I’m wheeling down a Target aisle with Scarlett buckled into her car seat, nestled deep within the bottom of my bright red buggy. As I turn to check out an aisle, I casually push forward and notice a nickel-sized spot on the floor. What is that murky liquid substance??, I casually wonder. I wheel forward another two feet, answering Target’s beckoning call to buy all of the things. I notice another spot on the floor, the same in both size, and muddy brown color as the one behind me.
No. Way.
It can’t be!!
But it was. A coin sized droplet of poop. Runny, breastfed baby poo. ON THE FLOOR OF TARGET. My panic-stricken train of thought is as follows:
Is it from Scarlett?
Has it gone up her back?
How the hell did it get out of the car seat?
Who can see this? Can anyone smell it?
as I crawl to look under the buggy….
Crap… Literally.
Poo is actually dripping out of the car seat, through the buggy and onto the floor….
Whelp, we have to leave now. NOW.
I, red-faced, found the nearest associate and told them that I just wiped poo from the floor of the LEGO aisle and that it may need to be sanitized. I made a mad dash through the clothing and greeting cards, throwing glances over my shoulder to see how many poo spots I was leaving behind me. I threw her into the car along with my mom and Red (who were also with me), and when we finally made it home, ended up covered in poop and a grinning baby as I waded through the mess of a car seat in the bathtub.
Needless to say, I think our diaper was a tad too small. Because blowout central. If you’re wondering when it’s time to do up a diaper size, don’t wait for a horrid poo story to share with your friends. Do yourself a favor and read these 4 tips!
Weigh It In:
Check the diapers brand box for weight recommendations. Of course, if your child is reaching the upper limits (maybe within 2.5 pounds), it might be time to size up (many sizes bridge between one another. Ex: 7-12 lbs & 10-16 lbs.). Of course, some babies can wear a certain size for longer, but this is because all bodies are not the same. Use a dash of reasoning and anticipate your child’s growth and diaper size.
Frequent Blowouts:
This may be the biggest tell-tale sign that it’s time to move up a diaper size. Aside from the fact that one diaper brand or another may not work for your baby, frequent leaks or up-the-back poo sessions may mean that the diaper itself isn’t large or roomy enough to accommodate your child’s needs. Since your baby will eventually wear the next size anyway, invest in a new package of a size up and see how you fare.
Too-tight Red Marks:
Check on those love-able thunder thighs. Are there telltale red marks from the elastics? Of course, you always want a diaper to fit snugly, but it needs to have some stretch, too. Babies are wiggly! If a diaper is ill-fitting, angry red marks will be a sign. Head to the store and grab the next size up.
Waist band issues:
Little baby bellies are so precious when they are filled up and roly-poly, but that also makes it a little harder to wrap a diaper around them. A diaper should rise up to just under their bellybutton, so if your current diaper size is wearing like a pair of millenium low-riding jeans, it’s time to size up. It should also be easy to bring the side tabs all the way around to secure them with the snaps or velcro. If you’re having to tug and pull, trade up for the next diaper size.
So let’s hear it…. what’s your poo story?
Omg I’m dying. My store is more potty training related but it involves finger painting the walls. Ick.
YIKES! That’s quite a story. When my kid was a baby we were taking her to see her paternal grandmother for the first time. She had a blow out in the car so we had to do a major clean up and change her into an outfit we had just bought.
LOL!! Through the car seat!! She is talented!
I remember sitting in the backseat of my car nursing Noah when he was 6 weeks old. We were in St. Augustine, about an hour away from home, for the day. I had just finished and he was laying on my legs with his feet on my belly when he had a huge blowout. It went up his back and left a large spot of runny poop on my right leg. I of course had four changes of clothes for him, but none for me. I did the best I could with baby wipes but ended up walking around the majority of the day with a poop stain on the front of my jeans. Mortifying!!
YES!! I had this happen in a boutique toy store. It is so embarrassing when your kid literally craps in a store. I don’t think we had to change a diaper size, I think mine was a mommy error, which is even more embarassing!
I thought my son had just let gas and he had diarrhea. He was potty training, it was summer and at Costco and I had a very similar story to you. Let’s just say that that I trashed his shorts and my sweatshirt that I wrapped him in.
Had this happen when I was en route to Party City. It was a mess.
I was just telling my cousin that even though the label says a certain weight, you might not make it there before needing to size up!