You did what with the diaper? Moms share their diaper duty stories.
The old "Your turn!" tactic: "I used to nudge my husband when the baby would cry at night. Then I’d roll over and go back to sleep, and he’d get up for the diaper changes. I figured that since I did it all day, every day, he could handle the night shift! To his credit, he was a really good sport and never complained."
—Sally Newman, mom of one, Flint, Michigan
You’re hired! I was always worried that I’d run out of diapers at the worst possible time, so I kept them everywhere—in a magazine basket in the living room, my minivan glove compartment, even in my coat pockets. When my daughter was 18 months, I interviewed for a job that was closer to home. I had a cold that day, so during the interview I reached into my coat for what I thought was a tissue and—oops!—it was a size 4 diaper! The woman interviewing me laughed and said she was a mom too. It was a great icebreaker and, oh, yeah, I got the job."
—Monique Snyder, San Jose, California
Poop panic: "When my baby was about 2 weeks old, she was resting happily in her bouncer when I heard gargantuan gurgles coming from her rear. Once she was cleaned and back in the bouncer, it happened again. Then again. It was after hours, and I called our pediatrician’s answering service in a panic. The doctor called back, heard me out, and reassured me that mustard-y poops are totally normal for breastfed babies. I couldn’t believe how freaked I’d gotten, but I’m glad I called the doctor anyway. His assurance was worth me sounding like a hyper-paranoid mom on the phone."
—Chelsea Brodie, mom of one, San Francisco, California
Flattery will get you everywhere: "I always got my husband to deal with the really dirty diapers by telling him, ‘The baby really wants to see you!’ and handing the baby to him. He’d eye me suspiciously, but it never failed."
—Sarah Ludwig, mom of four, Chelsea, South Dakota
Change is good: "OK, this may seem out there, but I always enjoyed changing my babies' diapers. The days would pass by in a whirlwind of feeding, burping, keeping up the house, and just trying to breathe. But when I put my baby on the changing table, it was pure bonding time. I'd stare into their eyes, do a diaper change, kiss their yummy tummies. I'm not saying I enjoyed the crazy poops, but, mostly, diapering was a real pleasure."
—Ellen Tannan, mom of two, Maplewood, New Jersey