3. CHANGE THE BABY'S DIAPER

It's smelly and gross, but somebody's got to do it and you're getting paid. Our advice? Hold your breath and dive into it. Changing a diaper may seem like an awkward and messy job at first, but after some practice, diapering will become second nature to you-we promise. Maybe you won't even notice the smell anymore. (We don't promise that one.)

When it comes to diapers, there are a couple of options: cloth and disposable. Cloth diapers help the environment out, but disposable diapers are as easy to handle as the name suggests. We leave the option up to you and are prepared to guide you through either choice.

To find out if the baby has wet her diaper, stick your finger down the front of the diaper and see if you feel anything moist. Following this test, wash your hands IMMEDIATELY. If the baby did a number 2, you won't need to stick your finger down her diaper; just rely on your sense of smell. Hold the baby's diapered tush up again your nose and take a long, deep breath. Your maternal instinct and olfactory system will tell you whether you'll be doing some changing.

Cloth or disposable, the concept of changing a diaper is the same:

  1. Always start by washing and drying your hands. You think a baby's poopy bottom is gross; relatively speaking, the bacteria found on your hands are even worse. Dirty hands will wreak havoc on the baby's delicate and sensitive skin so make sure you wash all the germs away prior to every changing.

  2. Settle the baby down on a changing table, or any soft, warm, clean, and dry area. You can even place your baby down on a blanketed floor.

  3. Unlatch the baby's old diaper and use its corners to wipe away any excess poop, but don't remove the dirty diaper just yet. If the baby's a boy, you might want to stick a clean cloth over his penis at this point, just in case he decides he has to go again while your face is looming right above it. Babies are funny like that.

  4. Gently grasp the baby's ankles together with one hand and lift her bottom off the table. Use baby wipes or a wet cloth to wipe the baby's genitals clean. If the baby is a girl, make sure you wipe her from front to back to minimize the chances of infection.

  5. Some people would now apply baby powder or some other kind of talc to the baby's bottom. If you're babysitting, check with the parents beforehand to see what they usually do.

  6. With the baby's bottom still in the air, fold the dirty diaper in half under her and pull the diaper out.

  7. Slide a fresh diaper into the dirty one's place, keeping half of the diaper under the baby's butt. The other half gets folded over the front of the baby. For a boy baby, tuck his penis down so his urine won't seep out over the top.

  8. Attach the two ends of the diaper.

Here are some extra tips that depend on the type of diaper you're dealing with:

Cloth Diapers

If you don't get cloth diapers washed and folded by a cleaning service, here's how to set up a clean and pre-washed diaper:

  1. Fold the diaper into thirds so that it forms a rectangular shape, keeping the folds even and neat.

  2. Choose an end and pull the flaps on either side out a little, so that the brim is a little wider than the rest of the diaper. This will be the end of the diaper that gets slid under the baby's bottom.

  3. When you're pinning the cloth diaper together, keep two of your fingers under the fabric so that the baby doesn't get accidentally pricked. Insert the pin away from the baby's bellybutton. If the pin doesn't go through the cloth easily, stick the pin in a bar of soap first.

  4. After you're done putting the fresh diaper together, bring the soiled diaper to the nearest toilet and dump the poop out. Fold the diaper up into a tight bundle and stick it in a diaper pail with a lid that shuts securely.

Disposable Diapers

  1. When you're sliding the new diaper into the dirty one's place, the end with the sticky tape should go under the baby's bottom.

  2. Don't bunch the diaper between the baby's legs - it will hurt her baby's skin. With newborns, avoid covering the umbilical cord.

  3. Throw all the used baby wipes into the diaper before wrapping the diaper together tightly and keeping it shut with the sticky tape. And there you have it - a clean and happy baby. (For the next hour or so, anyway.)