Adoption, foster care, Children's WI, diaper
At Every Turn > Foster Care > How not to change a diaper
Patient Stories Apr 21, 2014

How not to change a diaper

Henry Knutson, Licensed foster parent

I would like to say that I am no dummy. I changed both of my brother’s diapers and I am not afraid to change more. So, when we got our first placement, a newborn and 1-year- old, I was not worried (okay, maybe a little). However, life usually finds a way to make you look silly and this was no exception.

My wife, Selina, and I were preparing to leave the house and were in a hurry. We were running late and our newborn had just gotten a diaper change. She had some diarrhea and we were dealing with it the best we could (lots of diapers and wet wipes). Of course, kids like to soil their fresh diapers, and she decided to poop in the fresh diaper. I took her on the edge of the bed, put down a diaper mat, and proceeded to change her as quickly as I could. We were all dressed and ready to go, we just had to change her before we could leave.

That’s when I heard what sounded like a duck taunting me. I saw it coming but there was nothing I could do! My wife looked at me with horror as our beautiful, precious, wonderful daughter pooped on my face and shirt. All I could do was ask for a wet one from Selina and try my best to clean her up and get a diaper on her. Then, as I washed my face and changed my shirt, I started laughing and could not stop. How awesome is that? I got pooped on and life went on!

Since then I have been more careful, especially when changing our sassy little girl’s diapers. Still not worried though (okay, maybe a little).

At any given time, as many as 7,000 children are in foster care in Wisconsin. As the largest provider of foster care programming in the state, Children’s Wisconsin offers high levels of support to foster and adoptive families.  View more articles from Henry Knutson

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