Becoming parents is one of the awesome things in life. However, mommies are sometimes stuck with the baby’s problems.
Yes, we’re talking about diaper blowouts, an undesirable circumstance to many parents at first.
Although it’s unavoidable, parents should equip themselves with some basic info and tips to prevent it.
Therefore, this post will discuss how to prevent diaper blowouts by exploring reasons, solutions, and certain stuff-dealing steps to help you and your lovely babies!
What Are Diaper Blowouts?
Diaper blowouts are known as baby blowouts or diaper explosions. As the words sound, knowing what happens in this situation is quite clear.
A blowout indicates that the baby’s poop leaks or explodes from diapers. It can leak from the back, legs, or front.
The babies are too young to be aware. As a result, the messy poop can be spread to the neck, head, and face.
Before exploring the reasons, you should know the basics of diapers and their usage.
Sizes
The first thing you need to know is there are multiple sizes. Besides, depending on the manufacturers, the specifications of the same sizes can be a little different.
As a result, before buying, you should carefully look at the specifications, choosing instructions, and reviews to avoid ill-fitting results.
Additionally, we’d like to give you the overall sizing summary based on weight range to serve as a reference.
- 1 – 5 lbs: Preemie size
- 6 – 9 lbs: Newborn size
- 8 -14 lbs: Size 1
- 12-18 lbs: Size 2
- 16-28 lbs: Size 3
- 22-37 lbs: Size 4
- 27-35 lbs: Size 5
- 35 lbs and over: Size 6
- 41 lbs and over: Size 7
Note:
- Some sizes are only available in certain brands (such as Preemie).
- It’d help to try different brands to find out what’s most suitable.
Features
When choosing diapers, you need to keep the following characteristics in mind to provide comfort for you and your baby!
- Absorbency
- Wetness Indicator
- Softness
- Breathability
- Stretchability
- Fit
Suitability
Suitability plays an important role in children’s comfort. As a result, parents should pay attention to the following details to know whether the diapers suit the babies.
- Check the waistband, leg bands, and side tabs to find if they match or not.
- Look for diaper rashes or irritations around or in a covered area.
- Observe the baby’s facial expression if it is uncomfortable when wearing a diaper.
Possible Reasons For Baby Blowouts
Everything has its causes. The same goes for diaper blowouts. There are many possible reasons for this situation.
We want to split them into two main causes, so you can easily follow and try your best to avoid or deal with the coming-ups.
Diaper’s Problems
1. Wrong size diaper selection
This is one of the most common reasons. Choosing unsuitable sizes for your children leads to ill-fitting, which is too small or too big. Both of the circumstances can make poop blowouts.
2. Poor wearing
Yes. It may come from the poor skill of parents when putting on diapers for babies.
Wearing diapers seems simple, but it does require detailed things to fit and work well. You can refer to know how to put diapers on properly.
3. Inappropriate brand
Besides the products’ quality and characteristics, or the brand’s reputation, suitability also depends a lot on experiences.
We can’t tell you which brand is the best or most appropriate. You will know which works best when you try!
Children’s Activities
1. Constipation
When your children are constipated, it’s hard for them to eliminate the waste regularly. As a result, after constipation, poop explosion tends to happen.
The stools are more than usual, which makes diapers unable to handle well in this situation.
2. Physical activities
As a parent, you don’t want your children to stay in one place in a house as most of them are active babies.
They may walk, run, play with pets, etc. All their physical activities make the diapers loosen or deviate, leading to diaper leakage.
How To Prevent Diaper Blowouts?
After reading some possible grounds, this part provides tips and certain steps to prevent baby blowouts.
Although it’s not an unbeaten list, you can find them practical and applicable!
Use The Right Sizes
The right size does matter! A properly fitting diaper may seem obvious, but parents are not always aware when their child wears an ill-fitting one.
Therefore, you should read the sizing chart from manufacturers to know the specifications, then compare to your child’s figures and select the most fitted.
Moreover, we recommend that you also need to read through the reviews to consult other users’ experiences. In addition, you can consult our size chart above.
Notice the sizes when you find your baby’s diaper can’t cover the bottom or over-cover!
Put Diapers Correctly
Besides choosing the correct size, the right way to put on a diaper is also a key for security! If you get the right size but can’t wear it properly, your baby’s poop might still leak.
When it is properly fitted, it should be straight and proportional to your children. Remember to check:
- The diaper is closely under the navel.
- The waist looks snug.
- All the cuffs fit snugly around the legs and bottom.
Avoid Tight Clothes
Because they exert pressure on the diaper, tight onesies or garments increase the chance of a blowout. It’s like a sponge. Pressure will force anything in the diaper out after it is full.
If your kid wears a tight onesie and poops, the baby clothes will squeeze the urine or excrement outside.
When you observe that your baby is approaching the end of the size of clothes, it’s necessary to up the clothing size, especially onesies and pants.
Check The Diaper Often
Another way to avoid blowouts is to change the diapers more frequently. Sometimes, the diapers are so absorbent and full, and your baby may not always cry when a soaked diaper happens.
If you don’t change the heavy wetters, it can result in a poop explosion, as there is no absorbent material left or space to cover.
