5 essentials for changing your baby in a public place

Going for a walk with small children is a big challenge, not only because of the need to take care of their appropriate clothing, safety, and comfort, but also because the youngest who are not yet able to use the toilet may require a diaper change before returning home. Well-prepared public restrooms should be equipped with changing tables, but unfortunately, this is not yet a standard in all places. So how do you prepare for changing diapers in a public place?

Taking care of a small child's hygiene is very important, so delaying changing a dirty diaper should not happen even if we are with the baby outside the house. A wet diaper is not only a guarantee that the uncomfortable child will start crying, but also a risk of developing skin irritations or even more serious infections, which can cause the baby to have a fever and require a visit to the doctor. To avoid such consequences, it is good to pack a few essentials when going for a walk, which will allow us to efficiently and safely change the baby regardless of whether we go to the park, shopping center, clinic or restaurant.

What do you need to change a dirty diaper outside the house?

1. Diapers for changing

Undoubtedly the most obvious thing, but it doesn't mean that it's not worth stopping for a moment. Regardless of the length of the walk we are taking with the child, it is good to take more than one extra diaper. It may turn out that, without access to a changing table, we will drop and soil the fresh diaper before we have a chance to put it on. There is also a possibility that despite a short outing, the baby will need to be changed more than once.

2. Bags for used diapers

Although there are disposable diapers on the market that can be flushed down the toilet, most of them are not suitable for this purpose - just like paper towels and wet wipes, which have trouble dissolving in water and effectively block drain pipes. That's why responsible parents should have plastic bags on hand to pack unpleasant-smelling diapers before throwing them in the trash. Some public restrooms, especially those designated for women and people with disabilities, have wall-mounted dispensers for sanitary bags, which can be used to properly pack used diapers and limit the spread of unpleasant odors throughout the restroom.

3. Wet wipes

Moistened wipes are essential for maintaining proper hygiene while changing a baby's diaper. Even when using the most absorbent diaper, we cannot avoid getting dirt on the baby's skin, which must be removed to prevent skin irritation and discomfort caused by unpleasant odors. Remember that products used to clean the most intimate areas should have a gentle and delicate formula that not only helps eliminate bacteria, but also does not cause an allergic reaction.

4. Antibacterial hand washing gel

Before we start changing the diaper, we should take into consideration that even though it is a proverbial "dirty job", we will be dealing with extremely sensitive parts of the baby's body that are prone to infection, and under no circumstances should we perform this task without washing our hands beforehand. If we managed to find a bathroom equipped with a changing table, we should of course thoroughly wash our hands, making sure not to skip any of the particularly exposed areas to contact with germs and dirt, but in case the nearest toilet with soap and running water is too far away, we should have an appropriate hand disinfectant product ready. Gel-based products that do not require rinsing are particularly good solutions - for example, Purell hand sanitizer.popular Purell company - which are easy to use and quickly remove all kinds of viruses and bacteria. Of course, we should also clean our hands in the same way after finishing changing the diaper.

5. Portable changing mat or waterproof changing pad

When changing a baby's diaper, we should not only consider hygiene, but also the safety of the child, which means that, without a professional freestanding or wall-mounted changing table for infants, we will have to find a stable place where the child will not accidentally fall during the diaper change. Using chairs or a tilted bench for this purpose carries a high risk, so in many cases the best solution will unfortunately be to lay the child directly on the floor, for example in a disabled toilet, which offers enough space and is not as busy as women's and men's restrooms. Special portable mats and waterproof changing pads allow you to take care of both the child's hygiene and comfort, as well as the cleanliness of the place where the diaper is being changed.

What to remember when changing diapers for children?

Regardless of where we will be changing a dirty diaper, we must remember that the most important thing is the safety of the child. When in a restaurant or shopping center, it is good to ask the staff if there is a changing table designed for public restrooms, which, in addition to convenience, will also provide a high level of protection against unforeseen injuries and germs, thanks to disposable sanitary pads and a sturdy construction. It is also important to keep in mind that when changing a newborn's diaper, we should leave the place where we are doing it in the best possible condition and use wet wipes or soap and water to clean any dirt that may have accumulated during the diaper change. After all, other parents will also want to use the same bathroom and, like us, they will want to quickly, efficiently, and in hygienic conditions get rid of a dirty diaper.

Ryszard Kurek