Changing a baby’s diaper is straightforward once you’ve done it a few times: remove the dirty diaper, clean the skin front to back, and secure a fresh one. Newborns need 8 to 12 changes a day, so you’ll get plenty of practice. Here’s everything you need to know to do it safely and keep your baby’s skin healthy.
Gather Your Supplies First
Before you pick up your baby, have everything within arm’s reach. Once the change starts, one hand stays on your baby at all times. You’ll need:
- A clean diaper
- Baby wipes (fragrance-free and alcohol-free to avoid irritation)
- A changing pad or clean towel on a flat surface
- Diaper cream if your baby has any redness
- A plastic bag or covered bin for the dirty diaper
Keep all of this close enough that you can grab it without stepping away. If you’re using a changing table, buckle the safety strap, but don’t rely on it alone to keep your baby secure. Falls from changing tables happen fast and are one of the most common injuries in infancy.
Step-by-Step Diaper Change
Lay your baby on their back on the changing pad. Unfasten the dirty diaper but don’t pull it away yet. If there’s a mess, you can use the front half of the old diaper to do a first wipe downward before sliding it out.
Lift your baby’s bottom by gently holding both ankles with one hand and raising their hips. Fold the dirty diaper closed and set it aside, out of your baby’s reach.
Using a fresh wipe, clean the entire diaper area. Always wipe from front to back, toward the bottom. This is especially important for girls because it prevents bacteria from reaching the urinary tract, but it’s good practice for all babies. Use a clean wipe or a fresh section of cloth each time you make another pass.
Pat the skin dry with a soft towel or let it air dry for a moment. Moisture trapped against the skin is the main driver of diaper rash, so this step matters more than most parents realize. If there’s any redness, apply a thin layer of barrier cream containing zinc oxide or petroleum jelly before putting the new diaper on.
Slide the fresh diaper under your baby with the tabs at the back (the side with the sticky or velcro strips goes under the waist). Pull the front up between the legs, and fasten the tabs snugly but comfortably on each side. You should be able to fit two fingers between the waistband and your baby’s belly.
Cleaning Girls vs. Boys
For girls, wipe the vulva gently from front to back. Never wipe in the opposite direction, and don’t clean inside the vagina. If you need to wipe again, use a fresh wipe each time. Avoid vaginal deodorants or any scented products, which disrupt the natural balance and raise infection risk.
For boys, clean around the base of the penis and the scrotum. If your baby is uncircumcised, only clean the outside of the foreskin. Don’t try to retract it. The foreskin separates naturally over time, and forcing it back can cause pain and scarring. Point the penis downward before closing the diaper to reduce the chance of leaks out the top.
Newborns With an Umbilical Cord Stump
Until the umbilical cord stump falls off (usually within the first two weeks), fold the front of the diaper down below the stump so it stays clean and dry. Some newborn-sized diapers come with a cutout for this purpose. Keeping the stump exposed to air helps it dry and separate faster. If the diaper rubs against it, it can delay healing or introduce bacteria.
How Often to Change
In the newborn stage, expect to change your baby 8 to 12 times a day. That number sounds high, but newborns have tiny bladders and immature digestive systems that keep things moving constantly. In the first two days of life, you’ll see just one or two wet diapers. By day five, that jumps to four to six wet diapers plus several bowel movements daily.
Breastfed babies tend to produce loose, seedy, mustard-yellow stools after the first few days. Formula-fed babies usually have softer, clay-like stools that are tan or yellow. Both are normal. After about six weeks, many babies settle into a pattern of just one or two bowel movements per day, though wet diapers stay frequent.
The simplest rule: change the diaper as soon as you notice it’s wet or soiled. Sitting in a wet diaper is the single biggest contributor to diaper rash.
Preventing Diaper Rash
Diaper rash happens when moisture sits against the skin too long, breaking down its protective barrier. The best prevention is frequent changes and thorough drying. After cleaning, let your baby’s skin air dry for a few seconds before closing up the fresh diaper. Even that brief exposure makes a difference.
If rash is a recurring problem, try applying a cream with a high percentage of zinc oxide at every change, not just when redness appears. Zinc oxide creates a physical barrier between the skin and moisture. Petroleum jelly works similarly and is a good option for milder irritation. Skip talcum powder and cornstarch-based powders entirely. They don’t prevent rash effectively, and inhaled powder particles can irritate a baby’s lungs.
Disposable diapers with absorbent gel tend to pull wetness away from the skin more effectively than cloth, which can help babies prone to rash. If you use cloth diapers, change them more frequently since they don’t wick moisture as well, and pair them with a waterproof cover.
When to Size Up
A diaper that fits well sits snugly just below the belly button, fully covers the bottom, and doesn’t leave red marks on the thighs, waist, or stomach. If you can’t comfortably slide two fingers under the waistband, or if you’re seeing frequent leaks and blowouts, it’s time to move to the next size. Babies grow through sizes quickly in the first year, so check the fit every few weeks.
Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers
The changing process is essentially the same for both types. Cloth diapers fasten with snaps or velcro instead of adhesive tabs and require a waterproof cover over the top. The main practical difference is what happens after: disposable diapers go in the trash, while cloth diapers need rinsing and laundering, which adds a significant amount of washing. Cloth diapers also need to be changed more often because they’re less absorbent. Many families use a mix of both, keeping disposables for outings and cloth at home.