A good diaper note fits on one page and answers what a sitter would otherwise text you about: where things are, how your diapers go on, what goes on the skin and when to call. Write it once, keep a copy by the changing spot and one on your phone, and update it as your baby changes size. A fill-in template is near the end.
What a sitter needs to know
Even a sitter who has changed plenty of diapers does not know your set-up, because brands, fasteners and cloth systems differ from home to home.
Cover four things:
- Where the supplies are and where the baby gets changed.
- How your diapers work and which size you use.
- Which cream and wipes you use, and that nothing else goes on the skin.
- What you want to hear about, and how to reach you.
Put one safety line at the top of the page: keep a hand on the baby at all times on any raised surface, and if something is out of reach, pick the baby up and bring them along.
Setting out supplies before you leave
Set everything within arm's reach of the changing spot so the sitter never has to search.
- A stack of diapers in the right size, with more than you expect them to need.
- Wipes, in the pack or dispenser you normally use.
- Your cream, if you use one, with the cap on and the tube standing up.
- A pad or towel for the changing surface. If you would rather not leave laundry behind, a disposable pad does the job; one option is Obyfgily Disposable Baby Changing Pads, 13 x 18 in, 100 Pack. The changing pads and covers collection has more.
- A bag or lidded bin for used diapers, and a spare outfit close by.
If your baby is between sizes, leave the size you are using and write it on the note. The weight range printed on the pack is the reliable guide, and the diaper sizing guide explains how to match size to weight.
Explaining how your diapers fasten and fit
Name the type you use: tab-style disposables, pull-up style, or cloth with snaps or hook-and-loop. Then write down only the steps you are sure of for your own diaper, and point to the picture instructions on the pack for the rest. A sitter may follow a wrong step exactly as written.
If there is time before you leave, have the sitter do one change while you watch. It shows whether the note needs a fix.
Add a short fit check the sitter can use every time:
- Snug at the waist, sitting flat.
- No gaps at the legs and no folded edges.
- No deep marks on the skin when the diaper comes off.
If you use cloth and your sitter has not, you could leave disposables for the evening instead. If you do leave cloth, put the diapers together ahead of time where your system allows it, and show where clean ones are and where used ones go. Running low before the sitter arrives? The baby diapers and training pants collection lists packs by size.
Cream and wipes: write down what you use
Write the cream's name as it appears on the tube, say where it is kept, and add three words: use as labelled. Leave out amounts and routines, since the label covers those. If your baby has a rash right now, tell the sitter plainly and ask them to follow the label too. For questions about a rash, your baby's doctor, nurse or pharmacist is the right person to ask.
Do the same for wipes by naming the pack. If your baby has reacted to a product before, say so, and add a rule that nothing else goes on the skin unless the sitter checks with you first.
Restocking before the sitter comes? Browse the diaper rash creams and ointments collection and read each label before you choose.
Shop this guide
- Pampers Baby Dry Diapers, Size 4, 92 Count (ships via Amazon)
- Baza Protect Skin Cream, 2 oz (ships via Amazon)
- Lulumoon Muslin Changing Pad Cover (ships via Amazon)
- Pampers Swaddlers Diapers, Size 4, 150 Count (ships via Amazon)
- See all: Baby Diapers & Training Pants
- See all: Diaper Rash Creams & Ointments
- See all: Changing Pads & Covers
Prices are on each product page. Free shipping on orders of $100 or more within Canada.
Where used diapers go
Show the sitter exactly where, because bin set-ups differ from one building to the next. Say whether used diapers go in a lidded pail, in a bag by the door or into the outdoor bin. If you use cloth, name the pail or wet bag and say where soiled clothes go.
When you want a message or a call
Some sitters hold back from texting, so say what you want to hear about.
Message me:
- A leak that soaked through clothes.
- A change of plan, or diapers running low.
- Anything you are unsure about.
Call me straight away:
- Skin that looks red, sore or broken, or any blood in the diaper.
- A baby who seems unwell or cannot be settled.
Add a second contact in case you cannot be reached, your baby's doctor, the health advice line for your province or territory if there is one, and a reminder that 911 is for emergencies.
A fill-in template
Copy this into a note, fill in the blanks and print it.
- Baby's name and current diaper size: ________
- Changing spot: ________ (hand on the baby at all times)
- Diapers are in: ________ Spare pack is in: ________
- Type of diaper and how it fastens: ________ (see the pack for picture steps)
- Wipes: ________ Cream, use as labelled: ________
- Nothing else on the skin without checking with me first.
- Used diapers go: ________ Soiled clothes go: ________
- Wash hands at: ________
- Tonight's routine (feeds, naps, changes): ________
- Message me if: ________
- Call me straight away if: ________
- My number: ________ Second contact: ________
- Doctor and health line: ________ Emergency: 911
Common questions
How many diapers should I leave for a few hours?
There is no single right number. Think about how many changes you would normally make over those hours, then add extras so the sitter never runs out partway through. Leaving an unopened pack in plain sight makes the spare obvious.
What if the sitter notices a rash?
Ask them to follow the label on your cream and to message you. If the skin looks broken, bleeds, or the rash is not improving, check with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Do I need to walk through this with a grandparent who has raised children?
A quick walk-through still helps. Diaper designs and fasteners vary, and a note avoids guesses about your set-up.
Not sure what to set out for your sitter? Tell us your baby's size and what you already have through the contact page and we will help you choose. We reply within one business day.