# do you change wet diapers at night?



## riomidwife (Sep 1, 2006)

I was over on the nightime parenting forum and discovered a thread about nightime diaper changes and nearly everyone who responded (mainly CDers) said they do not change wet diapers at night. Many have older babes who are only waking up once or so at night, or not at all. I'm using fitteds and prefolds at night, so that seems like a long time for my baby to be wet. Wondering if this is the norm for most? I always assumed that CDers would be more likely to change wet diapers as frequently as possible.

Right now I have a 3 week old, and he often does not pee until after night nursing, so unless I wake up between feeds he'll be in a wet diaper for up to two hours. I'm not thrilled about that, but the alternative is to wake myself up between his feeds to change him and right now that's not going to happen.


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## dachshundqueen (Dec 17, 2004)

I have always changed my child as soon as I realized she was wet or as soon as she told me she was wet. I've never intentionally left her in a wet diaper.
We've CD'd since she grew into preemie size CD's - which took until she was 2weeks old.

I always considered, and yes this is my spastic opinion, that leaving a kid in a dirty dipe was the equivalent of using the diaper as a toliet rather than a diaper (which I think personally should be changed ASAP).

Liz


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## momto l&a (Jul 31, 2002)

No it wakes the baby up.

Unless of course there is poop then it changed as soon as I know it.


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## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

When mine was still nursing and waking anyways yes.. When she was messy or woke and fussed yes other times no, plus is she was asleep we were asleep so no one was aware anyways.







:


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## jjawm (Jun 17, 2007)

Nope - I change her before we go to bed (around 11), and put her in a super-stuffed pocket with a wool covering. If I wake her up for a diaper change, she wakes up more, and so do I.


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## Liquesce (Nov 4, 2006)

First baby. Prefolds. Under three months old. Therefore, yes. Talk to me again, however, if it ever gets to being something like a fifth kid sleeping through the night and wearing fancy wicking AOIs or something.









I can't imagine intentionally leaving my son wet either, but I know that as he learns to sleep longer a part of that is learning to sleep through being wet, and if he doesn't wake me, well ... I'm hardly going to start setting alarms to make sure I'm up to check when he's not waking me for that himself. My basic policy is that when he wakes or I wake on my own, I check. And otherwise don't worry about it.


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## hollyml (Jul 12, 2007)

If both I and the baby are awake and I become aware that the diaper is full, yes. Otherwise no.









When my babies were newborns and I was just plain sleeping less at night, then we changed diapers at night more. But with an older baby who wakes only once or twice and nurses back to sleep without my actually getting out of bed, nighttime diaper changes were rare.

I really don't see that it's a big deal for a baby to spend a couple hours in a wet diaper if he's not uncomfortable enough to wake me up to do something about it.









Holly


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## mjw2003 (Apr 23, 2005)

I use prefolds during the day and change her every time she is wet, which is very often during the day. At night, I put her in a BumGenius around 11pm and she makes it just fine until morning. If she has a poopy diaper I'll change it, but that rarely happens. She's lying next to me and I just nurse her right back to sleep when she starts to wake up. Changing her wakes her up and she cries.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

nak

heck no. _I have three kids in dipes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_ I only change at night if they poop, or if I become convinced that being wet is causing wakefulness. If I had to change at night, I'd NEVER sleep. Nah,we double or even triple diaper, use fleece liners and wool, and go 10 to 12 hours w/o a problem.


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## nigellas (Jun 18, 2006)

If he's asleep, I don't change him, wet or not.


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## zzwhitejd (Jul 5, 2005)

nope. almost a ditto of Llyra! (just with 2 kids)


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## Jenlaana (Oct 28, 2005)

My DD is almost 2 yrs old. If she drinks more than 8oz or so at bed time, I will change her before midnight once. Otherwise, I do not. I also do not use fitteds or prefolds or anything without a wicking inner layer for bed time. We use a pocket super stuffed with 2 or 3 inserts, or a toddler PF or 2 infant PFs. My DD has no problem waking up if she is wet (we are potty training starting Monday because she is so adept at letting us know when she is wet!) so I am not worried about her sitting in something she shouldn't because if she was uncomfortable, I would know about it.


