Help! My baby rips off diaper at night!
Picture this — you just laid your baby down for the night after endless lullabies, stories, and games of Peek-a-Boo.
Letting out a deep sigh of relief, you shut the door and enjoy a few hours of relaxation before your own bedtime. Just as you drift off to sleep, you hear your baby crying. When you look at the monitor screen, you can see him standing up in the crib, holding his diaper.
Before you panic, know that this scenario is very common as babies become toddlers and become more curious about their bodies. Unfortunately, tugging at their diaper may happen while they’re in their crib, waiting for sleep to come, or if they wake up in the middle of the night.
So, how can you prevent or combat this annoying habit? Find out how in this post!
What To Do If Your Baby Takes Their Diaper Off
Before you do anything too drastic, see if it becomes a nightly pattern before intervening. It may be a one-time thing, and your baby moves on. If they do it repeatedly, here’s how to stop the behavior.
Put Them In a Onesie
Perhaps you dress your child in two-piece pajamas so they have access to the diaper through the waistband of their pants.
Solve this problem by putting them back in a onesie for overnight sleep. Many babies and toddlers don’t have the dexterity yet to fiddle with a zipper or snaps, making it nearly impossible to access their diapers.
Double Up On Diapers
Toddlers can be pretty tricky when you least expect it! If your little Houdini finds a way to their diaper in the crib and the onesie trick doesn’t work, try them in a second diaper for bedtime.
Many kiddos just need something to fiddle with as they fall asleep; the second diaper can serve as a distraction from the actual diaper.
Consider Potty Training
If you have a toddler from 18 months to 2 years who starts pulling their diaper off, they may be ready to start potty training! If the wet diaper is bothering your child, that’s usually a developmental sign of potty training readiness. Ease them into this process, make it fun, and practice patience, even when you’re frustrated.
Tape The Diaper On
Diaper tabs are relatively easy to unfasten, so it’s not a significant shock that your baby can mess with them.
Add two strips of duct tape to cover the tabs, making it more challenging to unfasten them. Or place one long strip of tape around the baby’s entire waistband so they can’t lift any of the tape or diaper tabs. Just be extra careful not to stick the tape to your child’s skin!
Try a Cloth Diaper
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
One of the main benefits of cloth diapers is that they don’t have tabs like regular disposable diapers. Cloth diapers are secured with snaps, making them more difficult for little fingers to open. You can even put a cloth diaper cover over the disposable diaper to add an extra layer.
Put Their Jammies On Backwards
If your toddler can still unzip their onesie, it’s time to get creative! Find some onesies without footies so you can put them on backward comfortably and so the zipper is far out of their reach. Your child may try to reach the zipper, but their arms will quickly tire, and they’ll give up.
Check For Discomfort
Your baby may be experiencing discomfort in their diaper area, and that’s why they’re tugging at the diaper. Check for any rashes, red skin, abrasions, or anything else in the area that may be causing them discomfort.
Push Bedtime
We know parents everywhere are probably rolling their eyes at this tip! If your child is bored and fidgeting while they lay in their crib waiting for sleep, it may be time to push bedtime. Try delaying bedtime by 10 or 15 minutes for a few nights and see if the behavior stops.
FAQ: Why Babies & Toddlers Take Off Their Diapers
If you’re searching for information about babies and toddlers trying to remove their diapers, you aren’t the first, and you won’t be the last! Here are some commonly asked questions about outsmarting our little ones and their diapers.
Why is my toddler taking his diaper off?
Toddlers are naturally curious, and when they’re lying awake at night or during a nap, their curiosity may wander.
Toddlerhood is when they start to test the limits and boundaries of their caretakers, seeing how the adults react and what they can get away with. We can’t stress enough how normal and common this is!
Lastly, while your child is hitting developmental milestones, sleep often suffers. If your child seems to be awake more frequently at night, they may be in a growth spurt and are just as confused by why they’re awake as you are!
How can I stop my baby from taking off their diaper?
Most parents will agree that cutting off diaper access is the best way to prevent this from happening. Whether you double up on diapers, put them in restricting pajamas, or duct tape the tabs shut, making it more difficult to get to the tabs can stop this behavior in its tracks.
You might also find these tips helpful: How To Prevent Diaper Blowouts
Final Thoughts – What To Do If Your Baby Rips Off Diaper At Night
Whether this is your first baby or you have a small brood, every child presents their own quirks and challenges. How you react matters — if you show frustration or impatience, your child may continue to rip their diaper off just to see where your boundaries lie. Try to stay cool, calm, and collected, and explain to your toddler why ripping their diaper off isn’t OK or funny.
No matter their age, children look to their parents and caretakers to gauge acceptable behavior and what they can get away with. Ripping off their diapers will get old after a while, and they’ll move on to the next thing. As parents, we’re just along for the ride and to keep them safe and well cared for. You’re doing great!