Baby Diaper Blowout Tips to Avoid the Dreaded Mess

Why read: Tired of dealing with baby poop everywhere? Check out these practical baby diaper blowout tips every mom needs to know.  
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Ask any mother and she’ll have at least one horror story about diaper blowouts. 

They are the worst!

And they seem to happen at the most inopportune times.

One of the worst poop blowouts happened to me when standing with my 4-month-old baby boy in a line to board an 11-hour-long international flight. I had just nursed him, changed his diaper, and put on fresh clothes on him.

Last call to board the plane!

“Yaay, we are ready! My boy is fed, changed, I’m rocking it!” – I thought. 

And bam!!!! The dreaded sound! And I feel the warmth on my chest. 

I’m not going to bore you with the details of how I had to board the plane with poop all over my baby’s back and my shirt. Sit like that through the plane’s takeoff, wait for the “fasten seatbelts” sign to go off, and only then go to the bathroom to change his and my clothes.

Luckily breastfed babies’ poop is almost odorless. So I just put on a cardigan and wrapped us in it so that no one sees what was behind. 

In short, I survived! It wasn’t fun, though, I have to admit. 

Yes, a diaper blowout can ruin your day!

And yes, if it happens in public, it can be tough to manage because cleaning that mess is no joke.

But, one thing you must remember is that diaper blowouts are normal and can happen with any baby.

Thus there’s no need to feel embarrassed! 

If you’ve dealt with a poop blowout, take a breather because solving it shouldn’t stress you out.

Stick around for some easy tips to avoid diaper blowouts and keep the diaper business from becoming a public display!

What Is a Diaper Blowout?

A diaper blowout is when urine or feces suddenly and unexpectedly leak out of a baby’s diaper. Poop blowout can be a huge mess and often happens when the diaper is not fitted correctly or is too full. Newborn blowouts and infant diaper blowouts are most common but can also happen with toddlers.

Why do diaper blowouts happen?

There are multiple diaper blowout causes, including a baby’s diet, dehydration, or even an impending case of diarrhea.

Blowouts are more likely to occur if the diaper is too small or the kid has it on for too long.

So, the next time you’re dealing with a blowout, remember that it’s not your fault – it’s just the nature of the diaper beast.

Just when you think you’ve got the hang of this parenting thing, your baby’s diaper explodes, leaving you with a mess to clean up.

But what causes these blowouts, and how can you prevent them?

Let’s look at some of these reasons:

●     Wrong-Size Diaper

The wrong-sized diaper can cause a pee or poop blowout by not fitting snugly around the baby’s bottom.

This can allow poo to seep out of the sides of the diaper, causing a messy situation. In addition, a too-tight diaper can rub and irritate the baby’s skin, causing a rash.

On the other hand, a too-loose diaper can leak urine, resulting in a wet and unhappy baby.

It is important to use the correct size diaper for your baby to avoid diaper blowouts. You may need to experiment with different brands and sizes to find the perfect fit.

●     Improperly Fitted Diaper

Many parents don’t realize that an improperly fitted diaper is often the cause of these blowouts.

A diaper that is too small will put pressure on your baby’s tummy, causing the “contents” to explode outwards.

Additionally, if the diaper is not snug enough, there will be gaps around the legs or waist where pee or poop can escape.

To avoid blowouts, it’s important to ensure that your baby’s diaper is the right size and fits snugly around the waist and legs. You can avoid this messy situation and keep your baby dry and comfortable with some careful planning.

●     Changes in the Little One’s Diet

Sometimes, certain foods can cause a baby’s stool to become more watery, leading to a diaper blowout.

This is especially common if your baby eats a lot of laxative fruits and vegetables – such as prunes, pears, plums, or peaches.

If you suspect that their diet is the cause of their diaper blowouts, try making some changes.

For example, you might want to cut back on the laxative fruits and vegetables or switch to a different formula – but only after consulting your pediatrician.

Also Read: 

• Why Use A Sleep Sack For Baby? 
• Best High Chairs For Baby-Led Weaning 

Are Diaper Blowouts Normal? 

Yes, diaper blowouts are normal in infants. On more rare occasions toddler blowouts are also possible.

In fact, they’re such a common occurrence that experienced parents usually have a few tricks up their sleeves for dealing with them.

While a blowout can be messy (and smelly), it’s nothing to worry about.

Just remember to keep a spare set of baby clothes on hand, and you’ll be able to handle any diaper explosion that comes your way.

However, if your little one is experiencing constant diaper blowouts, it should concern you.

You can consult a doctor or observe your kid’s reaction to certain diet changes to understand this problem better.

If changing the diaper’s size and snugly fitting it doesn’t stop these little accidents, you must remedy it.

Do Blowouts Mean Diarrhea?

Any parent of a young child knows that blowouts are inevitable.

But what does it mean when your child has a diaper blowout? Is it always a sign of diarrhea?

Not necessarily.

Diaper blowouts can be caused by several factors, including loose stools, teething, and simple digestive upset leading to a poopy mess.

Low-quality cloth diapers can also result in blowouts because they aren’t absorbent enough.

But, if your child is having multiple blowouts per day, it’s essential to pay attention to the frequency and consistency of their stool.

If you notice that your child has watery, frequent stools, it’s good to contact your pediatrician.

Diaper blowouts are messy, but you can usually figure out what’s causing them with some simple detective work.

Best Tips To Avoid Diaper Blowouts

Let’s now check out some diaper blowout hacks to keep this problem at bay:

– Choose the Right Size Diaper

To choose the correct diaper sizes for your kids, you need to consider a few factors: their weight, height, and build.

