topic: Diapers

Michael: To a new dad, the fear associated with diapers is all about the stuff the baby is going to deposit in them. Yes, you realize, I will be wiping poop off my baby’s butt pretty regularly for the next few years. How weird and difficult will that be?

To the new dad, I say, “Relax—it ain’t that bad.” Babies kind of ease you into it. For the first few months the poo is actually not very stinky. If your wife is breastfeeding, the poo is a weird yellow color, which is kind of interesting—arresting, sure, but kind of interesting, too. You’ll find yourself marveling at the color more than being grossed out. By the time the baby’s on real people food and things are getting messy, you’ll be such a pro that nothing will bother you.

To an experienced dad, the fear associated with diapers is all about the stuff you’ll be withdrawing from your bank account to purchase them—they are expensive! Add about $10 to your weekly grocery bill, on top of the $35 for baby formula, if you go that route. Say goodbye to Beck’s, and say hello to Natural Light! That’s a couple of hundred bucks per month, man.

To the experienced dad, I say, “Yeah, having to buy diapers sucks, but I’d rather have it this way than back in some other century when God only knows how they kept the kids clean. And Natural Light isn’t that bad!”

Anne: Yeah, breastfeeding poop is a cool yellow/gold color. And it's true, the smell is not offensive. I actually think it smells like buttered popcorn! When baby food and table food are added to the diet, it becomes more like the poop we all know and.... love? Alright, not the right word.

One thing I would recommend when it comes to potty training and finally getting away from the costly diapers is DON'T get the pull-ups. They are WAY expensive and just glorified diapers. If you are truly going to potty train your child, then really do it. Wet is wet and they won't know wet unless they feel it--a pull-up doesn't let them feel wet! Alright, enough preaching.