorbency.
For some babies, the diaper size and weight limit run small, do not be afraid to try one size up if your baby feels tighter in the tummy area.
Avoid diapering on the umbilical cord until it comes off. Many newborn diaper brands have umbilical cord safety curve on top, you can still fold the diaper from the top just to be safe with the umbilical cord.
The most challenging part of parenthood is preventing blowouts because there are going to be zillion until your baby starts walking. Read some tricks to prevent blowouts that new parents must know.
Buying diapers
As a first-time parent when you buy diapers do not stockpile small sizes too much. To get an idea, your baby is going to grow out of newborn size and size 1 within 6 to 8 weeks.
Pampers Swaddlers are the best for size 0 and size 1 diaper with urine detector.
Pampers cruisers are the best so far in absorbancy, fitting and coverage once your baby moves to size 2 and up.
Get the small size in lesser quantity
By the end of two months, most babies fit well in size 2. therefore, Do not buy too many small sizes in the beginning.
Divide the number of diapers with a cost of so you will know how much it going to cost you per diaper and how many you going to need in a day. Do your math and find deals.
Every baby is different, some may have a chubby physique and some are lean so fitting and absorbency both matters.
Find and Cut coupons
You can get coupons deals,
use them to cut diapers costs.
Think big and buy in advance – if you find good deals, think about buying diapers in advance. Moreover, you may able to find deals online on Amazon for a good price. Other stores like Target offer a gift card on the purchase of baby essentials for a certain amount.
Watch out for the fake diapers that are low on quality as well as absorbancy.
Wipes for newborns
Wipes are used for cleaning poop after every soiled diaper change. Diapers and wipes are frequently bought together. However, wipes can still be harsh for a baby’s soft skin.
For sensitive skin, the best you can do is after wiping baby’s bottom, use a wet soft washcloth or you can wash baby bum every time you change a diaper. Make sure you dry the baby’s bottom thoroughly with a clean towel. A poop residue may trigger skin rash, in that case, washing with water is the best remedy.
Ideally, keeping skin sensitivity in mind choose wipes that are fragrance-free as fragrant wipes may trigger eczema related issues in babies. I highly recommend using fragrance-free Huggies wipes. They are soft and cleans well.
Baby wipes are not normally flushable wipes, so do not flush them in the toilet unless you are using flushable wipes.
In order to be cost-effective in terms of buying wipes, you may prefer washing to minimize the overuse of wipes.
Wipe warmers -why you don’t need it
Wipe warmers keep wipes warm when the temperature is cold and wipes feel cold on the baby’s skin. Your baby is going to adjust with wipes temperature fairly quickly even if you do not use wipe warmers.
Tip: do not try to waste your money on warmers.
Tips on Changing diapers
Changing a diaper is a technique new mom and dad need to follow.
- Keep diapers, wipes, diaper disposing sacks, diaper pail, diaper rash cream at an arm’s reach.
- In case of accidents, an extra outfit, a towel, an extra help of your partner (if he is around).
- You need to have multiple locations in your home for diaper changing.
- Keep in mind, most babies tend to pee as soon as they are exposed to air. Cover baby boy’s penis with a paper towel when you open baby diaper. You will learn the technique once you change a couple of diapers for your newborn.
- Put a fresh diaper under baby bottom before opening the wet or soiled diaper.
- Make sure you have a picture side on the front and tabs side on the back.
- Lift her legs up and wipe off the bottom. You can put wipes in the dirty diaper and fold it. Make sure the baby’s bottom is clean and it is not going to soil the fresh diaper.
- Once you make sure the baby’s bottom is clean, put the soiled diaper in a disposing sack and put it in the trash can.
- Close the clean diaper by sticking tabs on the front side.
- Make sure it is snuggled well on the baby’s thighs and belly. A loose or low diaper would lead to early, messy and undesirable content to escape from the diaper.
Bed liners, underpads, crib mattress pads, chux, these can help you save your home from pee and poop.
A word on the boys’ Diaper change
boys tend to spray during a diaper change. Be cautious when you have a boy at hand. Leave him open for a lesser time, be quick in your task and once you are about to close, point his penis downwards to avoid unnecessary urine sneaking out.
A word on the girls’ Diaper change
On the contrary, girls tend to have areas where poop is hidden. Well, to ensure a gentle cleaning, do not be harsh on the inner areas of the lady part as it could cause undue irritation. It is not necessary to wipe a white discharge between the folds of labia.
However, this is to remind you, just to avoid Urinary tract infections, you have to make sure you wipe from front to back.
Moreover, a healthy way could be a little wash down with fresh water to ensure cleaning.
Diaper changing safety
consideration
- Never leave your baby unattended
- Avoid changing table falls by strapping your baby securely
- Beware of talcum powder. Do not use baby talcum powders on diaper areas as they are a risk to lungs if inhaled. However, if you still want you can use TALC free.
- Keep plastic bags, safety pins or any harmful object out of baby’s reach
Facts about Strange diaper objects
- Crystal-like particles are formed due to over soak in diapers. Changing frequently can stop them from appearing.
