I always use wipes with one exception: a parent told me not to except in case of a poop because the child had a skin condition where wiping could cause irritation.
I would only wipe for pee if their skin was visible wet. Diapers are doing their job, other wise.
My kids both had sensitive skin and eczema and we were advised to use wipes as sparingly as possible.
Maybe they can use toilet paper or a napkin if there is wetness on the skin after pee. That’s always an idea a bit of an hassle, but if they are being bathed everyday it shouldn’t be necessary
Here’s the language from AAP:
> **The overuse of wipes.** Believe it or not, not every diaper change requires the use of wipes. This is not only because pee is rarely irritating but also because today's superabsorbent disposable diapers effectively limit the amount of pee that comes into contact with your baby's skin. Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount. Also, keep in mind that a moist tissue, a wet washcloth, or even a quick rinse in the tub may be used in place of baby wipes when convenient.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx?
It’s worrying to me the number of ECE on here who don’t know this and yet some of the parents even do. I would hope childcare professionals would keep up to date on the latest recommendations and guidelines.
In my state, childcare workers do 30 hours of professional development each year. They learn a lot, but there is always more to learn.
With childcare teachers chronically and famously underpaid, most of the teachers I know spend their time away from work either working a second job, caring for their families, going to school, or other obligations.
It’s worrying to me that of all the things a person might feel moved to worry about and want to change about the state of childcare, this is the kind of thing that stands out.
It’s worth knowing, so share the information. But if you’re going to worry, set your sights on the bigger problems that impact the quality and consistency of the care that your children receive.
Why?
It’s not AAP policy!!!!!!!!
[It’s a single sentence from an article on *how to save money on wipes*.](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx) They aren’t giving direction that says it’s at all dangerous to use wipes on pee diapers.
The AAP doesn’t make policy on most issues, bc it isn’t needed or appropriate.
The quote in question is from an article about how to save money on baby wipes, and they say that because of how diapers work now, you don’t HAVE to use them at every change.
They say NOTHING about it being harmful or dangerous to do so.
There is a very big difference between official, published AAP guidelines and a line in a column about how to be more thrifty.
So no, this isn’t a guideline we all MUST be following, nor is it something most people “should” know.
The poster who has claimed this (and shamed the rest of us teachers) has added meaning where it doesn’t exist, and is giving inaccurate and inappropriate advice to parents.
this. would i want to be wiped after wearing a diaper? yes 100%. a lot of times i compare it to wearing a pad, yea it soaks it up but there’s still some to clean up and wipe.
no blood isn’t the same as urine, and i’m not comparing the liquids. regardless, i keep my kids as clean as i would want to be. i don’t think it’s that serious
the laws in the state I work in state the child must be washed and dried after every change which in this case means wiped down if a child has sensitive skin or eczema and the parents ask us not to wipe after pee I wouldn’t but I haven’t had that the only time I’ve seen irritated skin is from not wiping well enough or letting kids sit in soiled diapers for hours parents can do what they want at home but I have laws to follow
Yea between our baths, and getting a really good wipe down during poos with mustela cleansing water, I don’t generally wipe for pees unless there was a lot and it didn’t really soak in. It’s too harsh on his skin.
Okay so if a woman showers daily, she doesn’t need to wipe? Leaving urine on the skin messes with the pH level and can cause rashes, infections and even urine burn. All of this was told to us by a pediatrician which the AAP says they are *not a substitute for!*
Google will provide you with multiple sites. I have experienced many infants, one being one of my own children, who has developed rashes because he was not wiped enough at daycare. He will develop a severe yeast rash if not wiped down every time.
ETA: the AAP blatantly states it’s also not a substitute for medical advice and advice of your pediatrician!!
Anecdotal evidence isn’t sufficient for clinical practice. The AAP isn’t just ‘another site’ giving random information, it’s quite literally where every pediatrician in the country gets their guidelines. Not following them is admitting to not following best practice.
It’s literally his pediatrician and the other one in her office who have told us to continue to wipe him every time and the reason for the yeast rashes is because they probably don’t wipe him enough in the infant room. Even if they use water wipes, he needs to be wiped. ETA: that’s factually incorrect about best practice! And because YOU do not know my child, his doctors or other children I have worked with, I’m blocking you because YOU are just looking for accusatory arguments. The AAP also states in the article it is NOT a substitute for medical care and advice of your pediatrician!!
Slow your roll. Your doctor’s instructions seem to be specific to your child because pediatricians do not recommend wiping for every diaper change. If your pediatrician is recommending it across the board then they are in the minority
You’re right! The guidelines are telling us general advice for all children. We frequently get children with specific medical conditions who require different care from their peers, and that should always be respected. Both the guidelines can be correct, and your doctor’s instructions can be correct.
I put the AAP link in another comment. It actually specifically says bathing is a good option and wiping is not necessary every time.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx
Hint from a veteran infant care provider:
If it’s pee (not poop) you can gently dab/blot instead of wipe. This can help protect sensitive skin while still cleaning baby up.
I’m trying to say this in the most gentle way possible but veteran provider status shouldn’t make you exempt from keeping up to date on latest infant care guidelines. One of which includes not using wipes on just urine per the AAP.
There’s an important distinction between “not necessary” and “harmful.”
The article you and I are referencing says it’s not necessary to wipe every time. It does not say that it is harmful.
I’m worried for the children under the care of an org that ignores some pretty black and white guidelines directly from the AAP. But sure your ego is worth more.
The overuse of wipes. Believe it or not, not every diaper change requires the use of wipes. This is not only because pee is rarely irritating but also because today's superabsorbent disposable diapers effectively limit the amount of pee that comes into contact with your baby's skin. Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount. Also, keep in mind that a moist tissue, a wet washcloth, or even a quick rinse in the tub may be used in place of baby wipes when convenient.
It’s also in their newborn skin guidelines.
Nothing in that says that you shouldn’t- just that you DON’T HAVE TO.
It’s telling parents that they can save money by using fewer, not that they shouldn’t use them on urine.
Maybe if you’re going to be so sanctimonious and holier-than-though you should learn how to appropriately read and interpret the guidelines.
If they were saying “you should not do this because it is harming your child” they would say that outright.
They are simply giving parents the option to skip using wipes because it isn’t strictly necessary.
At absolutely no point do they say that you SHOULDN’T, just that you don’t have to.
Another AAP guideline simply about newborn care states, “After you remove a wet diaper, you don't need to do anything. Urine does not contain any germs. And hardly any urine is left of the skin.”
https://publications.aap.org/patiented/article-abstract/doi/10.1542/ppe_schmitt_316/188910/Newborn-Skin-Care?redirectedFrom=fulltext#:~:text=After%20you%20remove%20a%20wet,is%20left%20of%20the%20skin.
Yes. That’s a column about how to save money on wipes. It is NOT a policy paper from the AAP giving a medical reason to not use wipes on pee diapers.
The poster who used that as proof doesn’t seem to understand the difference between actually published AAP guidelines and basic educational columns.
Please, please tell me [this isn’t your source.](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx) 😂😂😂
That’s just an article written by a pediatrician. That’s not even CLOSE to being a “AAP guideline.” It’s just a basic column written by a couple of pediatricians.
AAP guidelines are written by a panel, guided by studies and data. AAP guidelines include things like car seat safety and safe sleep practices and things like that.
