Wipe Or No Wipe?

[mema]

I always wipe. When ds was little, I never did. As he got older, I changed and wipe each time.

[Starburst]

You have some great ideas, but make sure to check with licensing to make sure you are doing it right so if they come, you don't get cited. Here in MI, for centers, we have to wear gloves at every change and also wash our hands and each child's hands after every change and change gloves after every change. For FCC's we don't have to wear gloves, but are required to wash our hands and the children's hands after every change. Also, we have to have a non-porous diaper changing mat and have to sanitize it after each change either with soap water then rinse water then either bleach water and let it air dry or something like Lysol and it has to be done exactly how the directions say to sanitize. Of course, it's almost impossible to wait for the bleach water/Lysol to air dry if you are doing multiple changes, but when I worked in a center and if licensing was there, they always understood that we couldn't wait that long to change every one if we waited for it to dry.
I do like your idea of having different washable gloves for each child! I wish we could do that here, it would save me lots of money!

Now that I think about it, I think there was a debate in that class about if you still had to wash your hands after gloves. I think there may have been room for compromise and not breaking the rules if you used hand sanitizer as a temporary hand washer between diapers and glove changes, but I am not 100% sure. I would probably still have gloves available anyway in case of blow outs or in case of accidents with potty training kids (even thought I will wash my hands after anyway, does not mean I want to come in direct skin contact with bodily waste).

ETA:
And I didn't see the part of that question about the children washing their hands. In that video for younger ones they just got a fresh wipey and washed their hands with that as long as they didn't touch Feces. But I think if the child is old enough to stand and hold themselves up you might want to start teaching them to wash their hands so they get in the habit of it later.

[pandamom]

yes, I always use wipes on my sons during diaper changes- even if it's "just" pee.

[LoraJenkins]

I always wipe but do not use store bought wipes. Baby washcloths and plain water only.

[Cradle2crayons]

No, I only wipe pee diapers after naps in boys and girls. My understanding, if you use gloves, you have to wash hands even AFTER you remove the gloves. So personally, if it wasn't required, I most definately would see no point to gloves since I'd have to wash them just as much. As a nurse, I couldn't tell you how hard it was drilled into us that handwashing HAS to occur AFTER you remove those gloves.

Anyway, on the topic, in nursing school we were taught that, unless there is a bacteria in the urinary tract, urine is in fact sterile until it exits the body. It's even on our state licensure exam.

After all diaper changes, I wash hands of myself, and sanitizer for the child unless they can reach my little sink.

Funny thing, nursing school never taught us (neither did any place I ever worked), to wash or sanitize the hands of a baby after a diaper change. (:confused

Also, school nor hospitals require or even ask nurses to use a baby wipe after a pee diaper....

Just handy info there LOL

[Patches]

In MI, we can't use any type of powder at all.

I don't think we can use it either, in OK

[Patches]

We watched a video on sanitizing child care homes and centers in a health/safety class and it said to either make sure that you are close to a sink when you change diapers (but not where you prepare food) or it said you could always wear gloves but you would have to change it with each child to avoid cross contamination of bodily fluids; but could be costly and bad for the environment. But the good thing about gloves is you don't have to wash your hands as much which means less dryness of the hands (which means less dry cracks in the skin that can trap germs) and it could also save time by not having to get up and wash your hands for 20 second after changing each kid.
\.

We still have to wash our hands even if we wear gloves here.

[Starburst]

We still have to wash our hands even if we wear gloves here.

I realize that, I have posted another comment since.

[Patches]

I realize that, I have posted another comment since.

Sorry, posted that before I read through

[Starburst]

That's okay I edited it to avoid further confusion.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I only wipe for bm and sopping wet diapers (like after nap), or like some have already said, if there's a smell.

I used powder on both of my older children, but don't on my third baby. Though, baby powder is GREAT for sand removal and for when you'll be outside and it's hot and sticky.

[Play Care]

Anyway, on the topic, in nursing school we were taught that, unless there is a bacteria in the urinary tract, urine is in fact sterile until it exits the body. It's even on our state licensure exam.

This is what I was going to come in to say - but this means as soon as it hits air/diaper, it's no longer sterile (if it even was to begin with) even boys can have trace amount of fecal material left over from a diaper change (I have a little guy now with saggy testicles so it can be challenging to get him completely clean)

I only use one wipe for urine and if I have a lot of kids in diapers I've been known to cut the wipes in half (with a clean sharp knife) to make them last longer.

[DaisyMamma]

I wipe every child at every change and every child gets a quick dusting of powder too. I love the way it makes them all smell fresh.

Is that allowed? That's a good idea. I think I will check with my state (and parents) to see if it's allowed.


Interesting topic! I didn't respond before. I thought I as weird because I don't always wipe boys after a wet diaper. I only do this if we are outside and need quick diaper changes. The problem is that they start to stink faster when you don't wipe, and with the frequency that children get baths around here, that is not good ::

[Meeko]

Out of curiosity- do you use talc powder? When my son was an infant (5yrs ago) I read some articles saying that it shouldn't be used on infants due to cancer, infertility and inhalation dangers. Being a new mom I stopped using it even though I loved the way it made him smell "baby fresh".

And to answer the question, I wipe for wet only after the first morning diaper or after naps, where they have been in a wet diaper for a longer period of time. Middle of the day wet diapers usually don't get a wipe.

I use the cornstarch baby powder.

[Meeko]

Is that allowed? That's a good idea. I think I will check with my state (and parents) to see if it's allowed.


Interesting topic! I didn't respond before. I thought I as weird because I don't always wipe boys after a wet diaper. I only do this if we are outside and need quick diaper changes. The problem is that they start to stink faster when you don't wipe, and with the frequency that children get baths around here, that is not good ::

It's allowed here. I use just a little....no clouds of powder!