These diaper changing hacks for new moms (and even more experienced moms) are things I’ve learned along the way. I was recently watching my nieces and was reminded of the tricks I know and can share with you. I don’t think I came into motherhood knowing a lot about how to care for a newborn, and I was so grateful to watch others but also figure out what worked for me. I want to pass along these hacks because you may, like me, have found the baby stage not as intuitive as you hoped.
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Diaper Changing Hacks for New Moms
Use the Diaper as the First Line of Defense – Some new moms and dads use a wipe to remove all the poop. The trick to to wipe the poop off with the diaper first. Simply swipe down from the top to the bottom with the top part of the diaper. Wrap the diaper and dispose. This will save on your wipes bill. 
The Onesie Shoulders Help You Pull the Garment off by the Feet – This is a tip I did not know as a mom. I wish I did. If you are a mom, you are familiar with a blow out. There’s poop all down in the nether regions, and the onesie has poop all over it. Did you know those shoulder flaps have more purpose than slipping over the head? You can also use this slip the onesie over the shoulders and down the body. Just watch here:
Find the cute “olive you” onesie here
Urine Does Not Need to be Wiped – According to pregnancy magazine, “You don’t have to worry about wiping baby down after a pee because urine rarely irritates the skin, and because today’s diapers are so absorbent, the skin hardly comes into contact with urine anyway.” I’ve heard that too much wiping can lead to diaper rash, and urine is sterile. I did wipe it there was a lot of pee, but mostly the absorbency of the diaper is good enough. Again, I’m saving on your baby wipes bill.
Set-Up a Great Changing Station – Being prepared with a great baby changing station – both in their room and a convenient spot central to your living space is important. Here is how I set up my station.
Disposable Changing Pads – When you have a blow out, and there is poop everywhere, it is super convenient to have a disposable changing pad available for easy clean up. Simply put the pad down over your normal changing pad cover when you know you need it. You don’t need to use one often, but when you can scoop up all the wipes and the diaper when there’s a big mess you’ll be glad you followed this tip.
Leg Guards Out – Look at the picture above. The arrow is pointing to the leg guards that are tucked in. THAT IS NOT THE WAY YOU WANT IT. The leg guard (the frilly portion pictured in the bottom right hand corner of the picture) should not be tucked in. You will have leakage. The mom in the picture above should swipe her finger down under the diaper to pull out the frilly part to prevent leaks.
More Diaper Changing Hacks for New Moms
Pampers vs. Huggies – There are different diaper brands to try. Some parents choose to go with cloth diapers, which is a great option but one where I have limited experience. Costco is a reasonable place to get diapers. I did subscribe and save combined with Amazon prime. Comparatively, that seemed like a great deal when I had babies in diapers.
I want to talk about my experience with two leading brands: Pampers vs. Huggies. My experience was that Pampers worked better for my boy while Huggies were better for my girls. I had heard that once, and I tried both for my son. I liked Pampers better for him – less leaks. Huggies worked well for my girls. I’m not sure if the absorbency is placed differently for different brands. All that said, I read some forums, and everyone has different opinions. It probably has more to do with the size and shape of your baby, I suppose you keep trying to see what works for your child. You could try a more earth friendly diaper like Seventh Generation as well.
Have Older Kids Help Be Part of the Process – If you have a new baby and have older kids around the house, make sure they are a part of the process. You want to create buy in with the older sibling. The more they can be involved and not ignored when the new baby has needs, the better.
Veto the Diaper Pail – This is a personal opinion shared with a few mom friends I have spoken with on the topic. You could try a Diaper Genie or one like the Munckin Step Diaper Pail, which gets decent reviews. I chose to veto the pail all together after trying a couple different ones with my different babies. I didn’t like needing to buy a separate liner, which some required. I also found that the bins didn’t contain the odors like I had hoped. The scent, when the diaper pail was opened was completely overwhelming.
What did I do instead? I always disposed of my diapers outside the back door. Some moms hang a simple grocery bag, which they took to the big bin daily. I chose to buy a small step garbage. Having it outside help dissipate the odor. I kept the container small and emptied it into the big garbage bin often. Some choose to put their diapers in a scented disposable diaper bag as another line of defense against the stink. I had those in a diaper bag for when we were out and about, but I didn’t want to be too wasteful by using them at home.
Make it Fun – With your child staring up at you, you have a captive audience. You can sing to your child. Talk to your baby, telling him or her what you are doing so they can learn language quicker. When my child started using their hands to grab at the diaper and other things on the table, I always had a small baby toy available. I know diaper changing isn’t always the most exciting experience, but it really is another opportunity to interact with your little one.
I’m sure you’ll find these diaper changing hacks for new moms super helpful. Enjoy this time with your new baby. I know some days feel really long, but the time will go quicker than you imagine.
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