TikTok Trend Looks at the ‘Right’ Way To Change a Diaper but Experts Are Not Convinced

Should you be turning your baby on the side to change their diaper? Here's what experts say.

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

My son was born in November 2023, and to stay awake during late-night soothing or feeding sessions, I often open up TikTok. I already know what you’re thinking: Blue light, in the middle of the night? How dare you! With all of the chatter online about how to properly parent, it can sometimes feel like I’m doing everything wrong.

My latest flub, according to parents on TikTok? How I change my baby’s diaper.

In several viral videos, parents and chiropractors detail how lifting baby’s legs up during a diaper change can cause hip and spine problems and make your baby extra gassy. Their alternative method is to roll a baby onto their side and change the diaper from there.

I had an immediate question when seeing these videos: how realistic is this technique for most parents? I’m usually keeping my son from reaching down there or kicking into his diaper while I attempt to quickly change him.

These videos have garnered millions of views and counting, with many parents flooding the comment sections to joke about how impossible this would be with their increasingly mobile baby. Some of the relatable, hilarious comments likened changing their little ones to an episode of WWE SmackDown! and “wrestling a wild boar.”

But the parents also share concerns that this is one more thing to add to their list of mistakes. Not to mention, this diaper changing style doesn’t seem feasible after a major blowout.

In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, I couldn’t help but wonder…is this a real danger to my child or a TikTok trend gone rogue? To investigate, I reached out to Liz Koren, MS, OTR/L, SWC, an occupational therapist and director of Pure Pediatric Therapy in Aliso Viejo, California.

“While anatomically that may be correct, the amount of force you’re putting on your babies when you’re putting on a diaper is not enough to do that,” Koren says, citing potential concerns mentioned in these social media posts, like subluxation of the spine.

Koren has a few recommendations for parents, and that includes moving where you stand while changing your baby’s diaper.

“A lot of times, we’re changing them from the side,” she says. “It would be better if you’re changing them with their feet facing us.”

It’s also important to consider how you’re holding your baby during changes. Koren says it’s best to roll baby’s legs forward in a “froggy” position, instead of lifting them directly up. To avoid pulling on their ankles or feet, try keeping your hands lower down on their thighs.

Koren adds that some parents with fussy infants might benefit from turning them onto their side, but it’s less practical for older babies and not a requirement for all parents.

“The roll is worth trying if you do have a baby that cries during diaper changes,” Koren says. “Side-lying, in general, is a good position for fussy babies, but for a typical baby that doesn’t cry during diaper changes, I wouldn’t change anything.”

For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Parents.