Infants and newborns make a lot of wet diapers so many parents are used to changing diapers frequently throughout the day.
Diapers are expensive and many parents are concerned if they can keep wet diapers on a little longer or if they should change them immediately. It depends on various factors.
Do you need to change a wet diaper right away? The main thing you should consider is the comfort and happiness of your baby.
If your baby is showing any signs of discomfort by crying and fussing then by all means go ahead and change the diaper. However, most little ones won’t bother or notice a slightly damp diaper.
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Do you need to change a wet diaper right away?
There is no need to change a diaper immediately once your little one peed. A diaper change after or before feeding, almost every 2 to 3 hours should be enough. Babies have small bladders that only hold about 15 ml of urine so they empty them very often. Some infants will pee up to 20 times a day and that is fine. So, don’t rush to change a diaper right away. Further, there is a difference between a sopping wet diaper and a damp diaper. If your baby’s diaper feels mostly dry you can leave it on for a little while longer. Your baby’s diaper will start feeling wet after a few more times of your baby urinating. Of course, any time your baby has a dirty diaper it should be changed right away.
For how long you can leave your baby in a wet diaper
In an ideal world, you would keep your little one’s diaper changed every 2 to 3 hours. However, in the real world, it is not possible to change a diaper that often due to several reasons. For instance, you may be busy doing some other work or diapers are expensive.
While it is always a best practice to change a wet diaper as soon as possible, there is nothing wrong with waiting for a little while as urine by itself is not likely to cause many issues for your baby. A good rule of thumb is to change your little one’s diaper every time it feels wet.
However, in certain situations like overnight when your baby is sleeping or during long road trips, it may not be feasible. With poopy diapers, it is pretty straightforward. You should not let your baby sit in a soiled diaper for too long.
Thus, it is best to change them as soon as you get a whiff of what has happened. Or else the poop can irritate the skin of your little one or even lead to bladder infections, particularly in girls.
What happens if you leave your baby in a wet diaper for too long?
Leaving a baby in a wet diaper for too long can change the pH of your baby’s skin due to the acidity of the urine. This change in pH can allow the fungi and bacteria to grow leading to skin irritations and diaper rashes.
According to Kids Health, the biggest issue with letting urine stay in contact with your little one’s skin is that it will change the pH of the skin over time, making it more alkaline.
Unfortunately, there are lots of bacteria and germs that flourish in a more alkaline environment. Consider the absorbent nature of the diaper and you have a perfect recipe for a diaper rash. The skin of a newborn is sensitive and is more prone to diaper rashes.
So, newborns have to change more often than older infants due to the frequent amount of times they pee throughout the day.
Older kids are less likely to suffer from diaper rash as compared to younger babies but chances are your younger baby will need to stop for feeds anyway. Diaper leak is another issue that will arise if you leave your baby in a wet diaper for too long.
Conclusion
Do you need to change a wet diaper right away? While in general, it is important to change diapers often enough to lower the risk of diaper rash, you can keep it for a little longer if the diaper is not sopping wet and leaking.
As long as the pee does not leak out the diaper and your baby doesn’t get diaper rash, you can keep a diaper.
As parents too, we know the trouble and cost of changing a diaper. The diaper should still be changed earlier as a diaper rash is more expensive to handle. You should not let your baby stay in a wet diaper for too long as it can lead to various issues.
Your baby is precious and their health must be your priority.