The best diapers for a newborn baby they do not necessarily have to be one-off. Reusable diapers made of cotton or bamboo terry are also an option worth considering. Both in terms of raw materials and ecology. There are also many swaddle options on the market with replaceable inserts.
The use of reusable products, as opposed to disposable diapers, leads to reducing the amount of waste. Among parents with a pro-ecological approach, we can find numerous supporters of this solution.
What diapers for an older baby?
To answer the question of what diapers to choose for a baby in the following months of its life, you need to observe: how quickly your little one is gaining weight. Each diaper size has a limit for the baby's weight, but it is not worth waiting until the baby reaches this limit.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is better before choose the next, larger product size. Weight ranges are selected to overlap at extreme values, which translates into greater comfort of use and allows for better fitting of diapers.
Example: A child weighing 4 kg should no longer use size 1 diapers (2-5 kg) - size 2 (3-6 kg) is definitely better for him. It may also happen that a large baby weighing 5 kg and aged over 3 months will need size 3 (5-9 kg), because diapers in this size take into account the anatomical structure of an older child - they are simply deeper.
This rule applies to selecting diapers for all children who, according to percentile grids are higher or heavier than the average for a given developmental age. It is worth choosing a product that is larger in size, because it is longer, wider and deeper. Let's remember that every brand can have one other size categories.
The difference in weight ranges, even if it is small (e.g. 1 kg), is very important, especially in the neonatal or early infant period. The wrong size of diapers may cause leakage in the child's back, belly and thighs. However, a well-chosen diaper does more than just help appropriate security, but also provides the baby necessary freedom of movement, which are then unrestrained.
How often do I change diapers for my little ones?
Parents often complain about the quality of diapers when their children's skin becomes red or irritated. Experts suggest that adults caring for a baby should analyze causes such a state.
The golden rule for the youngest babies (not only in the newborn period - up to the 28th day of life, but also later, in the first 3 months) is to change the diaper after each breastfeeding, i.e. even after 1,5 hours and at intervals of up to 3 hours for a single use diapers. This applies to both day and night. In addition to relatively constant changing times, the baby's nappy should also be changed when we see that it is already full - even if we put it on an hour earlier.
Young, sensitive and thin skin should not be exposed to irritating effects of urine and stool. Redness and irritation can occur very easily. This has to do with the pH of these secretions and the moist and warm environment inside the diaper.
Changing diapers in older children
For older children, in the second half of their life, diapers can be changed less frequently. But single application time, i.e. wearing one diaper, should not be longer than 4-5 hours. Changing diapers in such hourly intervals should also take place at night. Do not leave the diaper on the baby's skin for, for example, 12 hours. It definitely won't be healthy for him. Moreover, the longer the diaper is on the baby's bottom, especially an active and mobile one, the easier it is leaks.
The same goes for irritation and so-called diaper dermatitis. The diaper in the name of this disease syndrome may suggest that it is the product's fault. However, although skin lesions actually occur in the diaper area, the cause is often not the diaper itself, but the irritating effect of its contents. Especially when we don't change the diaper too often and the baby's skin is not hygienically treated or effectively protected too rarely.