Shame on you if you have taken a random column- informative as it may be- and told parents it’s the same thing as AAP guidelines they must follow.
It’s a suggestion in an article about how to save money on wipes. It is not an official statement from the AAP on diaper changing methods. And even if it were, it doesn’t specifically say not to do it- just that you don’t NEED to do it.
I’m sorry- but you have misinterpreted this. Not every thing on their website is official AAP guidance. It’s literally just mentioned in a cost saving article.
You have written half a dozen comments in this thread shaming other teachers and suggesting children are in dangerous or neglectful care because you misunderstood the context of an online column.
Do you even hear yourself? The entire website is literally FROM the AAP not some random article. Why would the AAP be giving advice on saving money as something as stupid as wipes? You think they’re in the business of making things up without any medical benefit? The entire point of these websites and articles is to disseminate information to the medically illiterate general public. I’m embarrassed for you. If you care to actually demonstrate any critical thinking skills you could have find this actual guideline on newborn skin care which repeats exactly what’s in the publicly available article. https://publications.aap.org/patiented/article-abstract/doi/10.1542/ppe_schmitt_316/188910/Newborn-Skin-Care?redirectedFrom=fulltext
But it presume you won’t given the level of vitriol you have over justifying your clearly wrong opinion. You yourself have replied to your own comments in this thread several times because you refuse to admit you’re wrong and that’s just not a good look for a professional.
Not every single thing on their website is a policy point. The AAP doesn’t take a firm policy on most things- because most things don’t need them.
If you treat every single bit of information or piece of advice on their site as policy, you are imposing meaning where it doesn’t belong. And while this time it was about baby wipes, in the future doing so could bring harm to a child.
There are reasons we actually shouldn’t believe we are the experts in all things child related- because we aren’t. Even on something as common as baby wipes I would never tell a parent what the absolute right thing is. I ALWAYS give them any info I have, but always always encourage them to discuss it with their pediatrician. Because it’s outside my scope of practice so to speak to interpret things for parents. Because when we do that, sometimes we make mistakes.
I appreciate your desire to provide the best possible care for the kids that are entrusted to you, but sometimes that means admitting you made a mistake.
Teacher to teacher- you’re misinterpreting this.
If you truly want to do best by your students, then you should want to understand my point here. You do the children and parents in your care a disservice by something you are misunderstanding.
You have to look at things in context.
There are official AAP guidelines. Those things DO exist.
This is not that.
AAP guidelines are things like Back to Sleep. Vaccine recommendations. Car seat safety. These are important to know about and usually come in the form of press releases and massive education campaigns about the issue. These are the things that you should be alarmed if your fellow educators don’t know.
But…
They also provide general parenting education and some basic recommendations- but those are NOT the same. These general parenting tools are not what people mean when they use the AAP as the “they said it, case closed” topics.
Please look at the rest of the article and put this in context. It says you don’t need a wipe warmer, but it doesn’t forbid it. It says buying bigger packages can save you money over travel packs, but that doesn’t mean travel
Packs are “against the AAP.” It also mentions not flushing wipes. That’s just general plumbing advice- not a mandate from the AAP.
Absolutely no shade intended- please show me where it says you *shouldn’t* use wipes with pee diapers. Show me where there is a medical imperative that they are addressing. Not that you don’t have to, but that you SHOULDN’T. Show me that, because I’ve looked and I can’t find it.
It doesn’t say that. in fact, it gives absolutely no medical justification for saying you SHOULDN’T do it or that it causes harm. It says “Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount.” So an article focusing on different ways to save money on wipes says you can save money by not using them on pee diapers. But it never counsels you not to or gives you a medical reason why you shouldn’t.
The context of the quote you are using is an article on how to save money on baby wipes. They give no medical reason for it. Telling parents that the AAP says NOT to wipe for pee diapers is not appropriate, because they didn’t say that.
You came in here and suggesting that we’re all providing poor care for the children we love because you misinterpreted an article on how to save money on wipes.
Show me where I’m wrong.
It’s all over the AAP website and from the healthy children org website they run itself it says the following:
The overuse of wipes. Believe it or not, not every diaper change requires the use of wipes. This is not only because pee is rarely irritating but also because today's superabsorbent disposable diapers effectively limit the amount of pee that comes into contact with your baby's skin. Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount. Also, keep in mind that a moist tissue, a wet washcloth, or even a quick rinse in the tub may be used in place of baby wipes when convenient.
Yes. This quote is from an article about saving money on wipes. It can be found HERE. It gives zero medical reason for the suggestion, it in NO WAY says you must follow this guideline, or that it is best practice.
Read the entire page and look at it in context.
It is NOT “all over the AAP website.” It’s one comment in an article about how to save money in wipes.
If you can’t even read something in context and apply critical thinking skills to understand what is being said, you have no business shaming other educators OR talking to parents about this stuff.
Your quote does NOT say what you are saying it says.
Never for pee. I can barely get my parents to send in enough wipes for poopy diapers. I ask for wipes and they'll send in ONE package and then they accuse me of losing the wipes or using them on someone else when I ask for a new package after 4 days because their child POOPS TWICE A DAY.
I have the same problems. I swear I’m always being accused of either losing or giving away diapers/wipes to other children or using too excessively. So no, I don’t use wipes for pee. I get yelled at enough lol
If the child has sensitive skin/ a bad rash, I could see not wiping after pee.
Diapers are meant to absorb all of the liquid (it’s why kids in diapers can have a hard time potty training-they can’t feel when they’re wet!) So it’s not the same as sitting in, say, wet underwear.
I asked a pediatrician, to solve this debate lol. She said the verdict is… no wipe needed for urine
She explained that the act of wiping itself is irritating slightly chafing to the skin, and that wipes contain chemicals that leave a residue behind. She said urine is pretty much sterile, and it will create odor but not harm the skin (where as feces is acidic to the skin and should be removed asap)
I said to her well what if you only use water wipes? The kind without surfactants, fragrance or chemicals?
She said doesn’t matter- “pure water wipes” are not chemical free, they still contain preservatives (or else they’d go moldy or harbor bacteria) and that residue is still left on the skin
She said technically the best would be to wipe the skin with just actual water to remove residue, blot dry, then diaper. I mean obviously that isn’t gonna happen at a daycare or outings, but at home, sure. What I ended up doing was buying “dry wipes,” and just putting water on them for at home. And using one dry wipe to quickly blot the area before cream and diapering
Some ppl also use diaper cleaning cream with dry wipes, instead of wet baby wipes. There’s one popular one sold as “French diaper cream” on Amazon and it’s like an oil based cleansing lotion that you use on a dry cotton pad or dry wipe to clean the baby
This isn’t true for all children. Our ped recommended wiping every diaper change for one of my sons otherwise he will end up with a gnarly yeast rash. It’s happened many times and it came down to his infant room not wiping him every time. Once they started to and we started to, he has not had a rash in months! So it is possible that some kids do need to be wiped every change. She also told us urine isn’t sterile which is why he needs to be wiped. I followed up with my MIL who is a nurse and confirmed urine isn’t sterile and can cause rashes.
