How to Change a Diaper: The Newborn Edition, for Dads

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Diapers are the gateway skill of fatherhood. You’ll do thousands, and after the first dozen you’ll be fast. Volunteer for every one you can in the hospital, with a nurse watching. It’s the quickest way to stop feeling like a visitor.

Set up before you start

Everything within reach, because once you start, one hand stays on the baby:

A clean diaper, opened, with the back half (the part with the tabs) ready.
Wipes, or cotton balls and warm water for the first weeks if you prefer.
Barrier cream.
A change of clothes, because sometimes.
A trash can or diaper pail.

Step by step

The NHS has a similar walkthrough if you want a second take.

Lay the baby on their back on the changing pad. Keep one hand on them at all times on a raised surface.
Open the dirty diaper. For boys, put a cloth or the clean diaper loosely over the penis; fresh air triggers peeing.
Wipe the bulk. Use the front of the dirty diaper to wipe down and away, then fold it under the baby’s bottom.
Clean front to back, especially for girls, to keep bacteria away from the urethra. Get into the folds.
Lift by the ankles (gently, one finger between them) or roll the baby to the side, slide out the dirty diaper, and slide the clean one under.
Let the skin dry for a few seconds, then apply barrier cream if needed.
Fasten the clean diaper. Snug but not tight: two fingers should fit at the waist. Point the penis down for boys. Fold the front down below the umbilical stump if it’s still attached.
Run the ruffles out around the legs so they’re not tucked in. This is the secret to fewer blowouts.
Wash your hands.

Newborn special cases

Umbilical cord stump. Keep it clean and dry, and fold the diaper below it. It usually falls off within one to three weeks. Call the pediatrician if the area gets red, swollen, smelly, or oozes (AAP).

Circumcision. Follow the hospital’s care instructions, often petroleum jelly on the area or the diaper for the first days. Call if there’s bleeding that doesn’t stop, increasing swelling, or signs of infection.

What’s in there, and what it means

The progression in the first week is fairly predictable:

Days 1 to 2: meconium, black-green and tar-like. Wipe with patience.
Days 3 to 4: transitional, green-brown.
After that: yellow. Breastfed poop is often mustard-colored and seedy; formula-fed is often tan and firmer.

Call the pediatrician for white, gray or very pale stools, blood, or black stool after the first few days, and for fewer wet diapers than expected (a sign the baby may not be getting enough to drink).

Diaper rash

Red, irritated skin in the diaper area is common. The AAP suggests changing diapers often, letting skin air-dry, and using a barrier cream like zinc oxide or petroleum jelly. Call if the rash has blisters, pus, or doesn’t improve in a few days.

Budget

Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment

Why dads like it: Barrier ointment for diaper areas. One tube lives in every diaper station.
Best for: Preventing and soothing mild diaper rash.

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Frequently asked questions

How many diapers does a newborn use?

Often 8 to 12 a day in the early weeks. Your pediatrician or hospital will tell you how many wet and dirty diapers to expect each day in the first week, which helps show the baby is feeding well.

What should newborn poop look like?

The first few days bring meconium: black-green and sticky. It then changes to green-brown, then yellow. Breastfed babies' stools are often mustard-yellow and seedy; formula-fed babies' are often tan or yellow-brown and firmer. Call the pediatrician for white, gray, or very pale stools, or blood.

Sources

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