How often does your daycare change diapers?

flyer23

Just curious. I was expecting DD's preschool to change them every 2 hours or so, but it seems like it's more like every 3 hours during the school day, and from what I can tell, extended care (after 2 PM) has yet to change a diaper in the three days she's been there

DD pees a lot and we're using cloth diapers, which will leak if they're not changed often enough. Plus, I'm thinking ahead to potty training and figuring that she has to be able to go to the potty more often than every 3 hours.

But I'm sure the teacher has her hands full and maybe it's not reasonable for her to change DD more often. Just trying to figure out if my expectations are realistic or not.

bruincouple

We go through about 15 diapers per week, and DS is at daycare 4 days a week for around 6 hours.  So, they change him every 1-2 hours.  But, he's a lot younger than your DD and he poops a lot.  We use cloth diapers as well.

 It might be worth talking to the daycare and explaining that cloth diapers need to be changed more often.  None of the daycare providers we interviewed had experience with cloth, and your daycare may not realize that it's a lot different for a child to be stuck in a wet cloth diaper than in a more absorbent disposable. 

Sherriberry

For us, changing diapers every 2 hours would be excessive.  However, we use disposables, DS doesn't pee that much, and he doesn't have sensitive skin. 

I think the daycare should be changing your LO as often as you ask them to.  It's completely unacceptable that they aren't changing her after 2:00.  I would talk to them and see what's up.

xmasbabymama

Every 2 hours. We use disposable. It's about what I do at home, except I usually know when she poops and do it right away and I'm not sure that they always notice when she poops.

dmsn

xmasbabymama:

Every 2 hours. We use disposable. It's about what I do at home, except I usually know when she poops and do it right away and I'm not sure that they always notice when she poops.

This 

 

lewis514

They do a diaper check every 2 hours. If it's not wet, they don't change it.

I think it's a state regulation in NJ bc it's what every daycare stated when I interviewed them.

kgb1411

Every 2 hours unless he is sleeping (then a little longer), or he pooped (then they change asap).  His diaper is usually changed about 5 times in a 9 hour day.  It is actually more often then we change on the weekends.

KathrynMD

Every 3 hours unless there's poop, and then they change immediately.

We haven't seen any problems, but we use disposables.  I would talk to the DC, they probably aren't aware that cloth need to be changed more often.

Stellasmom

Their policy is every two hours and additionally if noticed to be dirty or very wet .

Maybride2

Stellasmom:

Their policy is every two hours and additionally if noticed to be dirty or very wet .

This.

Actually, my daycare's policy is every hour, but you can give them written permission to go every two hours.  That's what we did, since every hour seemed excessive. 

They record every diaper change/check, even when the diaper was dry.  The only time DS has gone over 2 hours has been during naptime.

14years

Stellasmom:

Their policy is every two hours and additionally if noticed to be dirty or very wet .

This is what ours does, too.  He's there from about 8 to about 5:45 and he usually has about 6 diaper changes.

I'd have a big problem with them not changing him at all after 2 pm.  Talk to the director.

blondie75

Every 2 hours, or sooner, in the event of a poop.

thatgirlang

Every 2 hours was the norm at the school DS was at when he was in diapers.

Address your concerns with DD's teacher asap.

suh5969

Every hour they checked them and change them as needed, which I think is a bit excessive, but I would rather err on that side.

jlw2505

It really depends on the age.  I know in the infant room it is about every 2-3 hours as my DD typically goes through 4 diapers a day and she is there for 8-9 hours.  More if needed but they have scheduled diaper changing times during the day.  My older DD is no longer in diapers but they also had a schedule in the toddler and preschool rooms and I want to say it is closer to every 3 hours than 2 but they don't track it on the daily sheets like they do for the infants.  The older kids can typically hold it longer/pee less often.  When they are potty training, they take the kids to the potty at each diaper change int he toddler program and in the preschool program, they have set times as well and they are every 2-3 hours or when needed/when the kids tell them they need to go.  If you are concerned, I would bring this up with the teachers.

mrs.kcanne

Our day care checks once every hour, and changes it if necessary. DD pees a lot too and hates being wet, so she gets changed a lot. They used disposables at day care and that's fine with me. I'm glad they check her frequently.

ai&Jas

blondie75:

Every 2 hours, or sooner, in the event of a poop.

