Diaper blowouts — can you prevent them? Blowouts are a regular occurrence for newborns and even infants, and they are quite stressful to clean up. A diaper blowout usually makes a mess wherever your baby is!
When my youngest was a baby, he would have a diaper blowout in his car seat every single time we went for a drive. Every. Single. Time. After this happened probably dozens of times, I figured out why it was happening and I was able to minimize the risk of a blowout.
While you can’t fully guarantee that your baby won’t have a diaper blowout, there are a number of easy things you can take to minimize the risk and help prevent them from occurring.
In this article, we’ll cover the main causes of diaper blowouts and the best tips on how to prevent diaper blowouts from ever happening.
What Causes Diaper Blowouts?
The main reason your baby poops through diapers is related to the diaper fit. If the diaper is too big, too small, or too tight, it can affect how often your baby’s diaper will leak.
If the diaper is not secure and tight enough on the waist or the legs, your baby can have a blowout that is difficult to clean. The biggest culprit is typically the diaper you are using or an external factor like pressure or a “squeeze” on the diaper from tight car seat straps, for example.
How Many Diaper Blowouts are Normal?
Diaper blowouts are very common, and there is no universal number of how many baby blowouts are considered “normal.” However, if you notice your baby’s diaper leaking every single day, try some of the tips below to see if it helps prevent some of them!
At What Age Do Babies Have the Most Blowouts?
Most often, the newborn stage is where you will experience the most blowouts. This is mainly because they are on a liquid diet. As your baby gets older and starts eating more solid foods, the number of blowouts will most likely decline.
However, you will see blowouts from time to time, no matter what age.
9 Best Tips for Preventing Diaper Blowouts
While it ultimately depends on your little one, here are some tips on how to stop diaper blowouts. Diaper blowouts will eventually happen now and again, but there are plenty of things you can do to try to avoid them as much as possible.
If your baby has constant blowouts, try any of these baby blowout tips to see if you can prevent most of them!
1. Use the Right Size Diaper
Learning how to prevent diaper blowouts mostly depends on making sure the diaper fits your little one properly. This is why one of the best tips for preventing diaper blowouts is to use the correct diaper size.
A diaper that is too tight or too loose will almost always result in a diaper blowout, one way or another. A tight diaper might get you a blowout up the back while a loose diaper might ooze out from the top or the legs.
Unfortunately, there is no universal diaper sizing chart to help you easily make the right decision when you are purchasing diapers; you’ll have to base it on the specific diaper brand you are buying.
However, there are diaper size charts for each brand that help make the process of choosing the right size a bit easier. Diaper sizes go by weights and are generally as follows:
- Preemie Size: Up to 6 pounds
- Newborn Size: Up to 10 pounds
- Size 1: Between 8 -14 lbs
- Size 2: Between 12-18 lbs
- Size 3: Between 16-28 lbs
- Size 4: Between 22-37 lbs
- Size 5: Between 27-35 lbs
- Size 6: Between 35 lbs and over
- Size 7: Between 41 lbs and over
Each diaper brand will have its own sizing, but sizes usually overlap, leaving you room to find the one that works best for your little one! For example, in the chart above, a 16 lb. baby could either use a Size 2 or Size 3 diaper. This is where finding the right fit for your baby comes into play; experiment with both sizes if needed, and find the one that works best for your little one.
If you are sure your baby is wearing the correct diaper size and are still having problems, you can always try going up one size to see if it helps you avoid leakage, or try out another one of the tips down below.
2. Make Sure The Diaper is Secured Properly
Once you make sure you are using the right diaper size, check to make sure the diaper is secure on both the waist and the legs. Another easy hack to help prevent diaper blowouts is by pulling out the ruffled leg cuffs to extend the diaper over the back of the legs. This usually helps keep everything inside, too.
3. Change Diapers More Often
If you want to avoid a baby blowout, change your baby’s diaper frequently.
If your little one’s diaper is constantly full, you may not be changing it enough. Letting it get to full capacity will inevitably mean you will have more blowouts since you cannot control how often your baby will have a bowel movement.
If you find your baby having a blowout right after you change their diaper, you might want to wait a few extra minutes before changing it. If you change their diaper right after you smell or hear something, they might not be completely finished and can lead to a blowout while you are changing them or right after.
Trust me: I’m speaking as someone who has caught newborn poop in her hands. Don’t worry, I learned my lesson.
Also, be sure to place your baby in a clean diaper before putting them into any “buckets” such as a car seat, stroller, or baby carrier.
4. Try Cloth Diapers
Another great tip to help you avoid diaper blowouts is to try using cloth diapers. Cloth diapers often have stronger elastic, especially around the waist, which can help prevent blowouts from leaking from your baby’s back.
Cloth diapers are also effective because of the cloth diaper covers you use with some options. The covers help contain everything inside as it is much thicker than disposable diapers.
