Changing Nappy- How often?

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Hi Folks,

So I was wondering if this is down to what the nurse feels best in terms of how often to change a babies nappy. Do you always change the nappy with every feed? What if you have 4 babies all on 3 hourly feeds. Would you be changing nappies on 4 babies every 3 hours or change on alternative feeds and do 6 hourly cares.

Im questioning this because i was always under the impression of using minimal handling but now im worried that a baby could get a sore bottom with 6 hourly cares. Is 6 hours a bit too long to leave it.

What do you do when it comes to nappy cares? Do you change the nappy before every feed religiously or alternate?

Sorry if its seem like a daft post.

Thankyou.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

It's not daft at all- I'm smiling at the 'nappies'! Here in the states they're 'diapers'. I feel every six is fine if indeed it is a minimal handling baby. Why? Because disposable nappies/ diapers keep the skin relatively dry. Unless the little one had a nappie/ diaper full of stool, i'd let them be.

BUT if you're picking them up to feed anyway- I'd change every three hours.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We change ours with every feed. The sick kids we do with hands on care unless they have a sore butt, then we change more often.

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Specializes in NICU, Pediatrics.

We always change diapers with every set of cares. Cares are either q 3, 4 or 6 hours for a sick baby we don't want to touch too often.

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Specializes in NICU,PICU mostly NICU.

With Cares , mostly every 3hr

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

Ideally, all of our babies are a Q3 feed/diaper change/vitals schedule, but of course you have differences...in those who are on minimal stimulation for any reason, we would do every 6 hour diaper changes.

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Lmbo! I was like what's a nappy? Am I new?

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Aww its funny how you call them diapers. I'll have to say that as a joke to one of the nurses and she what she does. I have no idea where nappy came from but it does sound cute!

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Come over to the UK and you will learn a whole different language!

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Specializes in critical care.
Come over to the UK and you will learn a whole different language!

I described myself to a British friend as spunky, and thoroughly grossed him out.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

We change them with every set of care/feeding. In your example, yes we would change them every 3 hours for all 4 kids.

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My question is how do you feed 4 babies on a 3 hr schedule and have time to chart a darn thing? Our unit only allows 3/1 ratio. I'm moving to a new unit soon and I'm scared to death that it might mean a huge workload increase. Between baths, cares, bed changes, feedings and parents (for a maximum of 3 pts. Or 1-2 depending on acuity.) I feel swamped half the time already.

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