- Very rarely you may notice a Colored secretion in a diaper. Always discuss with your doctor if something concerns you in any way.
Ways to dispose of diapers
Disposing diapers can be tricky. If you have a sensitive nose you may want to get specially designed odor eliminator diaper pails. Although it won’t smell outside still the odor gets worse inside.
Many parents prefer using diaper pails and for that, you need diaper pails refills.
Just a reminder – Anything similar to the diaper pail and diaper genie can be super smelly and for that reason, I would never use that. Those who may use it and recommend may have a better way to do it.
For both of my kids, I was disposing of diapers in a regular lid trash cans and manage to trash them out twice or thrice a week. I use diaper disposing sacks for soiled diapers every time I dispose them of. Also, You may not need to dispose of wet diapers in the sack.
Here are the things I would recommend for disposing of diapers.
Medium size trash can with lid
Diaper Disposing Bags
Trash Can Deodorizers for odor elimination
Diaper
rashes
Skin irritation on the diaper
area is called diaper rash.
Babies could get rashes due to a number of factors but generally, it is hard to find a reason in their newborn period. The most significant reason is, contact with pee or poop can sometimes be enough to cause skin irritation.
In some cases, a yeast called Candida Albicans is responsible for causing considerable redness and irritation. Sometimes this yeast finds its way to the inside of an infant’s mouth causing thrush.
Diaper rash may get worsen due to pee or poop, hot weather, and long hours without getting changed.
How you can Treat a diaper rash
Frequently changing wet or dirty diapers and keep the area clean and dry minimize rashes significantly.
Minimizing anything that triggers rash is all you have to do, as the use of detergents, soap, diaper brands, and wipes anything can cause diaper rash. Meanwhile. changing any of them may help.
Additionally, the use of zinc oxide, ointments or petroleum jelly may help.
For severe rash, always discuss with a doctor about possible treatment. Your pediatrics may prescribe steroids or antifungal cream to treat diaper rashes.
Remedies for treating rashes
Using just a bit of baby
powder (talc free) to keep area dry and avoid rashes.
Mix organic mustard oil mixed with water with equal proportions. Apply on a clean area before putting on the diaper. This is tried and tested and works 99.99% of the time to treat rashes.
Applying breastmilk is also known to be one of the most effective remedies for treating rashes.
Apply corn starch mixed with water is an effective remedy for treating rashes.
Read more
Why babies get diaper rashes and how to treat a rash effectively.
Swimming Diapers and Training Diapers
For swimming, your baby cannot wear a regular diaper as it is going to soak up water and finally burst into crystal-like particles and that is not recommended for public Pool settings anyway.
For babies and toddlers that are not toilet trained, you need to get swimming diapers. They are not going to soak pee while in water, whereas the purpose is to contain poop so it doesn’t get into the water.
For toilet training, toddlers need training diapers that are easy to pull down and up and save your home from accidents.
Diaper blowout Blocker
Newborns ruin their onesies A LOT due to poop explosions. There is a solution to protect your baby’s new outfits from getting poop stains by using blowout blocker, diaper extension. As a new parent, diapering is a whole new thing and challenging as well.
Read more
Tips and tricks to prevent diaper blowouts for babies.
5 Tips to Prevent Diaper leaks at night.
by Madiha | Mar 5, 2020 | Baby Care, Kids
Is your child waking up in the middle of the night due to a leaked diaper?
Clearly, diaper leakage in the middle of the night results in nighttime wakings due to soaked clothes. Truth is; it is not always 100% that the baby is going back to sleep soon after waking up.
Sometimes, it gets stressful for parents to put the baby back to sleep after they are done changing diapers and sheets, and whatnot.
After all, a crying baby is capable of waking up everyone in the household from their sleep.
Diaper leakage is common among babies and toddlers, especially at night. It is important to have the right strategy for diaper leaks prevention at night, so you do not have to wake up every night to changing clothes, sheets, and blankets – while having the other family members sleep peacefully.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more information.
Reasons why diaper leaks at night
First of all, you should figure why is your baby soaking up in pee every night?
What are the reasons your baby is having over soaked diapers many times in a day?
Generally, what goes in the body has to get out of the body. Keep in mind – liquid intake is unavoidable and is the most significant reason your baby is having leaked diaper blowout. Some parents do not want to limit water intake, so let’s talk about other ways that you can use to prevent diaper leaks for babies and toddlers.
Baby having poop blowouts too often? Here is what you need to do to prevent poopy diaper blowouts.
1. Diaper brand
If you are experiencing diaper leaks more frequently at night, probably there is an issue with the diaper brand. Some diaper brands may not have enough absorbency as compared to the expensive ones.
Luvs diaper brand is not as hugging as pampers cruisers. It is very likely for LUVS to leak at night.
That being said, you have to make sure the diaper you are using has a good fit and is well-hugging all around the bottom, so it doesn’t leak in like 4 hours you put it on.
Read more
A perfect diapering Guide for new parents.