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## Livviesmom0207 (Mar 21, 2007)

I change her right around the time we go to bed, and that's it til AM. She doesn't poop in her sleep, and if we were both awake, I'd change her...but I'm not about to wake her up to do it. If she's sleeping, it's not bothering her. Her diaper is so stuffed anyway. heh.


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## nichole (Feb 9, 2004)

i'm not a very good mommy without sleep so no


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## attachedmamaof3 (Dec 2, 2006)

When they were smaller, yes...but I finally caved (and got those fancy non-wicking night-time AIOs) and so don't change overnight....

For those curious minds, we use Luke's Drawers Goodnight Kisses for overnight.


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## musemor (Mar 19, 2004)

I stopped changing at night when my daughter stopped pooping at night (like 6-8 wks?). I use a microfleece topped doubler so she doesn't get skin irritation and we haven't had any rash problems (except for the occasional rash from teething poo, but there's no avoiding that).


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## meesa143 (Jul 3, 2007)

I have also always changed diapers at night. I personally think it's gross, plus my DS has pooped almost every time I change him.


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Not unless there is poop, and dd stopped pooping at night when she was very young (under a year old) so otherwise, NO. Changing her would wake her, whereas being n a wet diaper would not (i always used pockets with a "stay dry" inner layer, so perhaps that had something to do with it. )

Let me see....screaming, FURIOUS baby because I have woken her to change her, or happy, sleeping baby in a wet dipey....hhhmmm..... tough one...NOT!!


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## Ruthe (May 31, 2005)

If you have to wake them up out of a sound sleep to change them, then that is going to trump the "never leave them in a wet diaper" argument. If someone woke me up out of a sound sleep every night, more than once, I'd be quite grumpy in the morning, even if the person meant well.
If the baby is awake, by all means you change the wet diaper.
If your child doesn't fully wake at night, and your diapering system leaves them clammy wet by the wee hours, then you need a better nighttime diapering system. If you've got enough absorbancy, the wetness should be mostly in the diaper, and the surface shouldn't be _very_ soggy.


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## 3 Little Monkeys (Mar 13, 2003)

nope, I stopped changing at night when baby stopped pooping at night. If it is not leaking, I'm not going to bother with it until morning because if I get up to change a diaper, it takes me quite awhile to fall back asleep - thus making for one cranky mama the next day


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## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meesa143* 
I have also always changed diapers at night. I personally think it's gross, plus my DS has pooped almost every time I change him.

Id deffiently changed all poopy nighttime diapers. There were also times when I happened to check and she happened to be really wet than yes.. However ussually we we simpily asleep







noone awoke.
SO those that do change at night and aren't still dealing with nighttime wakings and nighttime poo how exactly dos nighttime changing work?


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## Twwly (Jan 30, 2007)

DS is almost 10 mos. I change him at night if I notice he is wet, but most of the time I just potty him when he nuzzles to nurse at 3-4am and then he will stay dry until morning.


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## Neth Naneth (Aug 11, 2006)

I think that decision to change a diaper at nighttime depends on the situation, when DS was younger and waking up to feed at night (he practically sleeps through the whole night now) I did, but not always . . . you just feel out the situation. (If you know it super wet and they are in a deep sleep you might change them while sleeping, if they are clearly fussing because they are wet then you change it, etc) He wears thicker diapers at night time and I change him right before bed and right after getting up. If he was to wake up and poop, well then I would change it for sure, but since he is older now 13 months I don't usually, just depends on the situation. Sometimes I might check to see if he is wet when I go to bed, if he is then I'll change him while sleeping and if he isn't then I change him in the morning.


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## *Karen* (Jul 28, 2006)

I did when DS was waking up every few hours. Once he started to sleep longer stretches I didn't. Maybe around 6 months. It wakes him more to change it now than to leave it. Sometimes he wakes up because he is wet. If that is the case, then of course I change him.


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## rmzbm (Jul 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *octobermom* 
SO those that do change at night and aren't still dealing with nighttime wakings and nighttime poo how exactly dos nighttime changing work?

You just change them! They may wake, they may not. Not changing diapers promptly, dirty OR wet, is gross.


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## rmzbm (Jul 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dachshundqueen* 
leaving a kid in a dirty dipe was the equivalent of using the diaper as a toliet rather than a diaper (which I think personally should be changed ASAP)


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## Ceinwen (Jul 1, 2004)

Like the majority of posters (so far) stated: not really/depends.