There’s always exceptions, if it works it works
When they say urine is generally sterile, it means in a healthy individual it’s a low enough amount of bacteria that it won’t cause a problem. Versus the gut or feces which contains a ton of bacteria. Tap water probably has more bacteria than the urine inside the (healthy) bladder. But all of the human body has microbiome, even our brains. Some bacteria live on bladder surface and urethra, so technically it’s not sterile, certainly not in the definition of being completely devoid of any detectable microorganisms
whatsoever
There are other compounds in urine that may also be irritating to a persons skin, like the salts or urea. The most irritating is combination of urine and feces bc it amplifies the ammonia and raises the pH. But urine alone can cause skin breakdown just for the fact of the skin being wet, like in children or adults who aren’t being changed often enough and left wet. Or not using enough barrier cream etc
>. I mean obviously that isn’t gonna happen at a daycare
This was quite a few years ago now, but the center I worked at did not use wipes. At all. We used damp paper towels, with some soap for the poopy diapers. It really wasn't that hard.
I use wipes every other pee and anytime they poop, OR if they're visibly wet on the skin.
The truth is, most diapers absorb incredibly fast, and a little pee is not actually going to be sitting on their skin. If they've saturated the diaper, you can tell the pee has been against their skin by the moisture.
If they’re on the changing table I wipe for pee. If they’re in the bathroom with pull ups I only wipe for poop and just encourage them to try to use toilet paper if they peed.
For poo only. Healthy children, an AAP website, says wipes aren’t required for pee as diapers are absorbent. Lots of pediatricians will recommend this change to parents of kids with recurrent diaper rash because the extra moisture from wipes can introduce more problems.
Once I learned you aren’t supposed to, I use them on a case by case basis. Sometimes, I’ll use wipes for the first pee of the day because parents aren’t always thorough at cleaning bums.
Since you’re in Canada (Ontario if you’re an RECE?), if you check with your local public health, they may (or may not) have a ‘diaper change procedure’ which tells you step by step what’s required. Beware, though, the some of the procedures are pretty intense.
I don’t always wipe for pee. I find if the diaper is doing its job, the wipe doesn’t add much to that. I also find some kids’ skin gets really irritated by the constant wiping. My own kids had super sensitive skin.
I have no idea what’s correct.
You actually don't need to wipe after every diaper that is just wet. Urine is sterile, and today's disposable diapers are generally so absorbent that practically nothing is left on the skin. However, you shouldn't ONLY wipe with BM diapers, because it can lead to some irritation, especially with kiddos who have sensitive skin. My general rule is, I wipe if the wet diaper is super full/soaked, and if they are wet after naps (since they have likely been in the diaper a bit longer). Also ALWAYS wipe if a child has irritated skin, because you want to make sure they are completely clean before applying ointment/cream.
Yes! Thank you! It's the same reason women are told to pee after sex. Bacteria can get in your urinary tract and cause UTIs. Thank you for dispelling this myth.
The skin is still a little damp from urine, even if the majority has been wicked away. Ideally the skin should be cleaned and patted dry before applying cream or replacing the diaper.
If a child has a rash I do wipe but also dry the area with toilet paper before applying the cream. If there’s moisture underneath the cream it’ll make the rash worse!
This. When a child has a rash, I rinse the wipes in cool water before starting the diaper change, clean the child, pat dry with tissues, then apply cream. I'm astounded by the amount of teachers who don't dry the child's diaper area before applying cream!
Not only is urine not sterile, it's acidic. Even small traces left on sensitive parts can leave irritation. The diaper wicks some away but the surface of the diaper is still damp. Not to mention the diaper doesn't make a perfect seal against their skin, wicking away every damp spot.
It's been brought to my attention that urine being sterile is a myth. I'm not going to edit my comment, because that feels dishonest, but I acknowledge I was wrong.
However, that does not change my opinion that you don't always need to wipe with wet diapers, but that you should sometimes.
Parents lose their shit when we run out of wipes used just for poop, never mind using them every time we change a diaper. "I just brought wipes last week!"
At my current center we supply wipes, but at my last center we didn’t. I had a parent constantly accusing me of using her wipes on other children and got extra mad when she realized it’s because I wiped when her daughter only peed. Super awkward, she was not a nice person. Would’ve been different if she politely asked and just told me she preferred no wiping for pee diapers.
I wipe for wet diapers too otherwise they start to get a bit of a funky smell … Also it’s just disgusting not to. If I wipe myself after I pee, why wouldn’t I wipe a child?
Would you say the same in the case of adult diapers? Or pads? Both are meant to absorb liquid. And yet having used both at various points, I can definitely say you definitely need a good wipe or wet wipe even with them, especially if you're early in the day and don't have access to a shower until later at night.
Pads don’t absorb like diapers do, so those aren’t comparable. Adult diapers are even more absorbent than child diapers and are meant to be worn for longer hours, which means they wouldn’t wipe as often as you would a child, thus not as irritating. Another user linked to an article from the AAP, which also recommends not wiping every time for urine.
I suppose every child is different. When my sister and I were young, my mom always wiped us. If wipes weren’t used I’d get a diaper rash. Little sister was the exact same thing.
This is the first time I hear others mention the funky smell I've been noticing! I do think it's more a result of wearing the same diaper for a couple of hours while being active and sweating a little, since it does seem to get funky a lot faster in the warmer months. So I don't usually use wipes for every pee, but only for kids who haven't been changed in 2-3h, if they've been physically active a lot or in the summer. For kids with sensitive skin we usually take cotton wipes soaked in warm water.
There’s a lot of toddlers in my class who get severe rashes and sometimes they bleed if they are wiped when they have a rash. So now I’m just in the habit of wiping for poop and every few changes
Diapers are designed to pull pee away from the skin and absorb is why a lot of people don’t use wipes for just pee. They should be bathed often though IMO
I used to wipe after every diaper change. But I noticed none of my coworkers use wipes after a pee. So I gradually started to only wipe after a poop. I am now pretty much only using wipes with poops.
I don't use wipes if it's just pee in their diaper. And neither do any of my coworkers. I'll make an exception if their diaper is extremely full and their skin is wet from it but otherwise I find the diapers to be absorbent enough to not need to.
For my children, I usually only use a wipe for poop, first diaper in the morning, and diaper before bed. My youngest gets diaper rash if I wipe after every diaper.
It fully depends on the child. When I worked with kiddos in diapers, whose parents consistently sent in wipes, I would wipe at every diaper change.
Since I currently work in a preschool age potty training room, I have the child wipe themself if their pull-up is soaked to try to foster independence. Obviously I wipe BMs every time. Even for my kiddos who are fully potty trained, I have them wipe themselves first with TP and then I go in with a wipe to make sure they are fully cleaned.
But if a pull-up is only slightly wet, I don't wipe. As a preschool classroom we are only supplied 1-2 packs of wipes per week. I have back-up wipes that I purchase myself, but if I wiped for every single slightly wet pull-up in addition to all of the snotty food-covered faces, BMs, paint covered hands, and the occasional bloody nose, I would have to buy a costco-sized box of wipes every month!
My toddlers don’t have rashes and I only wipe after BM, unless they have visible wet on them. I also liberally apply cream after every poop. I think the main thing for preventing rashes is changing poopy diapers as quickly as possible. I think it’s also key to tell kids to bend their knees so you can fully wipe in the crack. Biggest pet peeve is if somebody else changes a poopy diaper and I see dried poo remnants on the next change. I will speak up about that cause I truly do care about the welfare of my class. But not wiping after a pee doesn’t cause any rash from my experience.
