Baby undershirt trick (with bonus video!)

That terrifying new mom moment

The first most terrifying moment after my daughter was born was when we were being discharged from the hospital; my husband went to get the car and the nurses left me to change Ginny into her own outfit and get her ready to go. Simple enough, right? I carried her painfully in my belly for 40 weeks and delivered her two days prior. I was incredible! Of course I could handle this simple mom task.

Wait…why didn’t anyone tell me how bony yet squishy her head would feel? Why didn’t anyone tell me that trying to put her adorable outfit on would elicit a blood curdling response from her? I was sure the hospital would call DCFS on me, as clearly I was unfit to bring this little nugget home.

Changing my newborn baby was awful. While her head appeared to be an adorable, perfect little baby size normally, it somehow tripled its girth when I changed her in and out of undershirts, creating many sweaty panicked moments where I doubted my ability to be a mother. Seriously, who let me come home with a baby without any manual?

A right of passage

Then came the glorious day when Ginny christened us with what seems to be a right of passage for new parents- the poopy explosion. I quickly learned how diapers are more of a guideline for baby poop and not the hard and fast barrier I thought them to be. I experienced first hand how, in fact, baby poop can find its way smeared from legs to neck. Nothing about my baby could gross me out, but pair this poop explosion with Ginny acting like I’m terrorizing her by taking off her undershirt, and you have yourself in quite the situation. The first time this happened to me, I thought I would have to call my mom to come over or cut the shirt off of her. Instead, I opted to drag the mess up over her back and through her hair. This was surely a proud mom moment for me.

Baby undershirt trick that will save you

I’m so glad I learned a new trick that will save you from 1. uncomfortable changing a very small baby and 2. smearing poop unnecessarily up your baby’s back, belly, and head.

Have you ever noticed the little envelope flap on baby’s onesies? Did you ever consider what they were for? Me neither. Well they do have a delightful purpose- use your finger in the flap to roll the shoulder down- keep rolling downwards until you can take off the undershirt in the diaper area. See Ginny featured in my demonstration here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntFYq-ZNKxs

Let me know how this works for you or if you have any other great tips to share!