On the surface, diapering a baby doesn’t seem that hard. Take diaper off baby. Wipe baby. Put new diaper on baby. But there are all sorts of issues that can come up during what should take less than a few minutes. Here are just a few suggestions for what to do when you hit a trouble spot, and links to other helpful topics.

Diaper Leaks
The number one reason why diapers leak is because they don’t fit correctly. They may either be too small or too large, or it could be possible that the brand you’re using just doesn’t fit your child in any size, though that is rare. You can find all sorts of answers about which diaper size to buy in our blog post, How To Choose The Right Size Baby Diaper. And you can have lots of different sizes on hand if you order some of our samples.

Diaper Rash
It’s so tough to watch your poor baby suffer through diaper rash. Adding creams can help, but another option is to allow the area to dry out, when possible. If your baby doesn’t move around too much while they nap, it might be worth it to try to lay them down, on their back, on an underpad (also known as chux). If you have a boy, place a cloth over the groin area. All urine should be absorbed , and after the nap you can give them a quick bath (warm water, mild soap or no soap) and apply cream.

Making a Mess
From a baby’s point of view, reaching to the diaper area during a change makes sense: what’s going on down there? You’re futzing around in the area, so it must be fun! But now is not when you want your baby to be exploring. And telling them no will only create confusion, or just plain not work. Try distraction instead. The next time your child seems to take an interest in a toy, put it away after the play session. Then, only take that toy out when it’s diaper changing time. Your child will hopefully be distracted enough by this limited-time-only object to let you finish up the change quickly.

What issues have you encountered while diapering your child? Or what tips do you have for the above problems? You can also find more hints in our blog post, Baby Diaper Basics.