If dd woke up and was upset and wet or had a bm - then yes.

If she just wanted to nurse/cuddle - no.

This child would become hysterical at diaper changing. We just super fluffed her butt at night (around eleven pm or so) and let her go till morning.

Everyone was happier this way.


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## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rmzbm* 
You just change them! They may wake, they may not. Not changing diapers promptly, dirty OR wet, is gross.









Why are you yelling??
Ummm and I ask again if YOU are asleep uncountious to the world and your child/children are asleep and DH asleep and no ones aware then how does this work??? Sorry I'm not trying to be rude or mean. I'm spent 4.7 years changing diapers and will again witn another child for however long. We always changed when wet I rarely used a cover to ensure prompt changing. However there came a time when she'd go to sleep and I'd go to sleep and for 8-10+ hours we'd all sleep. SO what does changing at night mean.







: It was an innocent question I just really wondered what always changing even when EVERYONE was sleeping really meant?







: Are you saying you like set an alarm so you can check every 15 mintues or something???


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## nichole (Feb 9, 2004)

if you change at night, do you pull over every 20 mintues on longish car trips too? or do you just put them in something like a fuzzibun or disposable to make them more comfortable until you can pull over. i guess i feel like that is what diapers are for. if you change and signal all day long, but it is impractical during your only stretch of deep sleep, in the car, in the middle of the church sermon, or during a papsmear, i think it is okay for them to wait a bit especially if they are not uncomfortable. i admire those who are able to change every pee at night and feel so strongly about it though. i have no help at night with two small children, so for our family, changing at night would be a hardship on my already overwhelmed self.

of course if they wanted me to change (he knows how to ask by saying "diaper"), or if they were poopy, i would.

not too long ago my 3yo wore a fuzzibun at night that he peed in one time. he slept through the night and i did not wake him up. we had a short stint of taking him to the bathroom in the middle of night which made us miserable, so we waited til he could hold it all night to go to underwear.


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## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:

if you change at night, do you pull over every 20 mintues on longish car trips too? or do you just put them in something like a fuzzibun or disposable to make them more comfortable until you can pull over.
We used sposies for both nighttime and long trips. my DD was very skin sensitive and prone to rashes she also had some seriouus processing delays making her ability to signal (and thus EC) VERY difficult so I did the best I could I provided 100% good thick quality CDS and changed very often. during the day and almost all the time we went coverless. We changed asap. Diapers were never used as portable potties.







However as she was sooo prone to rashes and we had a poly allergy and she was a deep sound sleeper (as am I) we choose to use sposies at night and I use them as extra skin protection on long trips I still took ample chances to change (usually on the hour or if we sensed/smelled she was wet/messy and were in a place we could safely change her). IF we were shopping or in church ect and she was wet yes I immediently changed if though say I was in line ready to checkout and it was my turn or say about to do communion or something then if she was just wet yes we waited a few mintues.
I use cloth pads for my own mentral cycles (keepers tampoons ect give me bad infections) while I change often and keep as "fresh and clean" as possible I also don't change at night unless I happen to wake.







:


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## ~PurityLake~ (Jul 31, 2005)

I used cloth diapers with Abigail the first three months and she was a super nighttime soaker. I had to change her at least 3 times the first month and then I tapered off to once a night. After the first three month, when she outgrew the diapers, I switched to disposable and found her so much less fussy about being wet at night. She finally slept well (she still woke to nurse, though).


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## dachshundqueen (Dec 17, 2004)

I would like to add a caveat to my response.

My kid has always let me know from birth if she was wet - like an alarm bell.

The pee would be warm and she'd be screaming or she would be in my arms (even as a newborn) and I'd just know.

I just never could stomach letting her cry for that kind of issue. At 18 months she also initiated potty learning, so maybe she's just REALLY that sensitive.

We tried the whole thing with fleece and such - didn't cut it - she simply didn't want to be in a wet diaper. She was allergic to sposies so that was out.

Yes we pulled over as soon as she cried in the car. Yes I would step out of line to change her. Yes I'm a spaz.









