How weaning affects nappy changes. All you need to know

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Baby weaning with food on face

It’s National Weaning Week, an event designed to bring together experts to offer support and tips to make weaning your baby as easy as possible.

Weaning is a massive milestone in your baby’s life, and you’ve probably got tonnes of questions. For advice on when and how to start on solid foods, plus nutritional advice, a good place to start is the NHS website.

Less talked about is how moving on to solids will impact your little one’s bowel movements and, in turn, nappy changes. Warning – from here on, this blog contains plenty of poo talk…

So solid crew

baby choosing veg

You’re probably a dab hand at changing nappies by now, but once you start your baby on solids, things are about to change again. Solid foods could mean more solid poos and this means they will look (and smell) less like baby deposits and more like regular poo (sorry to break that to you).

Nappy changes could be come more or less frequent once you start weaning, depending on how your baby's digestive system reacts to different foods. 

In the early stages of weaning, you’ll probably be introducing simple veg and fruit so this might result in the poo being a little bit more colourful than you're used to!

As you gradually introduce solid to your baby’s diet, you might see small chunks of food sweetcorn, for example, in the nappies too.

Most of these changes are normal - your baby’s digestive system is still developing! But if in doubt, always check with your health care professional. It's worth reading the NHS advice on avoiding and treating constipating when weaning too. 

Wipe right

Pura baby wipes

To tackle your babies’ bigger messes, you might need a bigger wipe to help get your baby's botty clean. To be kind to your baby’s skin, and your planet, look for wipes that - like Pura’s - are plastic-free and biodegradable and that don’t contain any skin irritants.

Weaning and nappy rash

According to nappy rash ointment brand Metanium, around 25% of parents report an increase in nappy rash when weaning their baby, due to the dietary changes. To help avoid and treat nappy rash, ensure you change your baby’s nappies frequently  - as soon as possible after a poo. Chafing from a nappy that’s too tight can also cause nappy rash to - so do make sure your baby is in the right size. Check out Pura’s size chart here.

Pura nappy pants

Wipes and nappies containing unnecessary nasties can also cause irritation so look out for brands that contain no chlorine, alcohol or perfume like Pura’s range which can be used right from birth and on sensitive or eczema-prone skin.

If nappy rash persists, or for advice about anything weaning related, be sure to contact your health professional.

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