when to change nappy?

[blueflower]

This must sound like the silliest question but...
Just wondering when you were taught to change bubs nappy....was it:
before a feed,
upon waking or
after a feed?
Thanks everyone

[Gigi]

Before a feed is good cos then if they fall asleep after the feed, then you don't have to disturb them to change the nappy, and they're not left sitting in a wet nappy.

In the early months, their little bladders and stomaches are so tiny, not much needs to go in, before it comes out the other end! so i was changing VERY frequently!
When waking, AND after the feed. Thank goodness we were using modern cloth nappies, cos then we could use as many as we wanted, knowing they'd be washed and used again, so didn't hesitate. If we had used 20 disposable nappies per day!!! wow!

i was taught not to change by length of time (e.g every two hours) but instead to change WHEN NEEDED. So if i put a new nappy on, heard noises ten minutes later than indicated baby had moved her bowels, i went and changed her as soon as i heard that, didn't wait until the two hours were up, for example. I was taught to do this, to avoid nappy rash and the poo "burning" the delicate baby bottom skin.

My bub seems to go to the toilet five minutes after waking, like clockwork.

but all of this, you gotta customise it to suit YOUR bub, and your family. If a baby is screaming for milk, of course, i would attend to that need first. No point un-necessarily stressing a bub, just to keep to a strict routine. i have "aims" and i try to fit those around Real Life. Everyone is different, read what others say, but in the end, you gotta decide what's right for you and your bub, you know your baby the best.

Love the expression on your bub in the sig, photo, what a cutie.

[Erin_25]

I always changed before a feed, as said above if bubs then fell back to sleep I didn't disturb them - especially at night time when up 3 times for a feed.
Now bubs sleeps through the night & doesn't feed as often etc so he just gets a regular change during the day & always a new nappy before nap time.

[Artechim]

My bub is still little, but he usually has a break mid-feed. I change the nappy then to wake him up a bit, then have the rest of the feed and if he falls asleep he goes to bed. During the day I change him when I think he needs it or if I hear anything suspicious.

[*charmalea*]

babies tummies are as only as small as their fist ... so can you imagine how small a bladder or a bowel would be ?!?!?!

we use modern cloth nappies and have had no rash or leaks, which is commmon is sposies ... and when your newborn is getting changes 15 times a day its just much better all round ...

i have seen mums who use sposies and dont change them at all till its practically so full its dragging along the ground ...
that is a bit NO NO ... even is a sposie feels dry compress your hand on it for a few seconds and you will feel what the baby feels againgst their skin if you leave a sposie on too long ...

change before a feed ... i always did to ensure he was awake enough and if he fell asleep it was ok ...


now that i have changed the topic .....lol ... change bubs nappy when its wet and you can feel the gel in the nappy ... if you have an mcn on... its just a guess really ... but if you know its wet change it

sorry if this is a ramble .. its my 1st post of the day and my brain is just writing whatever

[Enchanted]

I used to change my little man before his feed but then found that he would have a dirty nappy by the end of the feed so I would have to do it all again! So really it is what works for you!!

[Snacks]

Like Artechim, I was told that if bubs is sleepy during the feed you can change the nappy then to wake them. Natalie was usually pretty good with her feeding, so I tended to change her before the feed... I knew she'd be comfortable and more alert for the feed. Then just whenever I felt or could see she needed it.
And of course there were those days where it felt like I was changing her every five minutes!

[lee75]

I change after a feed, when DS was younger it was always guaranteed that he would do #2's while feeding, also he would crack up if I changed him before for some reason!! I normally wait about 10 minutes after his feed. I say just do what works for you

[Nelle]

I suppose my answer would be 'when it needs to be changed'. I used prefolds (a version of flat nappies but requires hardly any folding) and at a nappy change I'd pull the cover off, but if bub was dry, I left him!
I used to change mid feed for awhile, to wake him up as he'd fall asleep while feeding! He'd often empty his bowels during a feed or not long after (what goes in, must come out!) so I usually changed him afterwards, unless he'd just pooed beforehand. He settled pretty easily though, so I didn't really have to worry about using the feed to put him to sleep.

I'd say just do whatever seems to work best for you!