Liz


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## ldsmom06 (Jun 20, 2007)

I only change my ds at night if he wakes up. We never have a problem. I do put cornstarch on him at night. It seems to prevent rashes. I use a cricketts hemp fitted with a HH stuffin and wool cover. I change him every time he wets during the day when at home. I don't us a cover at home and no more then 2hr when out.


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## painefaria (Jul 4, 2007)

We change him each time he wakes at night before he nurses. I have found that he nurses better if I take a couple of minutes to change him (and the bathroom is on the way so I usually have to go anyway







). We have left him in a wet diaper for about 7 or 8 hours if he doesn't wake up. You have to love wool soakers!


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## snt88 (May 9, 2007)

Definitely changed the diapers while dd was still pooping at night. Now I don't unless she's been up and nursing more than usual and I think she's going to leek.

BTW I use a triple stuffed BG at night. My other pocket dipes all seem to leek before the three inserts are soaked.


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## reducereuserecycle (Jan 16, 2007)

if i know dd is wet I ALWAYS change her. i wouldn't want to sleep in wet panties so i can't justify letting her sleep in a wet diaper.


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## sagira (Mar 8, 2003)

I think that's the key. If I knew he were wet, I would change my ds. But during the night while we were sleeping did I know? Nah. We were all asleep, and ds never cared when he wet or dirtied himself. He still doesn't







What he hated was changing diapers. Depends on the family, children again as usual









With her we'll have to see. If she wakes me up because she's wet, I'm not going to let her cry and fall back asleep. I would change her. However, if she were fine and I was asleep too, I wouldn't know she was wet, YK? Then I would change her promptly after I wake up.

If I happen to notice during night-nursing that she's obviously wet, then by all means I'll change her. Depends on her personality, though. Especially since I'll be using cloth, which are going to be less absorbent than my old Seventh Generation disposables with ds.

It's as simple as that


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## midwestmeg (Jul 10, 2005)

Great posts!

Of course, I have the same to add...

I guess my mom ALWAYS changed us at night so I did that with my first and guess what I taught her? That night time sleeping involves waking up several times. GRRR. Mama was a wreck by 9 mo or so! I finally wised up and put a doubler in her diaper (we always used prefolds and prowraps with a hemp doubler).

With #2 I changed him at night when he was little when he pooped. I am getting so much more rest at night when my only nightwaking involves nursing; versus changing diapers and nursing.

My mom says the boy smells like pee in the morning and he does but I'm rested!







:


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## OldFashionedGirl (Mar 22, 2004)

When my 6 mo. old wakes up to eat (once or twice a night....sigh), I change him. When he used to sleep thru the night (what a glorious month!) I most certainly did NOT wake him up.

Mom's who religiously change thru the night: do you set an alarm for every X hours? Seriously, no snark intended. I mean, if your child is not waking you up, then how do you wake yourself up for this?

The way I see, my son is an intelligent individual. I truly believe that if a wet or dirty diaper was causing him discomfort, he would wake up and let me know. Otherwise, I assume that sleep is more important.

If I was sleeping soundly, but had wet the bed, yes, I would be very angry if you woke me up (assuming I am sleeping alone, here!). I think I'd probably change the sheets better after a good night's sleep, anyway. Mildly disgusting, yes, but in the long run, I think disrupted sleep is more detrimental to me (and my child) than sleeping in urine.

Also: I'm not understanding the diaper vs. toilet argument. To me, the diaper IS a portable toilet. The toilet catches the waste. It is flushed/changed as soon I know about it. I know of no one who allows waste to sit in their toilet, unflushed, for any length of time. Thus, this argument puzzles me.


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I don't LIKE not changing them at night. I'd rather they were changed as soon as they got wet. Of course I would. But seriously, how in the heck am I supposed to find the time during the night to nurse two kids, change three sets of diapers, AND actually get enough sleep to avoid going over the edge?


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## Mel L (Sep 9, 2006)

With our newborn, we change her right when she wakes up to eat. By changing her then, she goes back to sleep when she is finished eating. With my son, we changed him in the middle of feedings (never side nursed in bed with him) until he started sleeping through the night. We used a stay dry liner with a super soaking fitted and wool so we didn't change at all at night. I agree that good sleep is the most important thing for us. I guess it is all about what you feel comfortable doing. We have a "don't wake a sleeping dragon...I mean baby" rule in our house. I would never wake a baby at night _just_ for a diaper change. Now, I have woken a baby to avoid pumping...once, but that was a different story.