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However, if you are not using the right size cloth diapers for your baby, you might still experience blowouts. Make sure you find a fit that is a perfect balance of being tight and comfortable for your baby.
If you struggle using cloth diapers, you can still use a diaper cover over a disposable diaper to help contain the blowout so it doesn’t leak out onto your little one’s clothes.
5. Change the Diaper Brand
Every baby is different, so if you are experiencing baby diaper blowouts, try changing the brand of diapers you are using. Some diaper brands fit differently, and one brand might be better for your little one than another.
There are a variety of disposable diaper fits. Some are made for babies who tend to move around more often, while others have tighter elastics to help avoid any leaks, especially blowouts.
If you want to experiment with a different diaper brand, choose from our list of non-toxic disposable diapers.
6. Try Overnight Diapers
Overnight diapers are a great way to help prevent diaper blowouts, especially throughout the night or while traveling long distances. Overnight diapers are usually a bit bigger and are more absorbent, thus making them avoid blowouts more efficiently. If the brand you use doesn’t have an overnight diaper, try sizing up for overnight.
7. Watch For Your Baby’s Cues
One of the most important ways to prevent baby diaper blowouts is to learn the cues your baby gives you. Just like with hunger or sleep cues, your baby will give you cues when they have a full diaper or when they need to poop.
It is hard to name the baby cues related to this since every baby has their own way of pooping. Some might grunt, squish up their face, make noises, curl up in a ball, or squeeze their hands. It could be anything! But, as you watch and learn exactly what your baby does before they poop, you can most likely avoid their diaper leaking in the future.
8. Consider Dietary Causes
If your baby poops out of a diaper all the time, it could be related to your diet if you are breastfeeding or if they are eating regular food, their own diet. Everyone has food that upsets their stomach, and because your little one’s digestive system is still developing, they might have some food sensitivities.
If you are noticing more diaper blowouts than what you would consider to be normal, or if they are having green or mucousy stools, take a look at your diet (or your baby’s). Some common culprits include dairy, soy, eggs, and citrus, but it could be any food. Try talking to your pediatrician to figure out what is upsetting your baby’s stomach and help to tame those diaper leaks.
They might also have other suggestions for you to try too!
9. Pay Attention to Patterns
If you pay attention to when your baby has a blowout, you might uncover some clues that could help lead you to the source of your baby’s blowouts.
I mentioned above that my youngest would always have a blowout in the car seat. After so many times, I finally realized that I always did the same thing… I always breastfed him right before a car ride. This apparently gave him a full tummy (and a bit of an upset one, because we were dealing with food sensitivities and eczema). Combined with the tightness of the car seat straps, it was a recipe for a blowout.
So I adjusted my routine and started nursing him a little earlier before a car ride, I was able to minimize the number of diaper blowouts we had. I felt like a champ, and I bet that if you pay attention to the patterns of your baby’s diaper blowouts, you’ll figure out the root cause as well!
Best Diapers for Blowouts
Every diaper is made with different ingredients and designs, so some help prevent baby diaper explosions more than others. Here are a few of the best diapers to prevent blowouts!
Kudos: With Kudos diapers, you will find a nice elastic used with the leg cuffs and waist to help prevent any leaking or blowouts. They are very absorbent and have three layers to help keep your baby’s skin protected. Kudos diapers are also super soft and great for babies with sensitive skin! They are one of the top brands recommended on my guide to non-toxic disposable diapers.
Coterie: According to my community, Coterie is one of the best disposable diapers for blowouts. These diapers are made with huge leg cuffs to help prevent blowouts from ever happening! You will find these diapers to be more absorbent than most other diapers you’ll find and incredibly soft.
Healthy Baby: Healthy Baby diapers are great for helping prevent side leakings. The back side of the diaper is higher than most other ones and super stretchy to keep it nice and secure. The leg cuffs also have great elasticity to prevent blowouts. These are even great for overnight protection!
Eco Pea Co: For some of the best diapers for back blowouts, try Eco Pea Co. These diapers have a blowout guard up the back to help prevent blowouts entirely! They are very snug and fit great on your little one no matter what they are doing.
How to be Prepared for Diaper Blowouts
While diaper blowouts will be inevitable every now and again, it does help to be prepared for them when they do come! Along with bringing plenty of non-toxic baby wipes and disposable diapers, you will also want to keep a few extra outfits in your car or diaper bag, just in case. Make sure to have an extra change of clothes for yourself since sometimes baby blowouts reach your clothing too!
When you are outside your home, bring a wet bag along with you. Putting the dirty clothes inside is easier and will keep the poop and smell away from the rest of your diaper bag! Plus, they are nicer than plastic bags, but that’s another option that you can easily toss in the diaper bag.
Now You’ve Tackled Diaper Blowouts
Hopefully, these tips on preventing diaper blowouts help you figure out what is causing your little one’s diaper leakages and how to fix them. While you probably can’t get rid of them entirely, there are many effective ways to prevent them as much as possible!
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