Have we been changing nappies all wrong?

Have we been changing baby's nappies wrong this whole time? [Photo: Getty]
Have we been changing baby’s nappies wrong this whole time? [Photo: Rex Shuttershock]

As any parent will understand, changing a wriggling baby’s dirty nappy can be a challenge. But when it’s got to be done, it’s got to be done.

Until now we’ve believed that the classic two-legged bum-lift is the only way to do it, but it turns out there’s more than one way to change a nappy. Who knew?

According to Dr Emily Puente of Bridge Family Chiropractic the typical double-leg lift can put a lot of stress on the baby’s lower back and can actually contribute to digestive issues associated with colic, like wind and constipation.

In a video posted to the Love What Matters Facebook page, she explained that the double-legged motion can have a negative impact on how the cervical curve of a baby’s back forms.

Instead, the chiropractor suggests adopting a nappy changing method known as the roll technique.

While we would normally lift both baby’s legs to wipe or put on a new nappy, this alternative technique involves rolling the baby onto their side to wipe and then slide in the new nappy.

She says adopting this changing method will take the stress off the baby’s lower back.

“This is a way to change a diaper that will protect the baby’s spine and remove pressure off of their delicate nervous system,” she says in the video. “It is an easy adaptation that can have great benefits for your little one’s spinal development.”

And for those of you currently wondering how on earth you’ll adopt the rolling method on a won’t-stay-still toddler, Dr Puente explains that after a baby is crawling we don’t need to be so careful about the way we change their nappy, so its safe to resume the double-legged bum-lift. Phew!

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