A lot of new parents may not have any experience changing a diaper, and the task can seem daunting. Experience will help, but there are some questions that all new parents have or will have.

How often should I change my baby’s diaper?
While it is “ideal” to change a baby’s diaper after each time they pee, that’s not quite feasible. Often there is no indication that your baby has peed, and checking the diaper (by feeling it to see if the wadding has bunched up) every few minutes is impossible. Generally, checking at least every two hours, or before or after feedings, and before and after sleeping is best. A newborn, a sick child or a child with diaper rash needs to be changed more often. Speaking of diaper rash …

What causes diaper rash?
Diaper rash is caused by having the skin in the diaper area be exposed to wetness and waste. The amount of time a baby’s skin can be exposed to waste depends on the child and their skin’s pH balance. A baby’s skin is about half as thick as an adult’s: that’s why their skin is so sensitive. Diaper rash isn’t caused directly by the foods the baby digests, but can be caused by the diarrhea caused by those foods. Diaper rashes can be cleared up by letting the baby’s skin air out, using diaper rash creams and making sure the diapers and wipes you’re using work for your baby’s skin.

What if my child hates their diaper being changed?
Most children will go through a phase where they hate having their diapers changed. Some techniques to get through this are distracting the child (perhaps with an object that is otherwise unavailable to them), counting down to the diaper change (sometimes even setting a timer) and changing the child while they’re standing up (if they’re stable enough). Oftentimes, parents will use this phase to help start the process of potty-training.

Feel free to ask more questions in the comments, or add your own answers to the ones above!