Tips & Tricks for Diapering Toddlers

You finally get a hang of diapering toddlers, and then next week it can seem like you have a completely different kid. There are so many diapering stages and different challenges for each of them. With babies, your life revolves around feedings and the diaper changes that go with them. But by the time they get mobile and start more and more solid foods, the whole diapering situation has changed!

As a mom that has had more than my fair share of diaper changes, raising 5 little boys, I’ve found some tricks of the trade that help with diapering toddlers! Because you know as soon as you gather everything, and get them ready for the quick swap, they’ve already rolled over again and are off! Running away from mommy or daddy is just so much fun!

Tips & Tricks for Diapering Toddlers

1. Put the diaper on backward

When your toddler figures out how to pull at the tabs and remove their own diaper, it’s time to flip it around and put the diaper on backward. This simple trick makes it harder for them to remove the diaper and keeps you from extra changes simply because they pulled off the diaper! Pair the backward diaper with bottoms and it’s even more work for the little Houdini’s to escape!

2. Change their diaper with your toddler standing-up

When your child becomes mobile, they want to be on the go non-stop! Diaper changes will be less of a drag for your toddler if you embrace standing up diaper changes. If it’s a wet diaper, and your tot is busy playing, don’t make a fuss about laying them down, just quickly make the swap and wipe and let them on their way. Poopy diapers can be changed standing up, too, but they’re a bit harder to navigate.

Let them “help” wipe – Your toddler is fighting hard to learn new skills and find their independence. An easy way to make diaper changes less of a struggle is by letting your little one think they are “helping”. I always do clean-up duty, then hand my little guy a wipe and he’ll try to replicate mommy, or use it to was his hands, face, or even his toys while I’m busy putting on his diaper. It gives him a sense of being a part of the process, and is practicing early skills that will help during potty training.

3. Keep your toddlers hands busy while diapering

No one wants to stop playing, especially when you’re just a toddler! Make diaper changes as pain-free as possible for everyone involved. Keep a few items ready to keep them distracted and busy while you’re changing the diaper. One of the all-time favorites was a singing birthday card, that played music whenever you opened up the card!

4. Give toddlers a diaper job

This tip can help in more ways than one! When your toddler is in need of a change, help them to recognize it by getting them involved! We store all of our diapers in an easy to access drawer on our coffee table. He helps me load the diapers into the drawer whenever we are running low, and when he’s dirty I ask him to help me get a diaper! He’ll also grab a book, car, or other small toy we have beside them. Grabbing a toy and a diaper and it gets him excited for diaper time! It’s also teaching him to recognize his body functions and builds that important vocabulary.

5. Give a bottle/milk before bedtime

It’s easy to resort to bottle & bed, but as your child is growing into a toddler, you can start moving the bottle to before bedtime instead of while they are in bed. Slowly moving a cup of milk earlier and giving a bigger space between bottle and bedtime can help with diapering! Now, when you go to change the before bed diaper, you’ll be keeping your toddler drier through the night and helping with that stay-dry feeling they’ll need to master for nighttime potty training!

6. Use zippered pajamas when diapering toddlers

You hear the stories all the time, of a toddler painting with their poop. Don’t let it happen to you! If your toddler likes to strip out of their diaper and bottoms, use zip-up pajamas to help keep the diaper on so you don’t wake up with any surprises!

7. Save Money on diapers for toddlers

Raising a child, you’ll go through a lot of diapers! That means, finding savings is really important! My favorite way to save is by buying in bulk at a club store. I save a TON of time by picking up one monster box of diapers while doing my other bulk shopping purchases and I’m never out. A lot of times they’ll even have extras in the box or bonus packs with even more diapers in them. You can also watch for instant savings and stock-up a month or two in advance! I always watch for Huggies Little Movers to go on sale before buying (unless I’m out!)

What are your best tips for diaper training your little one?