Category: Parent Talk
Hey guys.
Now everyone should expect me to talk about those new exciting areas of my life 24/7 and not have any cracks at bad jokes. I don't think I'll go that far ;) but certainly new parental concerns have "opened up" literally.
So what's everyone's advice on best ways to bottle feed and diaper change and bathing?
I'm getting the hang of bottle feeding, no problems, but what's the best way to change a diaper as quickly and efficiently as possible, seeing as our little one is very uncomfortable lying by himself. I can hold his hands or feet and it calms him down but then I'm having a hard time changing the diaper, and any ideas/advice on bathing.
I'll certainly post my discoveries to this board as I figure out the best ways.
Cheers to all
-B
Ok well maybe I should leave this to James and Lizzie, but I have changed dipers in the past. The best way I found was to start with everything at an arms reach. clothes, dyper, wipes and a wet cloth if needed. You always of course want to keep the hand on the baby when you reach for what you need. I find it easier to remove the baby's pants instead of leaving them down like my mother does. It gives you the chance to move the legs easier and make sure the dyper is on even so there won't be any leeks. Are you using cloth dypers or disposables? Also for baths if you have a baby bath tub the best thing to do if you are alone with baby is leave baby on a blanket on the floor or in a play pen while you get the water ready, and yet again make sure everything is close by. Usually with a baby tub it is pretty self explanitory how to put the baby in and to wash the hair you can use a cloth or your hand to rince start at the top of the forehead as not to scare or hurt them by getting water or soap in the eyes. I'm sorry if this is all run together, and I guess it shouldn't be me responding, but if you want more specific I'll try to respond. Baby brothers are a blast
Just remember to hold part of the diaper in such a way as to prevent getting sprayed when the little darling decides to pee in mid change.
Wow Candi, you pretty much got it! I would suggest talking or singing to him while you change and bathe him. It might help to calm him down. It works for Hannah. While changing him, if the dirty diaper is not too dirty, put a clean one under him while you wipe him, therefore if he pees, there is something to catch it and it's a little quicker. For the real dirty ones, I've found using cotton balls and a pan of water to wipe it off helps and gets her cleaner. When I bathe Hannah I get everything ready, clean clothes and diaper, soap, towel. I fill the little tub with water and I have a big spunge spicifically designed for the tub to help her from slipping. I wrap her in a towel with her diaper still on and hold her head over the tub while I wash her hair. I then unwrap her and take her diaper off, leaving the towel spread out on the floor so I can quickly put her on it when I'm done, and put her entirely in the tub and wash the remainder of her body. I dry her off very thouroughly and then dress her. She loves the actually bath but doesn't really like the undressing and dressing part. Just always remember to talk to him in his face. They like that. Good luck and keep asking. I'll keep posting my findings as well.
Laters,
Lizzy
I agree with keeping everything close at hand for diapering and also if you cannot keep the diaper over his boy parts use a wash cloth to cover. When closing the diaper point him down to avoid leaking. There's many different ways of bathing and you have to just mix and match what you hear that you like the sound of. Bottle feeding is easy though I nursed 95% of the time. Sounds like you're getting the hang of things Good luck..
Hey there. How is Eric? please up date us when you have the time. thanks.
The only thing that I can think of that I also have not seen spacifically posted is to use the safety belt on the changing table. That will make it so that you do not need to have your hands actively holding him and restraining him at all times, leaving them free to deal with the diapers. Thanks to another poster for mentioning to position the penis downwards. I don't know if I'm having a boy or a girl yet, and I have changed some of both, but I didn't really think about where it should go in the new clean diaper. I've always known about covering it to avoid getting sprayed, but not about the positioning in the new diaper. Thanks for that. Oy vay. Bottle feeding. I saw that and it reminded me of the hell I went through selecting bottles to use for my expressed brest milk for my fiance to feed with. I think that's a seperate topic though. I'll see about creating it.