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4 Gross Reasons To Change Your Baby's Diaper ASAP

by Olivia Youngs

Understatement of the year: diaper changing can be pretty gross. As the mom of two toddlers, I dream about potty training simply for the joy of not having to deal with diapers anymore. But, like a lot of aspects of parenting, diapers are just one of the necessary evils of raising children. No matter the kind of diapers you use or your child's unique "bowel movement habits," there are some especially gross things that happen when you don't change your baby's diaper enough — emphasizing the importance of biting the bullet and changing your kiddo's diaper as often as necessary.

Granted, these things are all pretty intuitive. You don't need to read a manual on reasons why you need to change your baby's diaper, but having a gentle reminder of all the gloriously nasty consequences that can happen as a result of not doing it enough is enough to make even the staunchest of diaper-haters rush to change every baby in the vicinity.

Whether your baby is 2 weeks old, 2 years old, or somewhere in between, knowing proper diapering "techniques" (a glamorous phrase for what it actually is like,) and the reasons why it's so important to keep your baby's booty clean, will help you not put off the inevitable diaper changes as gross as they may be.

1

You Battle Blow Outs

The gold standard consequence of not changing your baby's diaper is that they'll likely suffer a "blow out" — a rather graphic term to describe when the contents of your baby's diaper spill out onto their clothes and surrounding surfaces. (Graphic, I warned you.) Baby Center recommended changing your baby's diaper at least every three hours to avoid a blow out.

2

You Won't Want To Breathe

Let me be the first to tell you that as your baby gets older, the worse their diapers will smell. When they're tiny, exclusively breastfed newborns, their diapers almost smell pleasant (or at least not horrible.) But once you introduce solids to their diet, say goodbye to being able to breathe when you change a diaper. It further emphasizes the importance of changing it as quickly as possible after they've finished their "business." Trust me, your nose will thank you in the long run.

3

Your Baby Will Get Super Cranky

No one likes sitting in a wet or dirty diaper. And do you blame them? The longer your baby sits in their diaper, the crankier they're going to get, so do the both of you a favor and change it ASAP.

4

Your Baby Can Get A Severe Diaper Rash

Although diaper rashes aren't always caused by not changing a diaper quickly enough, a baby who sits in a soiled diaper for too long will end up with a severe diaper rash. Baby Center noted that the combination of urine and bacteria in their poop can irritate their skin causing a diaper rash if not taken care of. According to Kids Health, most diaper rashes should disappear within a few days, but avoiding them altogether is the safest and most comfortable bet for your little one.