Share your top tips for nappy changing with Asda for the chance to win £100 Asda voucher! *NOW CLOSED*

[KathrynMumsnet]

We’ve been asked by the Asda Little Angels team to find out your tips for nappy changes.

Here’s what Asda Little Angels says: “Here at Little Angels, we understand how busy life can be when looking after your little one. With lots of nappy changes each and every day; from quick changes to messier episodes, we’d love to know your top tips on how to keep baby clean and content! “

So, are there any tips for nappy changing that you wish you had known before you had your baby? Do you have any tricks for preventing leaks? Or maybe you’ve developed a system for speedy nappy changing? Whatever your top tips are, we’d love to hear them!

Everyone who comments on this thread will be entered into a prize draw, where one lucky Mumsnetter will win a £100 Asda voucher.

Please note your tips and comments may be used, along with your MN nickname in an email MN will send out. Your tips and comments may well also be used elsewhere anonymously by Asda.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

[CordeliaScott]

As my daughter is especially wriggly and does not like to stay still for long my tips for nappy changing are:

1. Have everything ready and to hand before I put her on the mat
   
2. Smile and sing to her so she forgets about trying to escape
   
3. If all else fails put Peppa Pig on the TV and let her watch that whilst she is being changed
   

But even then she still seems to want to crawl away...

[missorinoco]

Speed and competence come with practice. The midwife will be a zillion times better than you at this at the start - this is to be expected.

Little boys wee when the nappy comes off. Have the next one ready to whip over as soon as the old one comes off.

[mamato3luvleys]

Agree with missor about little boys wees lol. Also my top tip for changing is do it on your knees saves them wriggling or crawling away. It's easy to do even in a toilet cubicle where there's little space. Also when changing Boys remember to make sure their tiddle is down as my first son got a few leaks by me not realising this lol.

[CMOTDibbler]

Use a terry square on the changing mat, then if its a particularly awful nappy, you can just wipe the worst off with the terry. Otherwise it makes it warmer and is easily washed. Out and about, a large muslin makes skanky changing units nicer and warmer.

And if you use cloth nappies, just loosen the drawstring on the wet bag, and put the whole thing in the washing machine. The nappies come out in the wash (something a friend didn't realise for months)

[BiscuitsForBreakfast]

I always slide the new nappy underneath the old one before I take it off. It means you don't have that panicky moment where you're scrabbling to get the new one on quick before they do a wee.

Move the old one out of reach immediately because they will undoubtedly reach for it and pull it over themselves along with the dirty wipes.

We say 'put your hat on' and the DC puts both hands on their head to put on an imaginary hat and then their hands are out of the way and not in their nappy.

[CopperPan]

I used a baby gym toy which the dc used to lie underneath to distract them while I was getting on with nappy changing.

When going out or visiting friends, I brought large ziplock bags to use as nappy bags as normal ones just wouldn't contain the smell and sometimes they didn't have an outside bin!

[icclemunchy]

When they're tiny and screaming it's better just to get it done and pick them up rather than prolong the agony trying to stop them!!

[BlueThursday]

I'm always amazed at those who don't know it's vest down over the legs rather than vest up over the head.

[AGirlCalledBoB]

Get nappies out of the packet, nappy unfolded and nappy bag open before you start changing the nappy. My son likes to touch his bum and penis so you need to do it as quick as possible.

Distract them while you change them because they will run off and pee somewhere as I learnt when I took DS to see my sister for the day. Ds loves being naked so will do anything he can to resist nappy changing and peed all over her bed

Also I like using pull ups sometimes. I find them so much easier to get on and off ds now he is a toddler. He can stand up while I change him or if he has done a nasty one, they pull apart at the sides. They are not just useful for potty training.

[LancashireTea]

I have s muslin lining the change mat. Keeps my dd's back warm, helps soak up accidents and helps if she is a little sick.
I also sing sings to her as I change her bum. She loves it and kicks and giggles. Makes every change a fun event that leads to a happy little lady.

[MooJay]

One thing I really wish I'd known with DD was to ask whoever put the first ever nappy on after birth, to smear a bit of Vaseline on baby's bottom. Makes dealing with the icky sticky first poo almost easy! I did it for her second nappy and felt rather smug! Big tub of Vaseline is in the hospital bag for new baby already!