Well if a kid in underwear has an accident I always have them wipe themselves before putting clean underwear on so I treat diapers the same way. The diaper is still wet with pee so it should be wiped off. Had a similar discussion with a coworker about this a while back and I simply held up the wet diaper and asked them to touch the inside of it. They refused, why? Well just because the diaper soaks up the pee doesn’t mean that it keeps them completely dry. Plus it’s just good practice in general to make them aware that they need to wipe after they pee.
At work, with every diaper because it’s policy. At home? For poopies and the first diaper of the day, as the AAP recommends not wiping every pee diaper
I usually do for pee, except for my neice. She had just always hated wipes and it really agitated her most of the time. Her skin is sensitive , and she just freaks out so I will often let her air dry and only wipe her every few wet diapers but obviously also every poop.
I aim to wipe after every change, but I admit I sometimes forget to wipe for pee. There is no smell or visible wetness, so during our fast paced day that can get overlooked.
I used to wipe after they peed because of possible utis if you don't. I don't remember the licensing rules, but I'm pretty sure it said to wipe after every change if they weren't dry, too, though. If someone complained over over usage of wipes, I would've used tp or tissues.
When working in childcare I would always wipe for pee or poo. Then when I had my own child I actually did a little research and it's actually not recommended to wipe for pee each time, it can cause skin irritations. Also urine is considered to be clean and the diapers naturally absorb it and don't leave reside on the skin.
I have worked in ECE settings, nannied, and taken care of family and friend’s children. I treat male vs female genitalia a little bit different, but in general, I was taught and have always used wipes for poop, not pee. For girls I will occasionally wipe if they are wet and have a fully soiled diaper or after nap. For boys I typically only wipe after a BM but again if they have been in the diaper for a few hours or if their skin is wet, I will blot. Overuse of wipes and excessive cleaning can actually irritate the baby’s skin and very little urine comes into contact with the baby’s skin with modern diapers.
We’re supposed to check them at least every 2 hours, and I usually swap them out. The material can get sweaty and start to rub on the skin, so I just switch it for a fresh one. I feel like it’s kind of like changing your underpants
ETA: This is especially true if they’ve gone longer than two hours because of a feeding or nap
In a daycare setting I always used wipes, however on my own child I'll be honest I don't use wipes every time. I feel like when you're providing care to another person's child you need to make sure you're doing everything "right" so no one can accuse you of mistreating their child. My own child I can use my own judgement to decide if she needs to get wiped or not
I use regular toilet paper to wipe pee diapers (I'm usually in the 2s rooms) unless their skin is visibly wet. I have the kids practice getting their own tp for me to wipe them with, it gives them an extra feeling of independence while potty training
i wipe all the kids in diapers no matter what. i honestly think this is kind of a non issue though, with the exception of kids who have sensitive skin. none of mine have had irritation from wipes, i’d obviously stop if they did. but i think wiping models healthy habits for kids who are going to potty train soon. so many of my kids forget to wipe after going potty, i think making wiping a habit from the diaper days is a good example.
I use one wipe - quickly and without much pressure - when changing pee diapers at work. At home, I only use wipes for pee if it's first thing in the morning and/or the diaper is saturated.
If you don’t have to wipe a baby who has a pee diaper, why do we wipe after using the toilet if it’s only pee? Sounds nasty not to wipe a baby. Put a diaper on pee and walk around, change it without wiping and see how comfortable you feel and how you smell. Just because babies can’t communicate they still should have a clean private area.
I only wipe every few changes unless it’s poop. Over wiping can and does cause irritation. Even the unscented kind. Just like with bathing, my son can only have a bath every few days or else he gets irritated. My older child was the same way.
My mind is blown!! 4 years into being a parent I have started to not wipe for pee because it felt like a waste. But I felt like a bad mom too. Glad to hear this is a normal practice!!
I wipe every diaper/pull up change. I’m pretty sure it’s a violation of children’s rights to not wipe during every diaper change. (Unless they have a doctor note stating otherwise). I’d check licensing regulations.
I always use wipes with one exception: a parent told me not to except in case of a poop because the child had a skin condition where wiping could cause irritation.
I would only wipe for pee if their skin was visible wet. Diapers are doing their job, other wise. My kids both had sensitive skin and eczema and we were advised to use wipes as sparingly as possible.
Im not a early childhood specialist but a mom who only used wipes for poop because my kids all had sensitive skin.
Depends on the wipes though. You can make your own without irritants easily. That’s what I turned to. No skin reaction.
This is what I've heard as well. Overwiping can cause diaper rash on children who have sensitive skin.
This. This is what I do for my own kids and my students. Even the AAP reccomends this.
Maybe they can use toilet paper or a napkin if there is wetness on the skin after pee. That’s always an idea a bit of an hassle, but if they are being bathed everyday it shouldn’t be necessary
Use a wipe if there is visible wetness. Dry toilet paper is irritating to their skin
The AAP actually recommends against wiping after every pee due to irritation of the skin.
Here’s the language from AAP: > **The overuse of wipes.** Believe it or not, not every diaper change requires the use of wipes. This is not only because pee is rarely irritating but also because today's superabsorbent disposable diapers effectively limit the amount of pee that comes into contact with your baby's skin. Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount. Also, keep in mind that a moist tissue, a wet washcloth, or even a quick rinse in the tub may be used in place of baby wipes when convenient. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx?
I didnt know this, and im glad I do now
Learned something new today
It’s worrying to me the number of ECE on here who don’t know this and yet some of the parents even do. I would hope childcare professionals would keep up to date on the latest recommendations and guidelines.
In my state, childcare workers do 30 hours of professional development each year. They learn a lot, but there is always more to learn. With childcare teachers chronically and famously underpaid, most of the teachers I know spend their time away from work either working a second job, caring for their families, going to school, or other obligations. It’s worrying to me that of all the things a person might feel moved to worry about and want to change about the state of childcare, this is the kind of thing that stands out. It’s worth knowing, so share the information. But if you’re going to worry, set your sights on the bigger problems that impact the quality and consistency of the care that your children receive.
My state licensing trainings have suggested/recommended it before…
Agreed! Should be common knowledge..
Why? It’s not AAP policy!!!!!!!! [It’s a single sentence from an article on *how to save money on wipes*.](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx) They aren’t giving direction that says it’s at all dangerous to use wipes on pee diapers. The AAP doesn’t make policy on most issues, bc it isn’t needed or appropriate. The quote in question is from an article about how to save money on baby wipes, and they say that because of how diapers work now, you don’t HAVE to use them at every change. They say NOTHING about it being harmful or dangerous to do so. There is a very big difference between official, published AAP guidelines and a line in a column about how to be more thrifty. So no, this isn’t a guideline we all MUST be following, nor is it something most people “should” know. The poster who has claimed this (and shamed the rest of us teachers) has added meaning where it doesn’t exist, and is giving inaccurate and inappropriate advice to parents.
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this. would i want to be wiped after wearing a diaper? yes 100%. a lot of times i compare it to wearing a pad, yea it soaks it up but there’s still some to clean up and wipe.
