Full Diaper When Your Baby is Asleep? – What Matters When Changing Diapers at Night

Photo by Minnie Zhou on Unsplash

Diaper manufacturers promise 12 hours of dryness. Special night-time diapers prevent leaks and make night diaper changes unnecessary. But is this really true? Can a diaper last an entire night without leaking? And what happens if there's a bowel movement in the diaper or if the baby becomes restless?

Do I have to change my baby's diaper at night? An appropriate diaper can remain leak-proof all night. However, newborns especially need to be changed regularly at night. As a general rule: If there's a bowel movement in the diaper, you should change it.

In this article, you'll find out if and when you need to change your baby's diaper at night. We'll also give you tips on how to make night changes as pleasant as possible for both you and your baby.

How often does a baby need a fresh diaper?

How often you need to change your baby's diaper entirely depends on their elimination habits. During the day, the diaper should be checked every two to three hours and changed if necessary. While newborns still need 8 to 10 diapers in 24 hours, a one-year-old requires only about 5 to 8 diaper changes. Find more details in our article on the frequency of daily diaper changes.

To avoid skin irritations, you should change your baby's diaper as soon as it is wet. Newborns, in particular, often indicate when they feel wet as they naturally do not want to lie in their own excretions. 

In the case of bowel movements: always change the diaper as soon as you notice it is full. Prolonged contact with feces can lead to skin irritations or even infections like diaper rash.

Regular diaper changing can also positively affect the later potty-training process, as the child learns there is an action following wetting themselves. However, if they wear the wet diaper for a long period, it can negatively impact the potty-training process. Indeed, our study shows that children with cloth diapers become potty-trained almost a year earlier (Link to the study).

Photo by @isabelplett

The diaper is full and the child is sleeping: How to change diapers correctly at night

You might know the situation: Your child is just falling asleep and you hear them fill the diaper one more time before closing their eyes. Perhaps your child also has restless phases at night and you wonder: How often should I change diapers at night?

Opinions vary on this. Between diapers that provide protection throughout the night and the fact that sleep is important, the question arises whether constant skin contact with excretions is really acceptable.

We also believe that sleep is important not only for the baby but also for the parents. With the right timing, good preparation, and of course, the right diapers, nothing stands in the way of restful nights. Diapers are designed to absorb a lot of liquid and remain securely leak-proof. Therefore, you don't necessarily have to change your baby every time they urinate in the diaper. If you regularly breastfeed your child at night or give them a bottle, that's the best time to take a quick peek at the diaper and change it if necessary. We will show you later how to manage the diaper change without disrupting your baby's sleep. In general, children quickly go back to sleep during the subsequent feeding.

If the diaper is dry or contains only a small amount of urine, you don't necessarily need to change it. However, if you notice feces in the diaper, you should definitely change your child. With particularly careful handling, your baby will not wake up fully and can go back to sleep afterwards. Once your baby's digestive system is mature, which happens around the age of two to three months, bowel movements at night should become very rare. During these first months, however, you will need to change them at least at every meal.

Do older children also need to be changed at night?

The older your child gets, the more likely it is that you can skip changing diapers at night. On one hand, the bladder of growing toddlers has a larger capacity, and on the other hand, the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) ensures that the body produces less urine at night. Your child's sleep is less frequently disturbed by the urge to urinate, and the amount of urine can be well absorbed by the diaper. Often, the diaper even remains dry until morning.

If your child sleeps through the night, you do not need to wake them up to change the diaper. Here too, we recommend checking the diaper one more time before you go to sleep. If your child is still regularly waking up at night, this time can be used for a check and possibly changing the diaper.

Changing Diapers at Night with Cloth Diapers – for Peaceful Nights and Healthy Skin

Cloth diapers can provide special protection at night because they often absorb moisture better and faster than disposable diapers. Additionally, you avoid a lot of waste and chemicals on your child's skin. In a separate article, we discussed the eco-balance and the chemical composition of disposable diapers.

We at Judes make it especially easy for you because we have developed a cloth diaper that is just as easy to use as a disposable diaper. Many parents are thrilled with our diapers and find them even easier than disposable diapers.