It is recommended that a disposable diaper should be changed every 2 – 3 hours and 1 – 2 hours to a cloth one.
Besides, children’s stages also impact the time of change. For example, when your child is a toddler, they will be able to contain their urine for longer amounts of time, allowing a longer time between diaper changes.
Consider doing it more often if you’re changing diapers every couple of hours but still getting blowouts.
Pull Out The Diapers Leg Ruffles
Diapers have leg cuffs that must be correctly pulled out. You risk diaper blowout leg leakage if they aren’t, which isn’t ideal for either you or your child.
So, every time you change your baby’s diaper, inspect the ruffles on the legs. Make sure that they are pulled out properly.
Use Diaper Extenders
Diaper extenders, also known as diaper blowout blockers, prevent explosions on your baby’s clothes and car seat.
Instead of washing your baby’s car seat, you can put the diaper extenders in the washer.
This method doesn’t prevent a blowout but helps you in the cleaning process. You can save lots of time and effort!
Use An Envelope Onesie
A great blowout hack is to use an envelope onesie. The envelope folds allow you to quickly pull the onesie over your baby’s shoulders and legs, ensuring that the mess stays off their upper half.
Use A Cloth Diaper Cover
For some parents, reusable diapers are not an option. However, if you can, choosing cloth diapers could substantially minimize the number of diaper blowouts and leakages.
These diapers offer better elastic bands around your baby’s legs and waists, which helps keep poop eruptions contained inside the diaper.
Besides, some parents have been known to use a cloth cover to prevent blowouts when using disposable diapers.
Discover A Suitable Baby Diaper Brand
Each brand has its advantages and drawbacks. It isn’t easy to find a perfect brand. So, the key is to discover a suitable brand for your children!
Based on the baby’s conditions, such as skin features, characteristics, etc., you should choose the best diaper brand to prevent blowouts, not the most expensive one.
Control Baby’s Pooping Schedule
Like adults, most babies poop on a regular timetable. It’d help to know when your baby will poop so that you can pay attention to his signs and prepare for the following steps.
For example, if knowing your child is going to poop, you might want to change your baby’s diaper first to enhance the absorbent ability and avoid leakage.
Blowouts After Constipation
As we mentioned before, you need to take notice of your children’s health!
When you realize that they are constipated, let’s try to change their diet by asking for professional advice to deal with the problem.
For example, if you provide them with juice, fruits, etc., be prepared for huge stools later. You should pay attention to little signs to avoid a huge diaper blowout or leakage.
How To Clean A Diaper Blowout?
Step 1: Take your baby to the bathroom or public restroom (if you’re outside) to wash them.
Step 2: Clean clothes as following instructions
- Remove as much extra excrement as possible. You can use wet wipes, but avoid rubbing them.
- Spray water on those messy clothes before washing.
- Soak dirty clothing for at least 15 minutes in warm water.
- Using a moderate detergent, wash the dirty clothes.
- If the stain persists, do not dry the clothes; otherwise, the stain will set.
Step 3: Deal with surrounding areas
- Disinfect hard surfaces with wet wipes.
- Use a cleaner and deodorizer.
- Pre-treat and wash changing pads, bedding, car seat covers, and other materials like you did your baby’s clothes.
FAQs
How To Prevent Diaper Blowouts Up The Back?
Poop blowout is more common in the back of the diaper, where it’s more difficult to make a seal.
Blowouts are sometimes caused by using the incorrect sizes or diapers that aren’t properly snug on the baby.
So the most effective answer for how to prevent poop up the back is getting the most fitted size!
When Should I Upsize The Diapers For My Baby?
Here are the signs that you should pay attention to for upsizing a baby’s diapers and answering the question of how to keep baby poop from coming out of diapers.
- Coverage: Look at the butt and legs of your child. If you find the diapers can’t cover the bottom, it’s a sign to try a new size.
- Tabs: When you find the tabs are near the hips rather than the center or belly button area, it seems that you need to upsize.
- Waistband: It’s quite easy to recognize. When the elastic waistband is tight, you may find it harder to put on diapers for your child.
- Red signs: Those visible red marks around the legs, belly, or butt indicate it’s time to change to a bigger size.
- Guidelines: Check the baby’s weight and the guidelines to know whether you should upsize.
Are Baby Blowouts Preventable?
The answer is YES! But not completely preventable. In other words, baby explosions are normal, acceptable, and crucial in their development.
So, you can’t prevent them from happening!
However, the idea here is to minimize bad incidents by knowing the tips to avoid minor mistakes and faults that lead to explosions.
It’s not about what will happen. It’s about how you can predict and prepare well to reduce poop accidents!
Is It Normal For Babies To Have Daily Blowouts?
In this case, you should know how to distinguish diarrhea from a normal bowel.
Newborn babies or breastfed babies may poop 10 – 15 times a day. If your baby keeps having blowouts more than usual, it may be diarrhea.
You should go to the doctor for a correct diagnosis and professional treatment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, blowout diapers are unavoidable as they’re parts of babies’ development. At first, it might require lots of time and effort, but it isn’t terrible later.
Being parents is a blessing, so we are all trying to make this journey as meaningful as possible.
After reading this post, we believe you can know how to prevent diaper blowouts.
Best wishes to you and your babies!