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## pampered_mom (Mar 27, 2006)

I find myself chuckling a little bit here b/c this is the second time I've seen a thread like this in the Diapering forum. I guess some issues never seem to go away!









Even though I've read through this one and have fuzzy memory of the other one...I'm still not clear how it works on those who change diapers everytime they're wet at night. Both ds and I are dead to the world once we are asleep. I know that he wets his diaper during the night b/c it's wet when we get up in the am, but what I don't know is when it happened.

How is it that one, while in dead sleep, is supposed to be aware of the wet diaper enough to change it? Not being snarky or rude...just genuinely wondering how this works for those who accomplish it.


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## ~PurityLake~ (Jul 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pampered_mom* 
How is it that one, while in dead sleep, is supposed to be aware of the wet diaper enough to change it? Not being snarky or rude...just genuinely wondering how this works for those who accomplish it.


It's hard to be dead asleep with a screaming newborn lying next to you.








During her first three months, A would wake up every time she went, pee or poop, all through the night.
She'd scream and put up quite the fuss until she was clean and dry.
Of course now, and for quite a long time now, she doesn't cry over a wet diaper.
Usually she's still dry when she wakes up, but sometimes she has a wet diaper and she sleeps right through it now
And so do I.


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## AnamCara (Dec 1, 2006)

DS usually wakes me up wiggling in the night when he needs to go pee, so I hold him over the potty and he pees. Then we either nurse or go right back to sleep. If it takes me too long to get up, then I change him. If left in a wet CD, he will squirm and wiggle until he gets changed. This has been a pretty comfortable routine for us for about 2 months now. He does not tolerate happily a wet CD awake or asleep.


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## MusicMom29 (Jul 10, 2007)

My 5 mo old DS doesn't sleep very well with a wet diaper, so our compromise is to set up a few diapers and the diaper pail by the bed and I can get him changed when he starts to squirm without him or I waking up completely. That way I don't have to move him at all. It helps both of us get enough sleep. I don't even need to turn on the light anymore, the nightlight is enough even with old fashioned pins!


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## luminesce (Aug 6, 2006)

We're still waking up every 2-4 hours to nurse. I change him at least once at night and more if he is awake. Otherwise, his skin tends to get irritated.


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## mommyddeville (Nov 28, 2005)

I have 2 kids in diapers. My son is 2 1/2 and doesn't wet until morning, so I don't change him at night. He'd be dry.

My daughter is 10 1/2 months old, and I nurse her when I go to bed, and my husband changes her while I nurse her. Then, he wakes up earlier than I do, so he changes her at 6am or so.


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## MilkTrance (Jul 21, 2007)

Not that it matters much with a newborn, but as your DC gets older, if you leave him or her in a wet diaper during the night does it make it harder to potty train?


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## clarinetb (Jul 31, 2007)

I used to change after each feeding (day and night) sometimes half way through a feeding to wake her up when she was a newborn.

Now she wakes, has a quick snack and is back asleep, so rarely gets changed. I've switched to mostly pockets or fleece lined fitteds to keep her bum dry if she is in it all night.

Now she has never complained about a wet diaper and often not even a dirty one, though when we're up I aim to change her as soon as I know.


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## jest (Oct 24, 2005)

If I'm going to bed and can tell his diaper is wet, then I'll change it if I think I can do it without waking him. I do not get up in the middle of the night to change it. I did when he was a newborn, though.


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## MoonStarFalling (Nov 4, 2004)

DD cries every time she's dirty. Except at night. We both sleep very soundly all night long. If I could wake up every two hours to change her I probably would. I hate the idea of her being wet. But then we would probably be a grumpy couple during the day. I too am wondering how do moms wake up during the night to change dcs?


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## mamatoElias (Aug 2, 2006)

I honestly never change my little one's at night unless they wake up and demand to be changed.







: Works for us. We put them down dry and change first thing in the AM. I like my sleep and so do my babies.


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## ~Shanna~ (Nov 17, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hollyml* 
If both I and the baby are awake and I become aware that the diaper is full, yes. Otherwise no.









NAK. Ditto


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