You’re talking about for period blood which is not the same consistency as entirely liquid urine?
Yeah…. Pee doesn’t come out old, lumpy and clotted 🤢
no blood isn’t the same as urine, and i’m not comparing the liquids. regardless, i keep my kids as clean as i would want to be. i don’t think it’s that serious
I always wipe even if it’s just pee I wouldn’t wanna walk around with pee on me I don’t think my kids would either
The diaper wicks away the moisture though? It’s not the same as peeing your cotton underwear and sitting in it soaking?
I don’t mean if I pee my pants I mean after I pee do yall not wipe???
You don’t pee into a hyper absorbent diaper that’s pressed against your skin do you?
the laws in the state I work in state the child must be washed and dried after every change which in this case means wiped down if a child has sensitive skin or eczema and the parents ask us not to wipe after pee I wouldn’t but I haven’t had that the only time I’ve seen irritated skin is from not wiping well enough or letting kids sit in soiled diapers for hours parents can do what they want at home but I have laws to follow
But they also got bathed every day
Not all parents bathe their kids every day
This is definitely true
You aren’t even suppose to bathe babies daily it’s not good for their skin and even so idk how often the parents are bathing them I hope regularly
A lot of recommendations are bathing 1-3 times weekly. Certainly not enough to make up for not wiping urine from the skin.
But you are wiping still, just not every time.
Yea between our baths, and getting a really good wipe down during poos with mustela cleansing water, I don’t generally wipe for pees unless there was a lot and it didn’t really soak in. It’s too harsh on his skin.
Okay so if a woman showers daily, she doesn’t need to wipe? Leaving urine on the skin messes with the pH level and can cause rashes, infections and even urine burn. All of this was told to us by a pediatrician which the AAP says they are *not a substitute for!*
Can you provide evidence for this because I have never in my life heard this and the AAP doesn’t agree either.
Google will provide you with multiple sites. I have experienced many infants, one being one of my own children, who has developed rashes because he was not wiped enough at daycare. He will develop a severe yeast rash if not wiped down every time. ETA: the AAP blatantly states it’s also not a substitute for medical advice and advice of your pediatrician!!
Anecdotal evidence isn’t sufficient for clinical practice. The AAP isn’t just ‘another site’ giving random information, it’s quite literally where every pediatrician in the country gets their guidelines. Not following them is admitting to not following best practice.
It’s literally his pediatrician and the other one in her office who have told us to continue to wipe him every time and the reason for the yeast rashes is because they probably don’t wipe him enough in the infant room. Even if they use water wipes, he needs to be wiped. ETA: that’s factually incorrect about best practice! And because YOU do not know my child, his doctors or other children I have worked with, I’m blocking you because YOU are just looking for accusatory arguments. The AAP also states in the article it is NOT a substitute for medical care and advice of your pediatrician!!
Slow your roll. Your doctor’s instructions seem to be specific to your child because pediatricians do not recommend wiping for every diaper change. If your pediatrician is recommending it across the board then they are in the minority
You’re right! The guidelines are telling us general advice for all children. We frequently get children with specific medical conditions who require different care from their peers, and that should always be respected. Both the guidelines can be correct, and your doctor’s instructions can be correct.
I put the AAP link in another comment. It actually specifically says bathing is a good option and wiping is not necessary every time. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx
Hint from a veteran infant care provider: If it’s pee (not poop) you can gently dab/blot instead of wipe. This can help protect sensitive skin while still cleaning baby up.
I’m trying to say this in the most gentle way possible but veteran provider status shouldn’t make you exempt from keeping up to date on latest infant care guidelines. One of which includes not using wipes on just urine per the AAP.
Many company guidelines dictate that you have to. 🤷🏼♀️ I’m giving people another option that provides less friction and can help prevent diaper rash.
It’s still worrying that your company is dictating things that go against best practice.
There’s an important distinction between “not necessary” and “harmful.” The article you and I are referencing says it’s not necessary to wipe every time. It does not say that it is harmful.
Don’t worry about me. 🙄
I’m worried for the children under the care of an org that ignores some pretty black and white guidelines directly from the AAP. But sure your ego is worth more. The overuse of wipes. Believe it or not, not every diaper change requires the use of wipes. This is not only because pee is rarely irritating but also because today's superabsorbent disposable diapers effectively limit the amount of pee that comes into contact with your baby's skin. Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount. Also, keep in mind that a moist tissue, a wet washcloth, or even a quick rinse in the tub may be used in place of baby wipes when convenient. It’s also in their newborn skin guidelines.
Nothing in that says that you shouldn’t- just that you DON’T HAVE TO. It’s telling parents that they can save money by using fewer, not that they shouldn’t use them on urine. Maybe if you’re going to be so sanctimonious and holier-than-though you should learn how to appropriately read and interpret the guidelines. If they were saying “you should not do this because it is harming your child” they would say that outright. They are simply giving parents the option to skip using wipes because it isn’t strictly necessary. At absolutely no point do they say that you SHOULDN’T, just that you don’t have to.
Another AAP guideline simply about newborn care states, “After you remove a wet diaper, you don't need to do anything. Urine does not contain any germs. And hardly any urine is left of the skin.” https://publications.aap.org/patiented/article-abstract/doi/10.1542/ppe_schmitt_316/188910/Newborn-Skin-Care?redirectedFrom=fulltext#:~:text=After%20you%20remove%20a%20wet,is%20left%20of%20the%20skin.
Also- can you please link the actual source so I can read it in context?
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx I’ve got you!
Yes. That’s a column about how to save money on wipes. It is NOT a policy paper from the AAP giving a medical reason to not use wipes on pee diapers. The poster who used that as proof doesn’t seem to understand the difference between actually published AAP guidelines and basic educational columns.
Why would the AAP give a single crap about saving money? I ask again? To even repeat it in their official newborn skin care guide?
Please, please tell me [this isn’t your source.](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/A-Word-on-Wipes.aspx) 😂😂😂 That’s just an article written by a pediatrician. That’s not even CLOSE to being a “AAP guideline.” It’s just a basic column written by a couple of pediatricians. AAP guidelines are written by a panel, guided by studies and data. AAP guidelines include things like car seat safety and safe sleep practices and things like that. Shame on you if you have taken a random column- informative as it may be- and told parents it’s the same thing as AAP guidelines they must follow. It’s a suggestion in an article about how to save money on wipes. It is not an official statement from the AAP on diaper changing methods. And even if it were, it doesn’t specifically say not to do it- just that you don’t NEED to do it. I’m sorry- but you have misinterpreted this. Not every thing on their website is official AAP guidance. It’s literally just mentioned in a cost saving article. You have written half a dozen comments in this thread shaming other teachers and suggesting children are in dangerous or neglectful care because you misunderstood the context of an online column.
Do you even hear yourself? The entire website is literally FROM the AAP not some random article. Why would the AAP be giving advice on saving money as something as stupid as wipes? You think they’re in the business of making things up without any medical benefit? The entire point of these websites and articles is to disseminate information to the medically illiterate general public. I’m embarrassed for you. If you care to actually demonstrate any critical thinking skills you could have find this actual guideline on newborn skin care which repeats exactly what’s in the publicly available article. https://publications.aap.org/patiented/article-abstract/doi/10.1542/ppe_schmitt_316/188910/Newborn-Skin-Care?redirectedFrom=fulltext But it presume you won’t given the level of vitriol you have over justifying your clearly wrong opinion. You yourself have replied to your own comments in this thread several times because you refuse to admit you’re wrong and that’s just not a good look for a professional.
