Seeing children running around in their birthday suits is a beautiful sign of summer.
One day, I noticed a little boy having so much fun playing in the sprinklers. As he ran around, his loaded diaper was swinging back and forth. His diaper was so low it was hanging off of his body and barely holding on by the velcro straps.
I looked around the playground to see if I could find his grown-up — maybe they could see what I saw.
After minutes of watching this kid enjoy himself and not being bothered by the diaper, I had an epiphany. Why in the world, do I change diapers so frequently?
From that moment on, I allowed my daughter's diaper to get so full it was another reason for my family to be disturbed by my parenting style.
Here’s what I found. Since my daughter mainly breastfeeds, she only poops once a day. Of course I change the poop - but the rest of the day she just pees. So I allowed her diaper to fill.
What Are The Benefits Of Saggy Diapers?
Less diapers in the landfills and no need for a diaper bag. It's estimated that diapers take 1,000 years to decompose. There are companies like Terracycle that are working to minimize the damage we are doing to our planet. They do this by upcycling dirty diapers and transforming them into products we can use (like park benches).
Isn't It Better to Use Cloth Diapers?
Cloth diapers are definitely better for the planet! Our family tried prefolds and covers, but they were uncomfortably hot and irritated our little ones skin.
Are Saggy Diapers Uncomfortable?
Our children seemed to love the warmth of a filled diaper and despised premature diaper changes. Meaning, they loved taking off their own diapers -- and this was usually after they were quite full.
Do Saggy Diapers Cause A Child To Be Bow Legged?
Bow legs are when the knees curve outward, leaving a wide gap in between the legs. Some believe bulky diapers in between babies legs can obstruct their ability to walk. Two of our children wore saggy diapers and neither have trouble walking or are bow legged. In fact they both have normal gaits and walked early (in my opinion). One started walking at 6 months, the other at 10 months.
Can Saggy Diapers Lead To Diaper Rash?
Diaper rash can happen even if your baby or toddler is changed the recommended amount of times. There are 4 main steps we used to prevent diaper rash.
Do Saggy Diapers Leak?
It depends on the brand. Not all diapers are absorbent or have gussets. Gussets are the elastic areas around the legs that ensure the diaper is form fitting and snug around the diaper area. This prevents leaks even when the diaper stretches and is weighed down when wet.
We've also tried brands that leaked through the plastic. Meaning, the material was thin, and if our baby peed, the outside of the diaper would be wet too. So we're pretty loyal to this brand, because it works for us.
Do Saggy Diapers Smell?
Saggy diapers can also occur if your child is playing in water (which children love to do). When swimming or playing in sprinklers, using swim diapers instead of regular diapers will prevent the diaper from filling with liquid.
But if the saggy diaper is caused by pee and smells -- drinking more water may help. Smelly pee can happen (especially during hot summer days) no matter the amount. It's best to change the diaper and try to get as much liquid in baby as possible.
Do saggy diapers gross you out? How often do you change your baby?
Until next time...
Love The Journey,
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