[StillNoFuckingEyeDeer]

Slide the new nappy underneath before removing the old nappy.

An iPhone can buy you valuable seconds with your mobile baby still lying on their back when they start trying to escape at every nappy change.

[JasonsBum]

My top tip for changing a newborn is:

If you even suspect they're going to poo, don't fold them in half at the middle to change the nappy. This will result in a poo fountain, all over walls, carpet and changing mat.

I also recommend disposable changing mats. Especially for out and about.

[CheeseEMouse]

With older children it's possible to change a wet nappy without taking shoes/leggings off - that revelation saved a lot of faffing. You can also get them to help you by holding on to the packet of wipes.

I second the old towel/muslin on the change mat - really easy to chuck in the wash.

[StickChildNumberTwo]

Always have more nappies in the change bag than you think you'll need - if you've only got one the baby will inevitably start to poo mid-change making the clean one unusable and leaving you in a public toilet not quite knowing what to do....

[TiggerLillies]

Always check the frills are out, they buy valuable time in the event of leakages!

[avocadotoast]

My little one is only 5 days old so I'm very new to this... But what I've learned so far:

Vests down over the legs, definitely
She hates being dressed and undressed. First couple of times I changed her I felt awful and worried I was doing something wrong. But the more I faffed with trying to soothe her the longer it took - better to just get it over with and have a big cuddle afterwards!

[TelephoneIgnoringMachine]

Try & get hold of some old fashioned terry cloth squares. They are fab for the early days when the tiny baby does horrible poos all up their back so you need to strip them off before you can change them. You then lay the baby on the cloth, on top of the changing mat - much better than straight on top of the cold changing mat.

Yellow Metanium for the bad nappy rash.

Another one for when they are small - leave the nappy off for a few minutes between changes if you can. We lost count of the number of times DD pooed or wee'd on the new nappy, mid change. It's something to do with the cold air on their bare bottom, it stimulates them to do it. Be ready with some paper towel for a couple of minutes. The fresh air will also help with nappy rash.

Never leave the house without at least one nappy & a few wipes. I'll never forget DD doing a massive noisy poo in a room full of people, while I was waiting for my 6 week checkup. No nappies on us, of course - we were only going to be out 20 minutes.

If you have a wriggler who doesn't like the changes, get everything ready before you start. Nappy out & open, get enough wipes out, nappy bag out.

[Fizzyplonk]

If you're changing a poo get the first 5 or do wipes out before you start. Otherwise they can get stuck or come out in a clump. Can be tricky with a wriggly baby/toddler.

[Ducky23]

Ds suffered with cmpi, before it was diagnosed he was having multiple explosive poos every day. I brought some puppy training pads to change him on as it went everywhere! Then I could just chuck them away after. I would also pop a bum wipe over him to make sure he didn't wee on me while I was cleaning up!

I was also surprised to hear that many people didn't know the little folds on the shoulders of baby vests were to pull the vest down when there's been a poonami

[Tamar86]

Put the mat on the floor - then they can't roll and fall off.

I always had a couple of pull ups in my changing bag as well as normal nappies. Sometimes if there's nowhere suitable for a nappy change it's easy to slip a pull up on with the baby on your lap - or with the baby standing up - than struggle doing up tabs.

[Lariflete]

Have everything ready - mat, nappy, wipes and cream if needed.
For boys, put a wipe over their penis the second you undo their nappy - it avoids getting sprayed in the face!!
Hold the feet of the baby as this stops them wriggling off and makes cleaning easier.
Take vests off by rolling them down over the shoulders and tummy. This stops the poosplosion getting all over their hair and face!

[MadMonkeys]

Get everything ready before you start. Do not put your finger inside the nappy to pull it away from the child to see if there is a poo...

Have entertainment to hand - a special toy or an amusing relative.

Use Vaseline on little bottoms - it protect against nappy rash and makes poos clean off more easily.

Do not attempt to remove babies first poo with cotton wool and water - there lies the road to madness. Just look pathetic and hand baby to a midwife... Hopefully they will bathe the baby and hand it back.

Try cheap nappies, don't assume the big brands are best - aldi, lidl and Asda nappies are fine, we liked aldi best.