To make using Judes as easy as possible, they consist of only two parts. For a pleasantly soft wearing experience, our inner diaper made of 100% organic cotton. It is super absorbent without taking up too much space. Thanks to the special weave, the inner diaper stays leak-proof for up to 12 hours and can absorb a large amount of liquid. At the same time, the fabric is breathable and ensures a healthy diaper climate. It is applied just like a disposable diaper. With flexible leg cuffs and the thoughtful Velcro closure, you can perfectly adjust it to fit your child's body shape. Leaks are thus prevented.

Over the inner diaper, you place a cover as a moisture barrier, which is also applied like a disposable diaper. This ensures that all liquids remain in the diaper.

Photo by @plantifultaste

How to change Judes?

Changing diapers with cloth diapers is just as quick and easy as with disposable diapers. In fact, using Judes can even save time according to experience. Here you can find surprising details about the effort involved with cloth diapers. You open the Velcro fasteners, put the inner diaper in the laundry, and hang the cover to air out. You can use the latter as long as it has not come into contact with feces or a large amount of urine; only then does it need to be washed. How to wash your cloth diapers gently and hygienically, you can learn here.

You see: Judes are well-conceived and simple. They also ensure restful nights by absorbing large amounts of liquid in a short time. For even more protection, you can add an additional booster insert to the diaper.

However, also here: As soon as there is feces in the diaper, you should change it to avoid unnecessarily irritating your baby's skin.

My child reacts strongly to wet diapers, what can I do?

Some children react particularly strongly to wet diapers or show significant restlessness beforehand. Here, there are two options: A so-called stay-dry layer provides a dry feeling on the skin, even when the diaper is wet. The thin insert transfers the moisture to the absorbent material, protecting your child's skin from wetness.

If you notice restlessness in your baby at night, you can also help by elimination communication. Children cannot release themselves in deep sleep. However, if you undress your baby and hold them gently over a toilet or potty, they can release in half-sleep and then continue to sleep. Especially babies naturally do not want to soil themselves, their caregiver, or their sleeping place, which is why nighttime releasing can often become a struggle. By learning to interpret your baby's signals, you not only make the nights more comfortable for them but also lay the foundation for potty training at a young age. For those who want to know the details, we have gathered all the information about potty training.

Photo by @madame.vio

Changing Diapers Correctly at Night: 4 Tips for Relaxed Nights

Especially with small babies, you can't avoid changing diapers at night. Below, we have summarized the most important tips for diaper changing. The best time to change diapers is usually when your child wakes up on their own. But even if the diaper is full and your child is sleeping, the following tips can help:

1. As little light as possible

To prevent your baby from waking up or to help them fall back asleep quickly after changing, you should avoid bright lights. Especially with very young babies, bright light can quickly awaken their natural curiosity, which can lead to disruptions in their sleep rhythm. Portable nursing lights or similar lamps that can be dimmed significantly are particularly recommended. They provide you with sufficient light for changing without disturbing your child.

2. Quick and uncomplicated

Especially at night, you should make the diaper changing process as uncomplicated as possible. Avoid carrying the baby around at night and searching for changing items, so you both can quickly fall back asleep. It's best to place everything you need for changing near the bed and change your child on the spot. Keep in mind:

• Sufficient spare diapers
• Wet wipes or washcloths
• A changing mat (a towel is usually sufficient)
• Spare clothing for emergencies
• A wet bag for used diapers or wet clothes (this is understood as a kind of waterproof laundry bag specifically for cloth diapers)

3. The right sleepwear

The choice of the right sleepwear can also help keep the duration of the diaper-changing process as short as possible. Sleep sacks and pajamas that open from the bottom not only allow for quick changing but also ensure that you don't have to completely undress your child. This way, there's no risk of your child getting cold during changing and waking up. For very temperature-sensitive babies, a portable heater can also provide relief.

4. Calm

Even though daytime diaper changes may be accompanied by fun games and lots of chatter, this is a no-go at night. You should certainly always explain verbally what you are doing with your child, but at night, do so in a calm and quiet voice. Avoid frantic movements and convey calm to your child through lots of physical contact.

What other tips do you have to make nighttime diaper changes pleasant? Feel free to share them in the comments!