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Why you must not leave wet diapers on babies, paediatricians tell parents
Child health specialists have advised parents not to allow the hike in diaper prices drive them into unhealthy practice of leaving their babies in soiled diapers for long periods.
The paediatricians noted that such practices cause diaper rash in the pubic area of the babies, which could further lead to an infection.
The physicians also urged parents not to return to recycling old clothes and rags as alternatives to diapers.
The child doctors recommended using reusable diapers and having babies wear pants at home to allow fresh air around the skin between the genitals and anus.
Recently, Nigerians donated over N10m to Sodiq Olayode, whose wife Abiodun, gave birth to quadruplets.
This generosity followed a post on X, formerly Twitter, by Olayode’s colleague, James, who shared that the quadruplets used 105 diapers in six days.
PUNCH Healthwise reported that as of July 24, the donations had exceeded N10m.
To further examine the effects of rising diaper prices, PUNCH Healthwise spoke to some nursing mothers about how they are coping with the situation.
A mother of three, who prefers to be called Mummy Sewa, stated that she only puts diapers on her 10-month-old baby in the morning and at night.
She added that the rising prices have forced her to ration diaper use, opting for pants during the day.
She said, “The price of diapers is expensive. When I nursed my first child, I bought a pack for N3,000 but now I buy it for N10,000. Some even sell it for N11,000. So, I had to apply wisdom to the matter.
In the mornings, I wear diapers for my baby and in the afternoon, she wears a pant. The next time she wears a diaper is at night.”
However, Mummy Sewa’s pant alternative has left her having to clean after her 10-month-old every afternoon, a task that added to her daily chores and business.
For a mother of two, identified as Mrs Gideon, cleaning up after her baby is more economical than spending N10,000 weekly on diapers.
Like Mummy Sewa, she only puts a diaper on her little one in the morning and at night.
“As I speak to you he’s wearing only pants and he’ll wear that until it’s night. That is how I manage the diapers now because the one I buy now costs N9,000. Normally, he wears four to five diapers in a day, but now, it’s only two,” she said.
Checks by PUNCH Healthwise show that a pack of the most expensive diapers in Nigeria costs N120,000 while a single piece of the cheapest diaper costs N644.
However, leaving babies in soiled diapers for a long time poses them at risk of diaper rash and infections.
A scientific report by Tomoya Ueda, published on Nature.com, reveals that wearing wet diapers may affect the pelvis angle and promote inefficient walking in babies.
Also, a medical blog, AvaCare Medical, noted that prolonged contact of wet skin with a diaper, combined with the chemicals in urine or stool, could lead to a fungal infection.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, a paediatrician, Dr Ayobola Adebowale, also known as Your Baby’s Doctor, explained that leaving babies in wet diapers for extended periods can cause skin irritation due to the ammonia present in urine.
She added that the pressure from a heavy diaper further aggravates the skin, making it more susceptible to severe infections.
“Wet diapers can serve as a medium for fungal growth, leading to diaper rash which is very uncomfortable and painful for children. This can prove very difficult to treat,” Adebowale said.
Your Baby’s Doctor commended the practice of wearing pants for babies, advising that it is beneficial to keep their body aerated as much as possible.
She said, “In fact, I advise parents to avoid diapers when they are home to allow for fresh air around the perineum. This practice may not be convenient because one cannot control when a baby will pee or poop, but it is a good practice once hygiene is put into consideration.”
The paediatrician also advised that, given the high cost of disposable diapers, parents could consider alternatives such as cloth diapers, reusable diapers, and pants.
Another paediatrician, Dr Tolulope Asare, stated that it was important to change soiled diapers as often as possible.
He said, “You are supposed to change the diaper as often as it is soiled, either by stool or urine. Urine contains some form of ammonia that the baby’s skin is sensitive to and if there is prolonged contact such that the urine is now perpetually in contact with the skin of the baby, the vaginal area or the pubic area for the male, it will cause diaper rash.
“The skin is also a barrier; it’s a form of immunity and serves as a first-line immune defence. When that is broken due to the continuous contact with urine, such child is also prone to having an infection.”
The paediatrician advised parents to use reusable diapers and warned against the use of pieces of clothes and rags as napkins.
“The use of clothes is not encouraged. Also, when using diapers, even for those that absorb well, it is still advisable to apply petroleum jelly such as Vaseline or castor oil so that the urine doesn’t have to come in contact with the baby’s skin. Leaving babies in soiled diapers exposes them to what we call diaper dermatitis,” Asare said.
Johns Hopkins Medicine defines diaper dermatitis as skin inflammation in the diaper area, commonly seen in babies and toddlers.
Medscape notes that this condition is caused by prolonged exposure to urine and faeces, leading to overhydration of the skin.
