Question for all you experienced mommies

We are changing our 2 week old's diaper about 25+ times per day. Is this normal? Or am I being overly obsessive about checking her diaper? She keeps going a little bit at a time, so if I change her and check ten minutes later, chances are she'll be a little bit dirty again. Should I just not check so often? Also if she's sleeping and I hear her "going," do I wake her up to change her?

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 17 2005 Posts: 5505

25 TIMES??????!!!!!! Shocked

not necessary...diapers r designed 2 hold stuff 4 a while...cant remember how many times we used 2 change ours but it was asap if they were dirty and less fast if they were just wet...ull learn Very Happy

Posted: Sun, Jul 08 2007, 2:26 pm Post subject:

Breatfed babies tend to poop a lot, about every feed at first. But I would never wake a sleeping baby to change him/her.

It really will get bettere soon - in fact you will probvably psot soon that your baby has not pooped in 3 days . And yes that is normal too.

Once the bosy gets used to it, breast milk is the perfect food and is rarley eminiated,

So - change less often, I think 8 times in 24 hrs is normal for a new born.
If youthinkyour baby is getting sore or it is really bad then change more often. But 25 times ??? you must be exhausted . tha tis more than once an hour. when do you sleep ???
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Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 17092

a good rule of the thumb is to change the baby right before or right after a feeding, plus if they smell from a bowel movement. No need to change so often! the diapers will cost you a fortune! Are you changing it every 15 minutes or what? once in 3 hours is more than enough!
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8-12 times is normal, at least that is what I did. If your child eliminates at each feeding, and you are vigilant (it does seem to help them train later) about not letting them sit in a wet diaper, then 12 times or a bit more might be right for peeing, but 25 times seems a bit much. Is it a "full" diaper then or just a bit wet/dirty? If your child has a full dirty diaper each time, I would check with the doc. just in case.
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Thank you all for your advice. It's good to hear what's considered normal... because I AM utterly exhausted and these diapers ARE costing us a fortune already! It's not a full diaper every time, just a little bit most of the time. What's been happening a lot is that while I'm in the middle of putting on the new diaper, her little adorableness will go again...so I'll put on another one, and then she'll go yet again... Laughing

It's really kinda funny, except not at 3 AM! Smile

Diamond Member Joined: Dec 05 2005 Posts: 3526

my baby always (in the beg) made right after every feeding adn thats when I changed him. feed then change. about every 3-4 hrs, 8-12 times a day is fine, as others posted. also, realize that the dirty or wet diaper almost for sure doesn't bother her, so don't think you are causing her discomfort or s/t by changning her at the slightest discolor in her diaper.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 26 2006 Posts: 2309 Location: NY

I don't think anyone mentioned this yet- but it will get better, iy'h. When she gets a little older her bowel movements will get a little more "organized" and she won't be going as often. Ah, I remember those triple diaper changes in a row... and I got nailed a couple of times! Laughing

Modern diapers are designed to be absorbent, so you don't have to change so often...before a feed is a good time (I say before, because after, my newborn would fall asleep and I didn't want to wake him Wink

)

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 20 2006 Posts: 5709

Although often right after a feeding a newborn will need a diaper change.

Executive Member Joined: Dec 19 2006 Posts: 399

I remember changing my infants and then 2 seconds later, theyd go again! dont be so quick to change her. wait a little bit and let her finish what she needs to do. that should cut down on diaper changes.

Platinum Member Joined: May 16 2005 Posts: 6262

I just cahnge my newborn before and after feeding... and when he makes sometimes in bet

All of my kids did that kind of thing. Just wait a bit before changing to make certain they are through. I also changed before the feeding and right after if they hadn't fallen asleep or there was a big mess.

Posted: Sun, Jul 08 2007, 6:45 pm Post subject:

as above, breastfed babies go pretty often as newborns.
change when dirty (I would say even if sleeping). but you don't need to change a wet diaper.
for someone who said every 3 hours...that's for an older baby/toddler. I think babies who are nursing every 2-3 hours usually make more often, if I remember correctly. I remember going through TONS of diapers in the first few weeks.
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soiled diapers, change right away, we don't want diaper rash.... wet: change if saturated, otherwise not necessary so often.
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Diamond Member Joined: Nov 30 2006 Posts: 2613

amother here is a tidbit of advice that may help

when I was in that stage of life, when ever the baby was ready for a change, I'd first gently bend the baby's knees and press them gently towards the chest. As a result the baby would almost always poop some more.
As a result I was needing to change diapers far less often Wink

sorry I meant to address greeneyes not amother

Just wanted to thank you all for your input on the diaper situation... it's getting a little bit better, thank goodness Very Happy

Posted: Sun, Jul 15 2007, 11:02 am Post subject:

hey I would stick to changing them after she awakens and after she makes poop ... do not wait till the diapers are soaking that they are falling off either - that is the other extreme ... you'll soon get the hang of it ... and stop checking every 10 minutes ...
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