You know, when I had my third child, I hadn't changed a diaper for five years, and I thought I'd never be able to do it once more. But as it turns out, it's like learning to ride a bike - you only have to learn it once, and it stays with you forever. Muscle memory and all that, you know…
However, as for fathers who have to change diapers for the first time in their lives - I agree, this kind of stinky origami can seem overly complicated and unpleasant. Yes, sometimes some dads do everything they can to avoid this chore, like, for example, the husband of the user Grantoffs, the narrator of our story today.
More info: Mumsnet
Changing diapers isn't actually the nicest thing ever, but anyway, it's a vitally needed skill for any new parent
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not theactual photo)
The author of the post has a 9-month-old baby son, and recently she went out alone for the first time, leaving the baby with the dad
Image credits: Grantoffs
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The mom asked the husband to change the diaper regularly and to feed the baby as well, showing him the already prepared food
Image credits: Grantoffs
Image credits: Timur Weber / Pexels (not the actual photo)
However, after returning home in around 6 hours, the mom found the clingy and crying baby and the husband gaming on his phone
Image credits: Grantoffs
Image credits: Keira Burton / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Turns out, the man just never changed the diaper, and the baby's skin was really sore
Image credits: Grantoffs
Image credits: Antoni Shkraba Studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The hapless dad also didn't feed the son, just handing him half a banana and some crisps
Image credits: Grantoffs
Image credits: Kaboompics.com / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The author called him out, but the man didn't even apologize and simply went running
Image credits: Grantoffs
So now the mom is simply devastated and can't decide whether she could actually trust her husband regarding childcare at all
So, the Original Poster (OP) is 21, and mom to her a 9-month-old son, and recently, for the first time since the birth, she went out for a few hours to run errands, leaving the baby in the care of his dad. The baby was in a diaper, and the father received detailed instructions on how and when to change it, as well as how, when, and what to feed the baby.
We're deliberately omitting the mother's excitement over her first independent exit from the house in almost a year - especially since it's not directly relevant to our story (though, of course, it matters too). But, returning home late in the evening, our heroine smelled the lingering odor of baby poop throughout the house.
Yes, her worst suspicions were confirmed - the baby was in the same nappy she'd left him in six hours earlier, he'd done his number two in it (and probably more than once), and his bottom was nearly red, so he couldn't sit up at all. To top it all off, the dad claimed that instead of already prepared food, he'd simply given the baby half a banana and some crisps.
Needless to say, it all ended in a huge scandal, because the original poster couldn't believe her husband hadn't bothered to change the diaper and feed the baby at least once properly in six hours. The man, in turn, claimed his wife was overreacting. So the author decided to take it online to enlist the support of netizens.
Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Well, I'm pretty sure I don't need to remind you of the health risks of an untimely diaper change, but in any case, babies left in wet or soiled diapers can experience skin irritation or even diaper rash. Furthermore, prolonged skin contact with feces can even cause infection.
Experts say that diapers (even if the baby hasn't defecated in them) should be changed approximately every two to three hours, depending on age. So, given the state of this poor tot's nappy, his dad has missed at least two diaper changes. So it's no wonder he took heat from his wife.
Yes, now the original poster is questioning how much she can trust her spouse with ordinary childcare if he managed to blow even the simplest case dramatically. Apparently, as the author notes in the updates, the husband simply spent the entire day gaming on his phone. Moreover, he didn't even apologize; he nodded, went upstairs, changed, and went running...
So now the mother, who got her first independent walk outside in who knows how long, partly blames herself for leaving her baby with the father. She feels drained and overly upset, and doesn't know what to do next. Perhaps you, our dear readers, can suggest something?
Netizens mostly gave the woman their sincere support and also criticized her spouse heavily
