With a newborn , questions never sleep! Should you change your baby's diaper at night? Very common among young parents, especially when the first child arrives, this question has no single answer. A short practical guide to getting through it all and sleeping as peacefully as possible.
Nocturnal stools: it's time to change baby!
At the beginning of his life, baby's sleeping hours are interrupted by numerous awakenings. And it's for a good cause, because your child needs to eat at night to get his ration of feedings or bottles and therefore grow harmoniously. However, in many newborns , eating systematically gives rise to a bowel movement. In this case, there is no hesitation: to ensure good hygiene for your baby, you must of course change your diaper without delay, even if it is three in the morning. Ouch, it stings!
Should you change your baby before or after the bottle?
In the absence of bowel movements, some parents wonder when to change baby's diaper at night : before or after feeding? Here again, it all depends on your child's behavior: if he is a good eater, you can change him before the bottle and then let him doze off while drinking his milk. Baby tends to fall asleep too quickly while breastfeeding, without reacting to your requests? If you change his diaper in the middle of the meal, you prolong his wakefulness and allow him to eat a little more. It's the ideal trick to encourage weight gain in "little" babies...
Baby sleeps through the night: should we continue nightly diaper changes?
Fortunately not ! Even if your child urinates a little while sleeping, you can stop changing him if he begins to sleep through the night and his weight gain is satisfactory. In the early days, simply monitor the condition of his skin in the morning: in the absence of redness in the diaper area, you can let your baby sleep peacefully until early in the morning. Take advantage of it: it's an opportunity to treat yourself (finally!) to a good night's sleep so you can be in great shape to take care of your newborn .
And which diapers to choose for the night?
To avoid discomfort between diaper changes, especially if baby sleeps through the night, don't choose just any diapers! For a peaceful sleep, choose eco-friendly diapers : free of unwanted substances, they perfectly respect your child's sensitive skin, reducing the risk of irritation and allergic reaction. Also be sure to choose the right size diapers . Even if your baby is growing quickly, there's no point anticipating the next month's centimeters: a diaper that's too big will fit poorly, risking leaking urine. Finally, remember to apply a little liniment or calming balm to the seat after each change. This way, baby's little bottom will be soft when they wake up, even after long hours in the same diaper!
