There’s very little in life that’s more exciting than the birth of a baby, especially when it’s your own! You’ll be excited to see their sweet little face, to cuddle them and kiss them, feed and hug them, and of course, introduce them to your friends and family.

But one thing you might not be looking forward to all that much is the dirty and smelly nappies. Now, while they really are quite smelly, we promise you’ll get used to them faster than you could possibly expect.

But is there anything you should know to look out for when it comes to nappies? Are there any health signs that you should be aware of? What, in general, should you expect?

What should I expect and look out for with nappies?

When it comes to nappies, you should expect the following:

Between 8-12 wet nappies every 24 hours. Fewer than 6 wet nappies could indicate dehydration.

Between 0-12 dirty nappies every 24 hours.

Urine should be almost colourless and nappies should be heavy. Dark yellow urine can also indicate dehydration.

For the first couple of days, their poos will consist of meconium. This means they’ll be sticky, blackish-green and thick.

As they take milk, their poo should be browner and may become explosive (good luck!)

Breastfeeding produces light brown to yellow poos that are runny.

Formula-fed babies produce browner and more solid poos.

As you near the end of the first week, there will probably be many more dirty nappies.

You’ll also need to give the nappy area a little wash after taking off the dirties and putting on the fresh ones. But why is this important?

Why is it important to give my baby a quick wash down between changes?

Babies won’t generally need a bath during their first week, but it’s important that they get a good wipe-down to prevent any infections or illnesses caused by bacteria.

So, how exactly do you wash a baby between changes?

How to wash my baby?

Wash and dry their face with cotton wool and warm water. Take a bowl of boiled water that has cooled to room temperature and dab in some clean cotton wool. You don’t need to use soap or shampoo. Begin by wiping their eyes, and then wipe the rest of their face, remembering to get their neck and behind the ears. Just don’t wipe inside the ears. You should also use cotton wool to dry them gently. If you wash your baby’s scalp, make sure to dry their hair, too.

Change them every 3 hours and less at night. They won’t necessarily need changing after a wee, but you’ll likely want to quickly change dirty nappies for the smell. To save yourself from unwrapping a nappy each time, you can peep in the leg hole to check for a poo.

Wash and dry their bottom and genitals with cotton wool. Make sure your baby’s face and neck are nice and dry before you begin on their bottom or they’re sure to feel cold and uncomfortable. And now it’s time to wash their bottom. Have a fresh bowl of boiled and cooled water at the ready, and begin by wiping away any poo with the old nappy. Then, dab some fresh and clean cotton wool into the bowl and wipe around the bottom and any skin creases. Then dab them nice and dry with some more cotton wool. With a baby boy, wipe the penis and testicles but don’t pull back the foreskin. For a girl, wipe front to back so as not to spread any bacteria from the bowels to the bladder and don’t pull open the labia or wipe inside.

Keep their cord stump clean and dry. Newborns will typically come home from the hospital with a small plastic clamp on their belly button, sealing what’s left of the umbilical cord. Once a few days have passed, the stump dries and eventually, between 1 and 4 weeks, falls off. During this time, fold the top of their nappy down to keep it from rubbing at the stump and keep a close eye and nose on it. Now we say that because oozing and a really unpleasant smell could indicate that it’s infected (it will likely smell a little off anyway but see a doctor if it’s smelling especially bad). The surrounding area will also look red and feel hot to the touch. Gently dap the stump every other day with damp cotton wool and then make sure to dry it with some fresh tissues. Once it falls off, there may be some bleeding and it could take a couple of weeks for it to dry out. Mention it to your doctor if it stays moist and smelly for longer.

What do I need to look out for with nappies and washing my newborn? (Week 0)

Here’s what to know about hygiene in your baby’s first days.