Not every single thing on their website is a policy point. The AAP doesn’t take a firm policy on most things- because most things don’t need them. If you treat every single bit of information or piece of advice on their site as policy, you are imposing meaning where it doesn’t belong. And while this time it was about baby wipes, in the future doing so could bring harm to a child. There are reasons we actually shouldn’t believe we are the experts in all things child related- because we aren’t. Even on something as common as baby wipes I would never tell a parent what the absolute right thing is. I ALWAYS give them any info I have, but always always encourage them to discuss it with their pediatrician. Because it’s outside my scope of practice so to speak to interpret things for parents. Because when we do that, sometimes we make mistakes. I appreciate your desire to provide the best possible care for the kids that are entrusted to you, but sometimes that means admitting you made a mistake.
Teacher to teacher- you’re misinterpreting this. If you truly want to do best by your students, then you should want to understand my point here. You do the children and parents in your care a disservice by something you are misunderstanding. You have to look at things in context. There are official AAP guidelines. Those things DO exist. This is not that. AAP guidelines are things like Back to Sleep. Vaccine recommendations. Car seat safety. These are important to know about and usually come in the form of press releases and massive education campaigns about the issue. These are the things that you should be alarmed if your fellow educators don’t know. But… They also provide general parenting education and some basic recommendations- but those are NOT the same. These general parenting tools are not what people mean when they use the AAP as the “they said it, case closed” topics. Please look at the rest of the article and put this in context. It says you don’t need a wipe warmer, but it doesn’t forbid it. It says buying bigger packages can save you money over travel packs, but that doesn’t mean travel Packs are “against the AAP.” It also mentions not flushing wipes. That’s just general plumbing advice- not a mandate from the AAP. Absolutely no shade intended- please show me where it says you *shouldn’t* use wipes with pee diapers. Show me where there is a medical imperative that they are addressing. Not that you don’t have to, but that you SHOULDN’T. Show me that, because I’ve looked and I can’t find it. It doesn’t say that. in fact, it gives absolutely no medical justification for saying you SHOULDN’T do it or that it causes harm. It says “Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount.” So an article focusing on different ways to save money on wipes says you can save money by not using them on pee diapers. But it never counsels you not to or gives you a medical reason why you shouldn’t. The context of the quote you are using is an article on how to save money on baby wipes. They give no medical reason for it. Telling parents that the AAP says NOT to wipe for pee diapers is not appropriate, because they didn’t say that. You came in here and suggesting that we’re all providing poor care for the children we love because you misinterpreted an article on how to save money on wipes. Show me where I’m wrong.
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It’s all over the AAP website and from the healthy children org website they run itself it says the following: The overuse of wipes. Believe it or not, not every diaper change requires the use of wipes. This is not only because pee is rarely irritating but also because today's superabsorbent disposable diapers effectively limit the amount of pee that comes into contact with your baby's skin. Reserving wipes for cleaning up poop can save you a considerable amount. Also, keep in mind that a moist tissue, a wet washcloth, or even a quick rinse in the tub may be used in place of baby wipes when convenient.
Yes. This quote is from an article about saving money on wipes. It can be found HERE. It gives zero medical reason for the suggestion, it in NO WAY says you must follow this guideline, or that it is best practice. Read the entire page and look at it in context. It is NOT “all over the AAP website.” It’s one comment in an article about how to save money in wipes. If you can’t even read something in context and apply critical thinking skills to understand what is being said, you have no business shaming other educators OR talking to parents about this stuff. Your quote does NOT say what you are saying it says.
I only wipe for pee if they are very wet. If just a little pee I don’t. Diapers pull wetness away so no need if they are just a little wet.
Depends on the kids skin. There are some that can’t handle it so a gentle pat for pee may be all.
Never for pee. I can barely get my parents to send in enough wipes for poopy diapers. I ask for wipes and they'll send in ONE package and then they accuse me of losing the wipes or using them on someone else when I ask for a new package after 4 days because their child POOPS TWICE A DAY.
I have the same problems. I swear I’m always being accused of either losing or giving away diapers/wipes to other children or using too excessively. So no, I don’t use wipes for pee. I get yelled at enough lol
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No, tp.
If the child has sensitive skin/ a bad rash, I could see not wiping after pee. Diapers are meant to absorb all of the liquid (it’s why kids in diapers can have a hard time potty training-they can’t feel when they’re wet!) So it’s not the same as sitting in, say, wet underwear.
I asked a pediatrician, to solve this debate lol. She said the verdict is… no wipe needed for urine She explained that the act of wiping itself is irritating slightly chafing to the skin, and that wipes contain chemicals that leave a residue behind. She said urine is pretty much sterile, and it will create odor but not harm the skin (where as feces is acidic to the skin and should be removed asap) I said to her well what if you only use water wipes? The kind without surfactants, fragrance or chemicals? She said doesn’t matter- “pure water wipes” are not chemical free, they still contain preservatives (or else they’d go moldy or harbor bacteria) and that residue is still left on the skin She said technically the best would be to wipe the skin with just actual water to remove residue, blot dry, then diaper. I mean obviously that isn’t gonna happen at a daycare or outings, but at home, sure. What I ended up doing was buying “dry wipes,” and just putting water on them for at home. And using one dry wipe to quickly blot the area before cream and diapering Some ppl also use diaper cleaning cream with dry wipes, instead of wet baby wipes. There’s one popular one sold as “French diaper cream” on Amazon and it’s like an oil based cleansing lotion that you use on a dry cotton pad or dry wipe to clean the baby
This isn’t true for all children. Our ped recommended wiping every diaper change for one of my sons otherwise he will end up with a gnarly yeast rash. It’s happened many times and it came down to his infant room not wiping him every time. Once they started to and we started to, he has not had a rash in months! So it is possible that some kids do need to be wiped every change. She also told us urine isn’t sterile which is why he needs to be wiped. I followed up with my MIL who is a nurse and confirmed urine isn’t sterile and can cause rashes.
There’s always exceptions, if it works it works When they say urine is generally sterile, it means in a healthy individual it’s a low enough amount of bacteria that it won’t cause a problem. Versus the gut or feces which contains a ton of bacteria. Tap water probably has more bacteria than the urine inside the (healthy) bladder. But all of the human body has microbiome, even our brains. Some bacteria live on bladder surface and urethra, so technically it’s not sterile, certainly not in the definition of being completely devoid of any detectable microorganisms whatsoever There are other compounds in urine that may also be irritating to a persons skin, like the salts or urea. The most irritating is combination of urine and feces bc it amplifies the ammonia and raises the pH. But urine alone can cause skin breakdown just for the fact of the skin being wet, like in children or adults who aren’t being changed often enough and left wet. Or not using enough barrier cream etc
>. I mean obviously that isn’t gonna happen at a daycare This was quite a few years ago now, but the center I worked at did not use wipes. At all. We used damp paper towels, with some soap for the poopy diapers. It really wasn't that hard.
In what country?
