Changing a newborn’s diaper is straightforward once you’ve done it a few times, and you’ll get plenty of practice: newborns typically need 8 to 12 diaper changes per day in the first six weeks. Here’s everything you need to know to do it confidently, keep your baby’s skin healthy, and avoid common mistakes.
Gather Your Supplies First
Before you lay your baby down, have everything within arm’s reach. Once your baby is on the changing surface, you should always keep one hand on them. Reaching across the room for a forgotten item is how falls happen. The essentials are simple: a clean diaper, wipes or a soft washcloth with warm water, a barrier cream or ointment, and a clean surface (a changing pad, towel, or portable mat works fine).
Keep an extra set of clothes nearby too. Blowouts happen, and you don’t want to be improvising one-handed. If you’re using a changing table, buckle the safety strap every time, but don’t rely on it alone to keep your baby secure. The strap is a backup, not a substitute for your hand.
The Step-by-Step Process
Lay your baby on their back on your clean, flat surface. Unfasten the dirty diaper but don’t pull it away yet. If there’s stool, use the front of the dirty diaper to gently wipe away the bulk of it in a downward motion toward the diaper. Then slide the dirty diaper out from underneath by lifting your baby’s legs and bottom gently with one hand (hold both ankles together with your fingers between them for comfort).
Now clean the entire diaper area thoroughly with a wipe or a damp washcloth. Get into the folds of skin, where residue hides. Pat the skin dry with a soft towel or let it air dry for a moment. Don’t scrub, and don’t use talcum powder.
Slide the clean diaper under your baby’s bottom with the tabs in the back (the decorated or printed side faces outward on most disposables). Pull the front of the diaper up between the legs, then fasten the side tabs snugly but not tight. You should be able to fit two fingers between the diaper and your baby’s waist. If the tabs overlap significantly in the front, your baby may need a smaller size. If they barely reach or the diaper leaves red marks on the thighs, it’s time to size up.
Cleaning Boys vs. Girls
The technique differs slightly depending on your baby’s anatomy, and this matters for preventing infection.
For girls, always wipe from front to back, moving toward the bottom. This prevents bacteria from reaching the vagina or urinary tract. Use a clean section of the wipe or a fresh one if you need a second pass. You only need to clean in and around the vulva to remove traces of stool. Don’t use any deodorants or internal cleaning products.
For boys, gently clean around the penis and scrotum. There’s no need to pull back the foreskin. You only need to clean the outside. The foreskin will become retractable on its own over time. One practical tip: boys sometimes urinate when the diaper comes off and cool air hits their skin. Draping a clean cloth over the area while you work can save you (and the walls) from an unexpected spray.
Protecting the Umbilical Cord Stump
In the first one to three weeks, your baby’s umbilical cord stump needs to stay clean and dry as it heals and falls off. The diaper can interfere with this if it rubs against or covers the stump. Fold the front waistband of the diaper down below the belly button so the stump is exposed to air. If the diaper won’t stay folded, you can cut a small notch in the front of the diaper before putting it on. Just make the cut before the diaper goes on your baby, not while they’re wearing it.
Preventing Diaper Rash
The single most effective thing you can do is change wet or soiled diapers promptly. Prolonged contact with moisture is the primary cause of diaper rash. Beyond that, a few habits make a real difference.
Apply a barrier cream or ointment at each change. Products with a high percentage of zinc oxide or petroleum jelly work well because they create a moisture-proof layer between the skin and the diaper. You don’t need to completely remove the barrier layer at the next change if it’s still clean. Just wipe away any soiled cream and add a fresh layer on top. Layering petroleum jelly over the cream can also help keep the diaper from sticking to the ointment.
Choose wipes that are alcohol-free and fragrance-free, or simply use plain warm water with a soft cloth. Fragranced wipes can irritate newborn skin. When drying, pat gently rather than rubbing. Letting the area air dry for even 30 seconds before closing the new diaper helps reduce trapped moisture. Disposable diapers with absorbent gel tend to pull wetness away from skin more effectively than basic cloth options, which can help if your baby is prone to rashes.
What to Expect in the Diaper
Your baby’s first few bowel movements will look alarming if you’re not prepared. Meconium, the stool produced in the first couple of days, is dark green or black and has a sticky, tar-like consistency. This is completely normal. It’s the remnants of everything your baby ingested in the womb. Within a few days, the stool transitions to a lighter green, then to yellow or mustard-colored (in breastfed babies) or tan and firmer (in formula-fed babies).
Wet diapers are just as important to notice. By day six, your newborn should be producing six to eight wet diapers a day, sometimes as many as ten. This is one of the easiest ways to confirm your baby is getting enough milk or formula. If your baby goes more than eight hours without a wet diaper, or consistently has fewer than six wet diapers a day, those are signs of possible dehydration worth flagging to your pediatrician.
Getting the Right Diaper Size
Newborn-size diapers (often labeled “N” or “NB”) fit babies up to about 10 pounds. Size 1 diapers cover 8 to 14 pounds, so there’s some overlap. Many babies move to size 1 within the first month, and some larger newborns skip the newborn size entirely. A diaper that fits correctly sits snugly around the waist and legs without leaving red marks or gaps. Leaks at the legs usually mean the diaper is too big. Blowouts up the back often mean the diaper is too small. When you’re between sizes, sizing up is generally the better call.
How Often to Change
Plan on changing your newborn every two to three hours during the day, and whenever you notice a soiled diaper. That 8 to 12 changes per day figure isn’t an exaggeration. At night, a wet-only diaper can sometimes wait until a feeding, but a soiled diaper should be changed right away to protect the skin. You’ll naturally develop a rhythm around feedings, since many newborns have a bowel movement during or shortly after eating. Changing the diaper right after a feed (or mid-feed if your baby tends to go during meals) is an efficient pattern that most parents settle into.