This is an old trick that center Preschool Teacher's are great at: How to diaper a child who is standing up!
Why would you want to do that? Trust me, when you get to the potty training stage and are encouraging your Toddler to try to go to the potty every 20 min, you'll appreciate this very much!
*Note* I do not recommend this for dirty diapers. Only wet. I just don't think that you can really get a child clean when they are dirty without having them lie down. That said, it can be done. Just ask your child to put their hands on the ground. Looks a little strange to see a half naked Toddler doing the Downward Facing Dog in the bathroom, but it works. And hey! You never know when you'll be out and about and you realize you forgot the changing mat or the store you're at doesn't have a baby changing station, or your child is too heavy to lift up to a changing station or table. (Very helpful for children who potty train later in life or preschoolers who have the dreaded b.m. accident after potty training.)
It may sound easy, but with squirmy Toddlers, it may be tricky to get the fit just right. So I broke it down into these 7 easy steps:
How to Diaper a Standing Child
- Wipe- Have the child stand at the toilet facing away from you. Wipe with a wet wipe through the legs from front to back. Dry with a dry wipe or toilet paper if desired.
- Position Diaper- Open up the diaper all the way and thread through their legs.
- Attach Side Closures- Facing you or away (whichever is easier for you) attach one side closure. Note how the diaper tabs fall on your child when the diaper tabs are closed and try to aim for positioning the first tab there. If you're off, it doesn't matter, we'll adjust later. Now attach the second side. Go ahead and do it right over their shirt. We'll adjust that later and it will be much easier for you to see what you're doing.
- Readjust Tabs- Important! This is how the diaper gets the most comfortable for the child and the least likely to leak. You will notice that the second tab you closed looks nicer and lies flatter than the first. That's because you were able to pull on the first closed side and use both hands to do the second tab. The first one probably looks all bunched up or crooked. Now open up the first tab and re close it. Much better! You can readjust the second tab too if you want to.
- Pull Out Bottom- With the child facing away from you use your pointer fingers to pull out the edges of the seat of the diaper to properly cover their bottom.
- Pull Up in Back- Now to reduce sag and leaks, pull up on the back waistband of the diaper.
- Untuck Shirt- Now untuck their shirt and pull up their pants
That's it! You're Done!
I know that may sound complicated but it really only takes a minute. And you get faster with practice.
