Is Diaper Free baby possible? Learn 3 Simple Steps of Keeping your Baby Diaper-Free

Can you imagine yourself wearing a big diaper tied tightly around your waist, hanging underneath you with your urine soaked in it for the whole day, whole week, or whole year? How does that feel? Ladies, remember your that time of the month, how a sanitary napkin causes irritation and rashes to you in just 3 to 5 days. You can't bear it for few days, imagine how your baby or toddler or even child feels like. 

Wearing diaper All day cause terrible rashes to kids. And trust me, a rash cream isn't the answer to all the diaper problems. Babies need to have their diaper free time. This helps them become more playful, hygienic, relaxed, happy and active. And added advantage would be that your baby would completely stop using diapers at a very early stage, along with learning about how to communicate.

But, given our busy schedules, is a diaper free baby really possible? There is absolutely no need to worry because you can manage this very easily and can start at any age, even with a few days old baby. Sooner, the better. 

I started leaving my baby diaper free from his second month. He was very quick to understand the rules and the process. And now at 6 months, he dislikes peeing in pants when left diaper free. He keeps on communicating until we get it done for him. When I take him to bathroom when he indeed wants to pee, he confirms back with a smile. Otherwise he would make cry noises, to let me know that he doesn't want to pee. As I said in my earlier blog - crying or smiling is baby's way of communicating. Consequently, They would also do a good job  communicating about when they want to poo and would try to avoid doing it in their diaper.

So you see , this goal is very much possible to achieve. Read below to learn how you can achieve it in just 3 easy steps

1. Get The Tools

To ensure the hygiene of the baby and the house you must have these basic things, so that you are fear-free able to leave your baby diaper free in the house:

• Quick Dry Sheets - These are available in all the sizes. You can use the small ones on the bed or surfaces, under the playing, sitting, or sleeping baby. You can use the medium sized or the large ones to cover your sofa seats or other similar surfaces. 
• Mattress Protectors - These are available in various sizes, get the one for your bed size. Having this is a must because the movements of playing babies are always unpredictable and this will keep your mattresses strain free and smell free.
• Plastic Sheets / Changing Mats - This can be the alternatives to the quick dry sheets under your playing baby. Using them for sofas, however, is not a good idea.
• Cloth Sheets - If you are using plastic sheets in place of quick dry sheets, then you must have lots of small clothes. Have as many as you can, because you are going to need them in a high number if you are not washing clothes daily.
• Training underwear or pants - Nowadays you can also get training pants in the shops. (Try checking out at babyshop or mothercare or mumzworld etc). These are washable. Use them as prevention, not as replacements. Occasionally, you may use these, when you are busy. Remember your ultimate goal is to teach the baby to not to pee in pants, so don't get used to these.
• Lowers / Shorts/ Panties - Be prepared that your baby is going to need a lot of these. So have a good stock of it. Usage will be more initially, but with time, your baby will learn to signal you for pee.
• Potty Seat - If your baby can sit, between 5 to 6 months, that's the perfect time to get the potty seat for them.

2. Set The Routine

Now that you have all the necessary tools to keep the baby diaper-free, you are all set to start their everyday routine. Always remember not to underestimate the capabilities of your baby. They are developing and learning very fast, they will be very quick to understand your intentions as well.

• Start by leaving them diaper free for few hours. You can remove their diaper when they wake up in the morning until the time they take bath. You ought to do the same in the evening as well. Observe the pee frequency of your baby, then proactively start taking them to bathroom for pee.
• Select a sound like Shh, phhh, or whatever you like, to indicate your baby to pee, and use this every time you take them for pee.
• If you do not plan to go out of the house for the whole day, try leaving your baby diaper free for the whole day. It is quiet an effort, but a worthy one.
• Make a morning poo schedule. Take your baby to the toilet, or wash basin or make them sit on theit potty seat (if applicable) in the morning. Do this when they wake up or when you start getting the cues from them, they would be quick to understand the purpose of this morning visit to the toilet and their potty seat.
• Do not forget to give them a pat and appreciation whenever they pee in the bathroom or communicate well with you. Bring this into the routine as well.

3. Look For Signs

You will be surprised at how good babies are in signaling when they want to pee or when they want to poo. Remember my earlier blog - babies cry to communicate. You can be assured that once you start observing them and start their training, they will communicate well with you.

• During the Sleep - Babies tend to wake up when they want to pee, even the youngest ones. So if your baby is sleeping without a diaper, look for their movements or cries.
• While Playing - Some babies may start crying, some may become absolutely still, some may seem lost looking at a particular object, some may make strange faces.
• They will also communicate if they don't want to pee and you took them to bathroom. They have their own version of carrot and stick  which is smile and cry

Every baby is different and have different ways of communicating with you. Look for their cues. This guess work will be required only till the time your baby doesn't learn to speak. Once they start talking, they will be able to tell you directly about their requirements.

Above 3 steps are not rocket science, but still new parents are afraid and hesitant to keep their babies diaper free. I hope this blog will give you some ideas and you will let your baby have his happy diaper free time.

Please feel free to leave your queries, added suggestions or feedback. Happy Parenting !