5 Moms Share Hacks That Helped Them Get Through Diaper Duty
Ask any mom and she will tell you that while it was easier to forget the labor pains, the first year of parenthood was a difficult pill to digest. Sleepless nights, colicky babies, and diapers that always need changing — all of this makes the first year of every new mother pretty challenging. It can be pretty overwhelming for even seasoned moms, forget those who are experiencing it for the first time.
So, is there anything that can help make this a smoother ride for all new moms out there?
We at MomJunction decided to take up this project and asked our mom community to rally around us. The result? Some epic pearls of wisdom that can make every new mom’s first year of diaper duties a breeze. Here they are:
1. “Double Wrap The Crib Mattress”
“When I was a new mother, I had no one to help me. My husband was posted in another city, and I was all by myself. What drove me crazy were the few times when I couldn’t get up on time to change my baby’s diaper.
By the time I could get to him, the soiled diaper would have leaked on to the crib mattress, making it wet and completely unfit for use, for a couple of days. So I invested in the double wrapping method. I would put a diaper changing mat on top of the mattress and then put on a sheet, and then another mat and then cover it with a sheet. Now, when the diaper blowouts happened, all I had to do was take off the first layer. I used Teddyy Changing Mats for this purpose. Their super-absorbent material would absorb all the spill! And the waterproof backsheet would prevent any backsplashes as well! And those sheets were disposable too! So I could just throw out the soiled one. It made life so easy for me!” — Anita
2. “Keep A Fussy Baby Occupied By Dangling A Toy From Your Mouth”
“The first year is a very tough experience for new parents, and it becomes more so if the baby is colicky. Well, this was my experience. Every evening, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., my daughter would be at her crankiest best. Changing a diaper during those hours was truly a task. I realized that giving her a toy didn’t work that well. She would throw it away in angry fits. Instead, I started dangling the toy, by holding it in my mouth. By the time she could figure out the trick, I would have changed her diaper and that too with minimal crying!” — Sadia
3. “Prepare A Diaper Changing Station At Home”
“My son was born with extremely sensitive skin. Anything and everything could set off an allergic reaction. Even the contact of plastic sheets with his bare bum could result in him getting hives. To solve this problem, I decided to create a proper diaper changing station for him at home. While in other countries people do have diaper changing stations at home, it’s not a common practice in India.
To do this, I swapped the regular plastic back sheet for Teddyy’s Changing Mats.
Its, anti-bacterial surface kept my baby’s skin from developing any rashes and saved him from a lot of discomforts. Having a proper diaper changing station at home also meant that I had less to clean up less!”— Chandrama
4. “Love Onesies But Hate Poopy Messes? Pull It Down!”
“I loved dressing up my little one in onesies but found it very difficult when she had diaper explosions. Inevitably, I would pull the onesie over her head, resulting in a mess. It was only later that I realized that those little flaps on the onesies are meant to be pulled down to avoid diaper messes. No more diaper disasters!” — Shreya
5. “Tired Of Lugging Around Heavy Diaper Bags? Create Emergency Kits For Your Car”
“Carrying around heavy diaper bags, from the doctor’s office to the grocery store, was very difficult for me. So I created emergency kits. I kept one in my car and another in the storage of my stroller. Apart from a ready supply of diapers and diaper rash cream, the kit also had Teddyy Changing Mats. They proved to be very handy when I had to change diapers in the middle of nowhere. Even in the park! Yes, I just had to place the mat on a bench and put the baby on it and voila! A makeshift diaper-changing station. These mats were so easy to carry and disposable, so I never had to lug a soiled one around. I could just throw it away. Plus, its spongy material made the entire experience very comfortable for the baby. Its criss-cross design also helped in containing spills, which made it easier for me to be on the move with minimum clean up. Such a godsend!” — Kriti
Nifty tricks, aren’t they? So new mommies, try them out and see how they work out for you.
And as far as the magical, lifesaver changing mats are concerned, you can find them here.
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