Aimee Walker
Parents need to be asking for consent before changing their infants’ nappies, a childcare chain says.
Only About Children, which operates 75 early learning centres across Australia, wants adults to adopt a ‘respectful’ changing routine so little ones are happier.
Recently, the chain released a newsletter that asked: “If you were a baby, how would you like to have your nappy changed?
Emily Ratajkowski Angers Parents With ‘Irresponsible’ Holiday Photo
“The most significant thing about a nappy change is not the new nappy. It’s the good feelings shared between baby and parent. It’s the relationship.”
To follow the nappy changing routine, parents are encouraged to wait until their baby has stopped playing on their mat, as infants ‘don’t like to be interrupted’.
It also said in the newsletter: “Ask for your baby’s help, talk them through what you are doing and encourage the use of senses.
“When toddlers become mobile, nappy changing may look quite different. Continue to ask for cooperation but understand that your toddler may wish to now stand for their nappy change.
“Also, to encourage their independence, you may ask him to take off his own nappy to wipe himself.”
This method is considered the new-age approach and is supported by National Education Manager Angela Ngavaine, who believes it’s important that infants feel like an individual.
She told the Herald: “We involve them in the process and we make eye contact and say, ‘are you ready for a nappy change?’. Some may look away or shake their head and so we say, ‘I can see you’re not ready, how about I change Jack and then come back to you?’.”
Check out our Video of the Day below…
Do you have a story for us? If so, email us at [email protected]. All contact will be treated in confidence.
