Some parents suggest

• having a 'nappy changing station' on all floors of the house so you don't have to keep running up and down stairs.
  
• keep your baby-changing bag topped up and hang it by the front door so you're always ready to go.
  
• put soiled babywear straight into a bucket containing a weak solution of detergent before washing - keep it away from toddlers.
  
• Buy some 'muslin squares' which are softer and stronger than kitchen towels and can be used for mopping up regurgitated milk, etc. Then throw them straight into your soaking bucket.

Gradually you will get a routine and some degree of normality will return to your home.

Shaped reusables, home-laundered
Advantages

• environmentally friendly choice
  
• no pins needed
  
• less bulky than terries
  

Disadvantages:

• initially an expensive outlay and, unlike terries, need to be replaced two or three times as your baby grows
  
• can be difficult to dry, although have been improvements.

For suppliers of shaped nappies send a large SAE with two stamps to:
The Real Nappy Association, PO Box 3704, London SE26 4RX.
Or go to: www.realnappy.com

Terry nappies, home-laundered
Advantages

• Cheapest option despite high initial outlay - you will need around 20 terries but these are once-only purchases and can be reused for further children.
  
• more environmentally friendly than disposables
  

Disadvantages

• need to be changed more often.
  
• access to washing machine and method of drying needed
  
• high initial cost outlay
  

Disposables
Advantages

• no initial outlay
  
• no washing
  
• easy to use.
  

Disadvantages

• expensive.
  
• they are produced from wood pulp and oil-based plastics, and don't biodegrade so not environmentally friendly
  

Shaped reusables, nappy laundering service
Advantages

• environmentally friendly
  
• no washing or drying of nappies - though outer pant may need to be washed on occasion
  
• small initial outlay.
  

Disadvantages

• more expensive than washing at home.
  
• need to change more often than disposables.
  
• need to pay initial registration fee and buy outer pants.
  
• service not available all over the UK.

Soiled nappies are washed in hospital laundries, so uses less energy than individuals washing nappies at home.

To find your local service, contact
National Association of Nappy Services,
Tel: 0121 693 4949.

Nappy contents

A newborn's first bowel movement is meconium - a greenish-black substance which was in the baby's bowel before the birth. Although its appearance can be alarming if you're not expecting it, it indicates that all is well with your baby's excretory system.

Breastfed babies' stools smell more pleasant and are usually bright yellow or mustard-coloured and very loose. Bottle-fed babies have light brown, more formed stools.Green-coloured stools sometimes mean that bile salts have not been completely re-absorbed and can show your baby has colic but sometimes they just happen. Babies being weaned sometimes produce multi-coloured nappies, often the same shade as what they have just eaten. If it is clear that certain foods have passed straight through, leave these out of tyour baby's diet for a while.

There will be a wide variation in how often your baby's nappy gets filled. Some babies fill their nappies at or close to every feed. Others, particularly breastfed babies, can go for days or even a week without a bowel movement. This is perfectly normal.

Some babies strain or cry when passing a stool. This is normal and, if the stools are soft, your baby isn't constipated. Your baby's stools will probably vary from day to day and week to week. If you notice a particular change, such as stools becoming very smelly, watery or hard - particularly if there is blood or mucous in them - talk to your doctor or health visitor.

Bathing and daily routine

To create a good bathtime routine with your baby

• make sure you have a calm, warm environment
• make sure your baby isn't hungry or over tired
• have everything ready beforehand.
  

Topping and tailing
If your baby doesn't like baths you can just top and tail each day for while

1. Wrap your baby in a towel to restrain their arms. Don't undress them unless you want to.
2. Wipe one eye with a piece of cotton wool moistened with cooled boiled water. Wipe from the inside of the eye outwards. Then wipe the other eye with a fresh piece of cotton wool.
3. Wipe over and behind their ears with damp cotton wool, using a fresh piece for each ear. Wipe the face, neck and under their chin with another piece of damp cotton wool or a damp flannel.
4. Pat your baby dry with a small soft towel, making sure that there's no dampness in the skin creases.
5. Wipe and dry their hands
6. Change their nappy, cleaning the nappy area, and put on clean clothes. It can help to keep special clothes for night-time wear, so that your baby gets into a bedtime routine from the beginning.

Hair
There's no need to wash your baby's hair every day (if they have any). Wipe it with a damp flannel to remove anything that has got into it.
Nails
The easiest way to cut your baby's nails is simply to nibble them off yoursel, or use round-ended scissors while baby is asleep. They will be softer after a bath.
Ears and nose
Just wipe gently round the openings with damp cotton wool. Your baby's ears and nose are self-cleaning.

When the child is sitting on the potty, fill a large bowl or small bucket with lukewarm water, place the "potty" toys in the bowl and put the bowl of water in front of the child. If the potty seat is low, place the bowl on the floor or if the potty seat sits on top of the toilet, set the bowl of water on a small table in front of the child.

When the child places their hands in the lukewarm water to play with the toys, they nearly instantly urinate as long as the child physically needs to go, then give them lots of praise, and perhaps some sort of treat. Let them play as long as they want, as long as they sit on the potty. When they have finished playing or want to get off the potty, put the toys away for next time.

This makes it fun for the child, so they cooperate and it means no more waiting and waiting for them to go, only to have them go as soon as the nappy goes back on. The child will also feel good because they have had immediate success. With time and patience and the child learning in their own time and way, relax and they will start to use the potty to empty their bowels as well as weeing.