Baby diaper blowouts are every parent’s worst nightmare realized. Your baby has pooped and for one reason or another, the diaper has failed and the poop is no longer “just” in the diaper…it’s everywhere.
Like literally everywhere!
So we are going to take a moment here to talk about baby diaper blowouts, why they happen, how to deal with them, and best yet…how to prevent them!
What Is A Diaper Blowout?
So what exactly is a baby diaper blowout? A baby diaper blowout happens when your baby poops, but your diaper fails.
When the poop leaks out of the diaper around the legs, up the back, or up the front of your baby then you have just experienced a baby diaper blowout.
They aren’t fun, but they are a normal part of life with a baby. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to avoid a baby diaper blowout, so let’s talk about those next.
What Causes A Baby Diaper Blowout?
The most common cause of baby diaper blowouts are diapers that don’t fit just right.
You have probably noticed how baby diapers come in sizes, for example, size one diapers are for babies from 8 -14 pounds and size 2 diapers are for babies from 12 -18 pounds. If your baby weighs 12 pounds and you are experiencing diaper blowouts then it would be a good idea to move up to the next size.
Another cause of baby diaper blowouts is putting the diaper on incorrectly. The tabs of the diaper need to be fastened snugly around the baby’s waist.
If you don’t fasten the diaper snugly enough then blowouts will occur. You should be able to slip one finger in between the diaper and the baby’s waist and one finger in between the baby’s legs and the cuff of the diaper.
Diaper cuffs can also be a cause of baby diaper blowouts.
If your baby is having blowouts that leak out around the legs then you need to check the position of the leg cuffs when you put it on. The cuffs of the diaper need to be outside of the diaper and around your baby’s leg.
Again you should be able to slip one finger between the cuff and the leg to make sure that they aren’t too tight, but those cuffs are specially designed to help keep the contents of the diaper from leaking out.
If you are putting the diapers on snugly, the cuffs are on the outside of the leg, they are the correct size, and you are still experiencing blowouts, then you may need to try a new brand.
All diapers are not created equally, and no one diaper brand works well for all babies. You may have to try several different brands before you find the brand that works the best for your baby.
Diapers don’t expire but you want to be sure you are not using one that is too old and that the elastic leg cuffs are in good condition.
Baby Diaper Blowout Hacks
Alright so here’s the good stuff. You want to know how to deal with baby diaper blowout. Trust me when I say you will get through this. You may even look back on this laugh. But when you’re actually in the moment, you want quick and easy hacks to fix this!
How do you deal with a baby diaper blowout? Carefully, very, very, carefully!
Cleaning The Baby and Disposing The Diaper
The first thing that you are going to need is wipes and a LOT of them! I talked about my favorites out of the best natural wipes for babies in this post.
You may also want a disposable plastic bag or two to contain the messy diaper and wipes.
Tip: You can get a better deal and get double or even triple the amount of disposable bags if you just pick them up from the pet aisle instead of the baby section of the store. They work just as well!
It is a VERY good idea to keep a few in your diaper bag in case a blowout happens away from home.
Changing Baby’s Clothes Without A Mess
You will also need a change of clothes for the baby. If you are lucky enough to have dressed your baby in an “envelope” onesie (those with the two pieces of cloth crossed over each other at the shoulders) you can pull the onesie down over the baby’s body instead of over their head.
Hopefully, this will keep you from getting poop in your little one’s hair.
Make sure that you have extra outfits in your diaper bag, and maybe even an extra shirt for yourself, blowouts can get very messy.
If you are fortunate enough to be at home when your baby has a blowout, you may want to use the spray attachment from your sink or shower to gently rinse your baby off with warm water.
Saving Baby’s Clothes From The Diaper Blowout
After you get your baby cleaned up and freshly diapered take the soiled clothes and rinse them with warm water, spray the outfit with stain remover, and wash as usual.
If the clothing still has stains simply rewash the outfit and add some hydrogen peroxide to the load.
Just make sure that you don’t put the outfit into the dryer until the stains are gone or the heat of the dryer will set them permanently. Ask me how I know. If you like that outfit and want to keep it in good condition, try to treat the stains right away.
Dealing With Baby Diaper Blowouts At Night
If it seems that most of your baby diaper blowouts are happening at night, is there a worse time for them?
You might want to consider trying an overnight diaper with more absorption abilities.
Here’s a great tip on how to prevent diaper blowouts from the back. Which, by the way, would not be fun when both of you are sleepy and just want rest.
If you are still having diaper blowout issues, or you can’t find an overnight diaper in the size you need (many companies overnight diapers are for size 4 and up) then add a cloth diaper cover to your baby at night.
Put on your disposable diaper as you normally would, and then add the cloth diaper cover, with no insert, over the top of it. The cloth diaper cover can help to contain any mess that escapes from the disposable diaper and can keep you from having to change the diaper, baby’s clothes, and sheets in the middle of the night.
Baby Diaper Blowouts Are Inevitable
This is just one of those parenting rites of passage, sorry. The good news is that now you know all about baby diaper blowouts, how to deal with them, and how to prevent them.
Make sure that your baby’s diaper fits properly, that you are changing them often, and the ruffles are out around the legs, and just maybe you can avoid future baby diaper blowouts with your little one.
Do you have any other tips for new moms dealing with baby diaper blowouts?