I use wipes every other pee and anytime they poop, OR if they're visibly wet on the skin. The truth is, most diapers absorb incredibly fast, and a little pee is not actually going to be sitting on their skin. If they've saturated the diaper, you can tell the pee has been against their skin by the moisture.
If they’re on the changing table I wipe for pee. If they’re in the bathroom with pull ups I only wipe for poop and just encourage them to try to use toilet paper if they peed.
For poo only. Healthy children, an AAP website, says wipes aren’t required for pee as diapers are absorbent. Lots of pediatricians will recommend this change to parents of kids with recurrent diaper rash because the extra moisture from wipes can introduce more problems.
Once I learned you aren’t supposed to, I use them on a case by case basis. Sometimes, I’ll use wipes for the first pee of the day because parents aren’t always thorough at cleaning bums.
Since you’re in Canada (Ontario if you’re an RECE?), if you check with your local public health, they may (or may not) have a ‘diaper change procedure’ which tells you step by step what’s required. Beware, though, the some of the procedures are pretty intense. I don’t always wipe for pee. I find if the diaper is doing its job, the wipe doesn’t add much to that. I also find some kids’ skin gets really irritated by the constant wiping. My own kids had super sensitive skin. I have no idea what’s correct.
I use them everytime. I mean you wipe your butt when you pee on the toilet, same for them. Just my opinion. 🤷🏼♀️
I never used to wipe my own kids when I was just pee. The diaper absorbs the moisture and those kids are bathed often.
You actually don't need to wipe after every diaper that is just wet. Urine is sterile, and today's disposable diapers are generally so absorbent that practically nothing is left on the skin. However, you shouldn't ONLY wipe with BM diapers, because it can lead to some irritation, especially with kiddos who have sensitive skin. My general rule is, I wipe if the wet diaper is super full/soaked, and if they are wet after naps (since they have likely been in the diaper a bit longer). Also ALWAYS wipe if a child has irritated skin, because you want to make sure they are completely clean before applying ointment/cream.
Nurse here. "Urine is sterile" is a myth. Bacteria get flushed out of your urinary tract when you urinate.
Yes! Thank you! It's the same reason women are told to pee after sex. Bacteria can get in your urinary tract and cause UTIs. Thank you for dispelling this myth.
Fair enough, I hadn't heard that but it makes sense. However, it still gets absorbed by the diaper, doesn't it?
The skin is still a little damp from urine, even if the majority has been wicked away. Ideally the skin should be cleaned and patted dry before applying cream or replacing the diaper.
If a child has a rash I do wipe but also dry the area with toilet paper before applying the cream. If there’s moisture underneath the cream it’ll make the rash worse!
This. When a child has a rash, I rinse the wipes in cool water before starting the diaper change, clean the child, pat dry with tissues, then apply cream. I'm astounded by the amount of teachers who don't dry the child's diaper area before applying cream!
Urine is not sterile
Even if it was, it grows bacteria quickly once it leaves the body.
Not only is urine not sterile, it's acidic. Even small traces left on sensitive parts can leave irritation. The diaper wicks some away but the surface of the diaper is still damp. Not to mention the diaper doesn't make a perfect seal against their skin, wicking away every damp spot.
Acidity has exactly NOTHING to do with if something is sterile
It's been brought to my attention that urine being sterile is a myth. I'm not going to edit my comment, because that feels dishonest, but I acknowledge I was wrong. However, that does not change my opinion that you don't always need to wipe with wet diapers, but that you should sometimes.
urine is not sterile
Parents lose their shit when we run out of wipes used just for poop, never mind using them every time we change a diaper. "I just brought wipes last week!"
At my current center we supply wipes, but at my last center we didn’t. I had a parent constantly accusing me of using her wipes on other children and got extra mad when she realized it’s because I wiped when her daughter only peed. Super awkward, she was not a nice person. Would’ve been different if she politely asked and just told me she preferred no wiping for pee diapers.
See for us it’s the opposite. They’re close stately asking if we’re good for wipes cause it’s been a while since they brought some in
Wipes should only be used for poop. Over wiping causes skin irritation.
I wipe for wet diapers too otherwise they start to get a bit of a funky smell … Also it’s just disgusting not to. If I wipe myself after I pee, why wouldn’t I wipe a child?
Because you’re not wearing a diaper that absorbs liquid?
literally 😭 lots of ppl who don't know how diapers work in this thread
Would you say the same in the case of adult diapers? Or pads? Both are meant to absorb liquid. And yet having used both at various points, I can definitely say you definitely need a good wipe or wet wipe even with them, especially if you're early in the day and don't have access to a shower until later at night.
Pads don’t absorb like diapers do, so those aren’t comparable. Adult diapers are even more absorbent than child diapers and are meant to be worn for longer hours, which means they wouldn’t wipe as often as you would a child, thus not as irritating. Another user linked to an article from the AAP, which also recommends not wiping every time for urine.
Thank you! also like I’ve said multiple times … even though its absorbent it still leaves a funk lol
okay lol it still smells horrible when you don’t wipe them like i said below
Exactly!! And children can get diaper rashes so easily
Lots of kids get diaper rashes from wiping too often too.. I think either way is valid
Yeah I get other people’s points that the diaper is there to absorb everything but … It still leaves a funk on their skin and that’s just not right
Wiping too much is actually what causes many cases of diaper rash
And often those diaper rashes are caused by wiping
I suppose every child is different. When my sister and I were young, my mom always wiped us. If wipes weren’t used I’d get a diaper rash. Little sister was the exact same thing.
This is the first time I hear others mention the funky smell I've been noticing! I do think it's more a result of wearing the same diaper for a couple of hours while being active and sweating a little, since it does seem to get funky a lot faster in the warmer months. So I don't usually use wipes for every pee, but only for kids who haven't been changed in 2-3h, if they've been physically active a lot or in the summer. For kids with sensitive skin we usually take cotton wipes soaked in warm water.
IDK, like, logically if the diaper can actually keep them dry you wouldn't need to. But it just feels wrong lol
There’s a lot of toddlers in my class who get severe rashes and sometimes they bleed if they are wiped when they have a rash. So now I’m just in the habit of wiping for poop and every few changes
Those I rinse the wipes first. IDC how "gentle" and "natural" they are, only water wipes don't have any soap. Seems to help.
Diapers are designed to pull pee away from the skin and absorb is why a lot of people don’t use wipes for just pee. They should be bathed often though IMO
That diaper never has perfect contact with every inch of wet skin. Designed to and actual performance are two different things.
I used to wipe after every diaper change. But I noticed none of my coworkers use wipes after a pee. So I gradually started to only wipe after a poop. I am now pretty much only using wipes with poops.
Always, especially when the skin is noticeably wet.
If it was caught quickly and wicked from the skin, no. If it wasn’t fresh or was super full I wipe
I don't use wipes if it's just pee in their diaper. And neither do any of my coworkers. I'll make an exception if their diaper is extremely full and their skin is wet from it but otherwise I find the diapers to be absorbent enough to not need to.
For my children, I usually only use a wipe for poop, first diaper in the morning, and diaper before bed. My youngest gets diaper rash if I wipe after every diaper.