This is what my DC does.

tosababy

Ours changes them every three hours (around 9, 12 and 3), sooner if they notice a poopy diaper.  We've never had any problems with that.

That said, though, express your concerns and ask them to check her more often. 

Angela814

Ours have always been every 2 hours unless she was sleeping at the time or more often if she was wet/poopy before that.  I think that's a state regulation.  I actually haven't toured a daycare here that allows cloth diapers though either.   Potty breaks are every 2 hours in DD's class now, but she doesn't always go every time.  At home I'd say she goes every 3-4 hours.

Temp806465500003043

They change her diaper every 2 hours unless they noticed she has gone #2.  Then she is immediately changed. 

mauceddie

They change all the toddler's diapers at 9, 11, and 2 at my daycare. (They have lunch at 11, and then nap until 1:30/2). If course they cahnge #2 right away.

 

bstngrl578

This!

SBH0078

Ours check every hour and change as needed.

flyer23

Every hour? Holy cow! I looked up the regulations in my state and caregivers are only required to change diapers "promptly."

DD did have a poopy diaper on Tuesday and they changed it immediately, even though it was just an hour after her last change. So I don't have any concerns there. It's just the wet diapers that I'm worried about.

I guess part of why I feel bad asking them to change her more often is that they don't have to let me use cloth. And I know disposables will easily hold her for 3 hours or more. So I feel bad making more work for her teacher just because I feel like using cloth, KWIM?

I'm definitely going to ask the extended-care teacher specifically whether she changed her today -- there's no excuse for that. And I'll continue to monitor overall.

jen5-03

They do diaper checks every 2 hours, except at naptime it's usually 3 hours - so usually at 9, 11, 2, 4.  When DD was younger there were usually a couple extra changes in there, so maybe 6 diapers a day tops when she would poop or soak a diaper right after a scheduled change.

DD was in cloth too (and still is for naps/night). DD is mostly PTd, but she's the only kid in the class who is, they don't do group PTing until the next classroom. So it's pretty much up to DD to tell them she has to pee, they usually only ask her if it's been a long time since she went or if they're about to go outside. They never make her sit on the potty. Oh, and she can go up to 5 hours without peeing, so they do start holding pee longer when they PT.

flyer23

jen5/03:

Oh, and she can go up to 5 hours without peeing, so they do start holding pee longer when they PT.

Yeah, one thing I've noticed at home is that DD will be dry for a while and then suddenly be soaking wet. She's not really close to PT'ing (she'll sit on the potty for ages but has only peed in it twice, and I think those were flukes) but I think she is getting better at holding it.

Of course, that *also* causes issues for cloth diapers. I think sometimes she leaks because the diaper just can't absorb fast enough. At home, we use prefolds and fitteds under wool covers and have no issues, because whatever the diaper doesn't absorb, the wool will. But she uses pockets at preschool because they're easier, and those are more prone to leaks, even if they're changed frequently.

RobynScott

blondie75:

Every 2 hours, or sooner, in the event of a poop.

 This. I'd be pretty upset @ the no diaper change after 2 pm.  (assuming she's not being picked up @ 2:30 ) 

artist1320

We use disposables. Our DC ran out pretty fast and we noticed they were changing his diaper every hour! They said their policy is to check it every hour and if it's dry then they leave it but if not, they change it. I need to win the lottery to pay for all these diapers!

DaisyJanie

9:30, 11:30, 2:30 (because of naptime), and 4:30. He would definitely leak if they changed less often.

alisonc87

Where I work it is minimally every two hours, but more often if needed. Also, if we are going to be going outside, or down to nap we check them immediately before if it has been more than a half hour or so. For potty trainers we set a timer for every 20 minutes in the beginning and gradually extend it. (For some reason the timer makes it more fun, every time it beeps they say, "that means potty time!") At nap time we obviously go longer if the child sleeps more than two hours, and sometimes we check kiddos who aren't feeling well a little more often if we are worried about them getting enough fluids.