2. Your Child is a heavy wetter
Not every baby or toddler is a heavy wetter. Some toddlers, if not all, love to drink water or juice for what makes the leakage happen. Even if they are showering or bathing, it is very likely for them to drink tons of water, and eventually, it’s about oversoaked diapers leaking too soon.
3. Needs a diaper change
When was the last time you changed the diaper? Is it more than 8 hours or you can touch the diaper and feel an over soaked diaper. Ideally, you should Immediately change the diaper because chances are it’s going to be leaking all over, next time she pees.
4. Your child sleeps in awkward positions
Nighttime leaks are very common; that could leave the parents worried. Eventually, the baby is going to wake up because of a wet bed and wet clothes. A toddler who loves to sleep on her tummy, or when there is a need to pee, she would most likely twist and turn in her sleep – resulting in a diaper leak.
In such cases, the best way is to use a mattress pad to deal with positional diaper leaks.
5. Difference in Baby boys and baby girls
With baby boys, it usually leaks because of the direction of penis. Whereas with baby girls, it could happen anytime.
Learn more
Potty training Tips for Boys
Potty Training Tips for Girls.
6. Baby is cold at night
Sometimes, a low temperature causes frequent urination. If your baby is leaking at night, the first thing you need to check whether she is cold at night. Touch the baby’s neck with a bare hand and see, if it feels colder than normal.
Tips to prevent diaper leaks for heavy wetters
Heavy wetting is common among toddlers; making it quite stressful for the parents to deal with frequent diaper leaks every now and then, despite using the best diaper brands out there.
Here I tell you simple solutions to prevent diaper leaks significantly and not limiting the water intake – as water is essential for staying hydrated and healthy. Limiting liquids altogether is not at all recommended for babies.
However, parents need to understand; what goes in has to come out. The more liquid your child intakes, the more they would have over soaked diapers.
Learn more
How to treat diaper rash for babies.
1. Go one size up for the night time diapering
If your baby drinks too much water or milk, go a size up for diapers to prevent nighttime leaks, or limit water intake one hour before bedtime.
Generally, investing in one size bigger for the night time diapering could help you deal with extra absorbance.
Read a complete diapering guide for new parents.
2. Use booster pads for extra absorbency
For heavy wetter toddlers, you can use booster pads. Just stick a pad in the baby’s regular diaper to increase the absorbency and minimize the nighttime wakings.
Order booster pads now.
3. Use mattress pads
Buy a waterproof washable mattress cover, you need to protect your mattress, regardless. Since diaper leaks could happen any time and anywhere, protecting mattress is equally essential. You can get a waterproof mattress cover from Walmart, Target, or order online.
4. Change diaper in the middle of the night
Changing a diaper in the middle of the night is the best solution for heavy wetters. While changing the diaper, it is important to note that you are quick and efficient enough to not wake up your child in this entire process.
Helpful Tips for changing a diaper at night
- When you touch your baby’s diaper, you will know if it is full or still has enough room for more wee-wee.
- Most of the good brand diapers have absorbency for 8 to 12 hours. But for some kids, you need to change diapers more often.
- Try not to wake up a sleeping baby, especially if she is a light sleeper. Usually, toddlers get better at sleeping through the night as they grow. Eventually, it becomes relatively less challenging to change a diaper at the night.
- Do not turn on the lights. Instead, use a night light or a flashlight of your phone.
- Do not use warm or cold wipes; that could possibly wake up your child – unless it is a soiled diaper.
- Keep it quick and short. Place a clean diaper under the soaked one. For boys, do not forget to have a dry paper towel to cover the wee area (at all times) to prevent unexpected sprays.
- As a general rule, if your child sleeps around 7 pm until 7 am, you should change the diaper after midnight to prevent her to wake up in the middle of your sleep. Consider changing your child’s diaper once before her bedtime and another one before you go to bed.
70+ Baby Care tips for new parents.
5. No tight Pjs
When you dress up your kids for the night, make sure that the trousers are not tight around the diaper area. Diapers inflate, and thus there should be enough room for diaper to soak liquids. if the bottom apparel is tight, the diaper is going to leak earlier than it should.
No tight PJ – make sure the trousers or pants are roomy enough to let diaper expand while soaked. It is very likely for a diaper to explode or leak if the trousers are too tight.
If your child wears onesies at bedtime and is a heavy wetter, ideally, you should switch on to outfits that are convenient to change at night without having her wake-up. For instance, it is relatively easier to change a wet trouser rather than an onesie.
I hope you find these suggestions helpful in preventing diaper-leaks at night. I have learned them on my own, and I have been implementing them successfully so far.
Are you struggling with soiled diaper blowouts? Learn how to prevent diaper blowouts.
How to treat diaper rashes with effective home remedies.
Learn more about frequent urination in kids.
I am Madiha, mom to two beautiful kids. Here you find helpful tips about pregnancy, postpartum, newborn care, toddlers, and product reviews. Join the tribe, and let’s grow together as moms. Enjoy having kids while they are little and more fun.