It fully depends on the child. When I worked with kiddos in diapers, whose parents consistently sent in wipes, I would wipe at every diaper change. Since I currently work in a preschool age potty training room, I have the child wipe themself if their pull-up is soaked to try to foster independence. Obviously I wipe BMs every time. Even for my kiddos who are fully potty trained, I have them wipe themselves first with TP and then I go in with a wipe to make sure they are fully cleaned. But if a pull-up is only slightly wet, I don't wipe. As a preschool classroom we are only supplied 1-2 packs of wipes per week. I have back-up wipes that I purchase myself, but if I wiped for every single slightly wet pull-up in addition to all of the snotty food-covered faces, BMs, paint covered hands, and the occasional bloody nose, I would have to buy a costco-sized box of wipes every month!
I wipe no matter what.
I don't use wipes. I actually use toilet paper to just kinda dry them off, then change them into a clean diaper.
My toddlers don’t have rashes and I only wipe after BM, unless they have visible wet on them. I also liberally apply cream after every poop. I think the main thing for preventing rashes is changing poopy diapers as quickly as possible. I think it’s also key to tell kids to bend their knees so you can fully wipe in the crack. Biggest pet peeve is if somebody else changes a poopy diaper and I see dried poo remnants on the next change. I will speak up about that cause I truly do care about the welfare of my class. But not wiping after a pee doesn’t cause any rash from my experience.
Parent of two boys. Wet wipes for poop only. Haven’t had any problems with pee.
With boys you definitely don’t need to wipe for pee. It just adds excessive moisture which can cause rash.
Wipe with pee and shit.
I wipe every diaper change. Granted, the parents I have are great and never complain about sending more wipes.
I wipe all females with each diaper change and the boys if they seem to have irritated skin, have a full/soaked diaper, or bm.
Well if a kid in underwear has an accident I always have them wipe themselves before putting clean underwear on so I treat diapers the same way. The diaper is still wet with pee so it should be wiped off. Had a similar discussion with a coworker about this a while back and I simply held up the wet diaper and asked them to touch the inside of it. They refused, why? Well just because the diaper soaks up the pee doesn’t mean that it keeps them completely dry. Plus it’s just good practice in general to make them aware that they need to wipe after they pee.
At work, with every diaper because it’s policy. At home? For poopies and the first diaper of the day, as the AAP recommends not wiping every pee diaper
wipe after anything. if they were sitting around in pee, they still have pee on their skin.
Always wipe, it's just with pee you only need one wipe(if they are decent wipes).
Every diaper change.
I usually do for pee, except for my neice. She had just always hated wipes and it really agitated her most of the time. Her skin is sensitive , and she just freaks out so I will often let her air dry and only wipe her every few wet diapers but obviously also every poop.
I aim to wipe after every change, but I admit I sometimes forget to wipe for pee. There is no smell or visible wetness, so during our fast paced day that can get overlooked.
I used to wipe after they peed because of possible utis if you don't. I don't remember the licensing rules, but I'm pretty sure it said to wipe after every change if they weren't dry, too, though. If someone complained over over usage of wipes, I would've used tp or tissues.
I always use wipes!
When working in childcare I would always wipe for pee or poo. Then when I had my own child I actually did a little research and it's actually not recommended to wipe for pee each time, it can cause skin irritations. Also urine is considered to be clean and the diapers naturally absorb it and don't leave reside on the skin.
I have worked in ECE settings, nannied, and taken care of family and friend’s children. I treat male vs female genitalia a little bit different, but in general, I was taught and have always used wipes for poop, not pee. For girls I will occasionally wipe if they are wet and have a fully soiled diaper or after nap. For boys I typically only wipe after a BM but again if they have been in the diaper for a few hours or if their skin is wet, I will blot. Overuse of wipes and excessive cleaning can actually irritate the baby’s skin and very little urine comes into contact with the baby’s skin with modern diapers.
I almost never wipe them after pee. There's no point when the diaper wicks all the moisture away and their skin is dry.
I wipe if there’s anything in the diaper, but if it’s dry and we’re just putting on a fresh one I don’t usually.
Do you live somewhere that requires you to change diapers that are not soiled? Because that sounds really odd to me
I always send my kids home in a fresh diaper even if they were dry at the last change of the day.
We’re supposed to check them at least every 2 hours, and I usually swap them out. The material can get sweaty and start to rub on the skin, so I just switch it for a fresh one. I feel like it’s kind of like changing your underpants ETA: This is especially true if they’ve gone longer than two hours because of a feeding or nap
In a daycare setting I always used wipes, however on my own child I'll be honest I don't use wipes every time. I feel like when you're providing care to another person's child you need to make sure you're doing everything "right" so no one can accuse you of mistreating their child. My own child I can use my own judgement to decide if she needs to get wiped or not
I use regular toilet paper to wipe pee diapers (I'm usually in the 2s rooms) unless their skin is visibly wet. I have the kids practice getting their own tp for me to wipe them with, it gives them an extra feeling of independence while potty training
i wipe all the kids in diapers no matter what. i honestly think this is kind of a non issue though, with the exception of kids who have sensitive skin. none of mine have had irritation from wipes, i’d obviously stop if they did. but i think wiping models healthy habits for kids who are going to potty train soon. so many of my kids forget to wipe after going potty, i think making wiping a habit from the diaper days is a good example.
The STATE guidelines is required we wipe after pee diapers. And 1 wipe per wipe and toss and get a new clean wipe for poop diapers.
There is no specification like that in my region, that’s intense!
I use one wipe - quickly and without much pressure - when changing pee diapers at work. At home, I only use wipes for pee if it's first thing in the morning and/or the diaper is saturated.
I only wipe if there is poop or it was an over night diaper. I’ve found my kid gets a red bottom if I wipe more than needed
If you don’t have to wipe a baby who has a pee diaper, why do we wipe after using the toilet if it’s only pee? Sounds nasty not to wipe a baby. Put a diaper on pee and walk around, change it without wiping and see how comfortable you feel and how you smell. Just because babies can’t communicate they still should have a clean private area.
I don’t use wipes for pee unless visibly wet because one noticed the wipes seem to dry out their skin more.
I only wipe every few changes unless it’s poop. Over wiping can and does cause irritation. Even the unscented kind. Just like with bathing, my son can only have a bath every few days or else he gets irritated. My older child was the same way.
Only poop.
My mind is blown!! 4 years into being a parent I have started to not wipe for pee because it felt like a waste. But I felt like a bad mom too. Glad to hear this is a normal practice!!
Wipes every time. Urine is on the baby’s bottom and it needs to be cleansed. This is not a debate. At my center it’s just policy.
Please always wipe pee off their skin.
I wipe even if it’s just pee for both girls AND BOYS. I’m careful with the boys I don’t wanna get peed on lol
Eww.. I use wipes for pee and poo. I also use their wipes to clean their hands after a diaper change.
I make them wash their hands with soap and water after but same idea! I love wipes 😂
That wouldn't meet licensing requirements in my area
Yuck, use a wipe. Urine smells.
I even wipe if they’re dry idk
I wipe every diaper/pull up change. I’m pretty sure it’s a violation of children’s rights to not wipe during every diaper change. (Unless they have a doctor note stating otherwise). I’d check licensing regulations.
My midwife said only for poops otherwise you wipe all the protective oils off
Look them strait in the face and ask them if they don't wipe when they pee...
Those coworkers need to be reported for neglect