Baby boys can be more challenging when it comes to changing diapers. This is because they have a tendency to pee as soon as you remove their diaper. This response is not meant to drive parents nuts (although it has occasionally succeeded in doing that), but it is simply an automatic response. Learning how to correctly change a boy’s diaper can greatly reduce the chances of being peed on or having to change the diaper more than once.

There are steps you can follow to prevent getting peed on or having to change the new diaper immediately after putting it on because that one got wet while changing. 

Check out the How-to Guide for Newborns

Keep the diaper up

By keeping the diaper up, it can form a shield between you and the baby in case he starts to pee again, and in most cases, he will. Baby boys tend to pee as soon as their genitals hit the air. Because of the size and the location of the male organs, the pee tends to go up and away from the baby’s body and has been known to strike the face or chest of the parent doing the changing. To avoid this, hold the diaper over the baby lightly while changing until he releases that urine.

After he urinates, remove diaper and cleanse area

Be sure to remove any fecal matter that may have traveled up the baby’s back or is stuck between the cheeks of his bottom. This fecal matter can cause urinary infections and can irritate the baby’s skin. Be sure to clean the baby’s genitals to remove any urine that may be left on the skin. Urine has an ammonia property and can irritate the skin if left unchecked.

Apply a new clean diaper

Apply any diaper powders that are necessary. These powders help to relieve or prevent diaper rash. Secure the diaper firmly, but without cutting off any circulation to the growing baby’s body. Once the new diaper is on, the baby can be released to resume playing. Be sure to clean up the changing area and changing table.