You also need to factor in the type of diapers you want to use. For example, cloth diapers tend to run slightly smaller than disposable ones.

Go one size up or use an overnight diaper to avoid blowouts at night. 

With that said, here are some general guidelines for choosing diaper sizes for infants and toddlers:

For infants who weigh up to 10 pounds, you will need size one diapers. For those who weigh between 11 and 15 pounds, you will need size two diapers. And so on.

– Put the Diaper On Snuggly

To prevent diaper blowouts, it’s important to carefully put the diaper on.

Make sure the front and back of the diaper are snug against your child’s skin and that there are no gaps around the legs.

Also check the fit regularly, especially if your baby is moving around.

If the disposable diapers you’re using are too big, they’ll be more likely to leak. If they’re too small, they’ll be uncomfortable and cause a blowout.

With a bit of care, you can ensure reliable diaper blowout prevention.

– Frequently change the Diaper

Children tend to be highly active, leading to them soiling their diapers more frequently.

If you don’t change the diapers regularly, blowouts can occur.

So, to prevent this messy situation, it is important to change a child’s diaper frequently – at least every two to three hours.

This will help keep the diaper clean and dry and reduce the likelihood of blowouts.

– Double-Up

One of the best diaper blowout hacks is to double-up.

Yes, that means making your little one wear two diapers.

If your kid’s regular diaper is good enough, don’t change its brand but buy a few cloth diapers.

These diapers go around the regular disposable diapers and give your kid some extra protection.

Cloth diapers are snugger-fitting than regular diapers, so they help prevent leaks.

They’re also easier to put on and don’t add to your changing duty. So if you’re tired of dealing with diaper blowouts, buy a pack of cloth diapers.

Your nose will thank you!

How To Avoid Diaper Blowouts in The Car Seat?

Having a diaper blowout at home is one thing. But when you’re on the go, it becomes a completely different story. 

Having poop all over the car seat isn’t exactly what any mom would want to deal with. So prevention is always your best bet. Of course, this applies to how to avoid diaper blowouts on airplane too.  Remember my horror story? 

Baby poop happens at the most unexpected times, but there are things you can do to help prevent blowouts.  Especially when your baby is in a car seat or when you’re out and about.

The first step is to follow all the tips above:

• Do not keep the diaper on for too long.
• Change diapers frequently, especially when your baby eats solid food. A full diaper puts extra pressure on the seams, causing them to rupture.
• Be sure the diaper fits well as loose or tight diapers don’t hold things well.
• Double up and put on a cloth diaper on top of your baby’s disposable one for extra protection. 

And secondly, have some extra hacks in your arsenal for when avoiding a diaper blowout is a life and death situation: 

• Use diaper liners to help with avoiding blowouts because they are placed inside the diaper and provide an extra layer of protection against leaks. Plus they are easier to deal with when changing a diaper isn’t exactly an option. Just remove soiled liners every hour or so, insert a new one and have peace of mind. Using diaper liners is especially helpful with cloth diapers. 
• Another must-have is a diaper blowout blocker. It helps with catching up-the-back blowouts for easier cleanup! If only I knew about its existence when on that plain travel… sigh…
• Always have a pack of wet wipes in your diaper bag, car, grocery bag, etc. You don’t want to be caught by a surprise without wipes. Plus, there are numerous other uses for baby wipes you’d want to know. 
• Disposable diaper bags are also your best friend when on the go. They help with keeping the smell at bay. 
• Always and I mean it – ALWAYS! – have a set or two of fresh clothes for your baby. And yourself! 

What To Do When Diaper Blowouts Happen?

Even though diaper blowouts are a hassle, you can take some simple steps to clean up the mess and get your little one back to being dry and comfortable.

Here’s how to deal with diaper blowouts:

●      First, you’ll need to remove the soiled diaper and clothes. If possible, do this on the changing table to avoid messing up the kid’s bed or play area.

●      Once the soiled items have been removed, it’s time to start cleaning up your little one. When at home it’s always easier and better to quickly wash your baby. This helps with avoiding diaper rash. When on the go use water wipes. 

●      Lastly, change your kid into clean clothes and a diaper. You can also use a blowout blocker cloth diaper when at home to double up the “security”. Because you never know when it’ll happen again.

Phew, dealing with this scene is no easy play – good job!

When Do Diaper Blowouts stop? 

I have good news for you! This won’t last long!

Diaper explosion. Or diaper blowout up back. Diaper blowout on the legs. Or baby poop everywhere. All of that is most common in infants. As soon as you start your baby on solid foods, your little one’s stool will become, well, more solid. With firmer poop, you’ll have to deal with fewer leaks.

And that’s when you might come across another poop beast – which is baby constipation! You won’t believe it but you might start to miss the blowout days – when your baby could go after every meal without pushing hard and stressing out his mommy over no poop for days. 

Poop is always better than no poop, believe me! 

But that’s a conversation for another article 🙂 

One Last Thing

Diaper blowouts are a messy, frustrating reality of parenting young kids.

But with the right combination of products and diaper blowout solutions I offer in this article, you’ll be able to prevent explosive diapers.

Or at least, not have them on a regular basis! 

And while it may not be possible to eliminate diaper blowouts, by being prepared and keeping a sense of humor, you can hopefully make these poopy situations less stressful. 

And for those overnight diaper blowouts – ah! aren’t those the worst?! – check out these hilarious messages and quotes.

You could write them on the diapers or have them around the diaper changing station to make the process of dealing with a diaper blowout at night more fun.  

Your Turn 

Any other diaper blowout hacks you could recommend to fellow young moms? We’d love to hear about them in the comments! 

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