SPICA cast diaper tutorial

A little diapering tutorial for spica casters. Also, some bonus pictures on how I prevented major problems with the whole "diapering" thing.
This will probably bore you to tears if you aren't going through the Spica thing. Family and friends, don't feel obligated to read this (but you can if you want, it's a free country).
Bonus pictures first!
If you've been to many web sites that have pictures on Spica Casts, you've probably seen pictures of moleskin petaling (called thus because it looks like the petals of a flower. cute.).
1. Wait until the cast is TOTALLY dry after the casting. Otherwise, the petals just pull a bunch of moisture from the still-drying cast and you'll just have to re-do your work when you get home from the hospital. Not that we EVER had issues with this when we got her re-casted. Right.
2. Get as much moleskin as you can from the hospital. You will need it. They cut it into rectangles, then rounded off the edges. Very handy to have.
3. Some people don't like moleskin because it absorbs moisture and smells. I like it because if there was just a little accident, the moleskin tended to suck up the yuck. I could then pull it off and throw it away. Far less work than blow-drying out the entire cast, or trying to mop up any grossness with whatever you can find!I liked to start my petals at the back and at the front, making sure to overlap all the way around (I finish the sides last, since that's the area where we usually had leakage. Then, I wouldn't have to remove the entire job just to get a few damp ones from the sides). It is easier to change the petals when they aren't wearing a diaper, but be sure to put something like a cloth diaper in the front to catch any pee that they're sure to do when you have their diaper off).
Oh, those blue pieces of tape you see sticking up at the back? I took pantyliners and cut them in half (the short way, not the long way!) then taped up the cut short side. I put those all along the back opening, as far onto the sides as I could. Just to catch anything that might make it out. Then, I put this on top of the moleskin. It's far easier to change 2 or 3 of those than it is to change the entire moleskin/duct tape job. Oh, and I put 3 uncut pantyliners side-by-side along the back of the inside of the cast, too. Because I learned after the first cast...
I tore off small strips of cute duct tape and petaled those on as well. Another layer of protection for the cast and a little layer of cuteness! BTW, they have super-cute duct tape online and at most retailers that carry any type of home improvement. We found the cheapest ones at walmart. Our favorite is the zebra print for girls, esp with the purple cast. She got a tons of compliments on that combo! For boys, I really like the flames of skull-and-crossbones. Fierce. Make sure you line the bottoms of the legs with the moleskin (if there are any sharp or rough patches, or places that will rub on your sweetie) and duct tape.

And, on to diapering! These picts were just after we got home from the hospital for re-casting. She did not enjoy me taking the pictures :)
So, I found a couple of different things that worked for us, depending on where we were in the process. In the beginning, the cast is really snug, so it's a little more difficult to get your diaper stuffed up in the cast. I know most of the information I found out there said to use a newborn diaper with a very large diaper on top of the cast. Honestly, though, I had so many leaks when I did that. There was next-to-no absorbency inside and I had problem after problem. Having the diaper on the outside only caught a little if there was a leak (most of it went into the cast) and seemed to just hold the tiny diaper in place. My method may take a minute longer, but I avoided so many problems by going this route!
I used either a large (on my itty-bitty baby, a size 4 since that's what I had around from her 35 pound brother) diaper or some Poise pads I was given (and since I was given a lot of those, that's what I used most of). I found that a really good diaper like Huggies sucked. The elastic at the top of the back led to a worse fit inside the cast. A cheaper diaper like Target's Up & Up brand or Luvs worked WAY better. The Poise pads worked well if I didn't pull them too tightly against her bum--I had to leave a little poop space or it'd get all over inside.
Have everything you need ready. Keep a couple of cloth diapers or old towels around in case there's any problem, or in case you need to get up and get something else. Always stuff one in the front if you need to leave the baby (or you'll end up getting lots more out to mop up the inside of their cast and the floor!).
Start with baby on their tummy. I found it easiest to change her on my lap, with her legs on my legs (that way I could tip her a little forward or down, so I could get my diaper in better).
Stuff the diaper up as far as you can in the back, pushing it out to each side.
Use your other hand to reach down the back of the cast and pull the diaper up. I generally could just catch the edge with my fingertips. This gets easier as the cast stretches out over the first few days, but my husband couldn't get his large hands in to do this (or so he says...;) and yes, I believe him!) I usually kept my one hand pushing the diaper up in the back while using the other hand to pull it up. I couldn't do that while taking pictures. From the top, spread the diaper out as best you can. Turn your baby onto their back.
Push the diaper up in front, again spreading out the front wings.
Get the diaper as far up as you can!
Use your other hand to pull the diaper snugly up. Make sure it's spread out in front.
You can put another diaper on top, use a cloth diaper cover (the one-sized "econobum" were a frugal option--and through Nov. 30th most online retailers have them "buy one, get one free", which works out to $5 each--and you only need 2-4). I prefer to stuff my diaper cover inside.
Why?
Another layer of protection, baby. I'd rather get a cover dirty than the diaper. When I did that, I almost NEVER had a problem. It's how I was able to use Poise pads without any issue. It's a tiny bit different if you do this...
First, stuff the cover in the back. Spread the wings out. Pull it up from the top. Then, stuff in your diaper or poise pad as far up in the back as you can. If you are using a Poise pad, make sure you leave a tiny bit of space around the bum, so poop has somewhere to go.
Flip baby over, you'll now have 2 layers to stuff up the front. Stuff up the diaper/pad first. Use your fingers from the top to fish it up as high as you can.Tuck the diaper cover up the front, again spreading it out. You'll grab it from the top, as well.
Ta da! Get a high-five from someone, you did it!
I think that having the diaper cover inside of the cast is the a little cuter than on the outside. If you don't want to invest in a couple of covers, just use the large sized disposable diaper. If you need more absorbency (she always did at night), tear some of the backing off a pantyliner or maxi pad and add it inside the diaper/Poise pad. This allows the pee to go through to the diaper, rather than going over the sides of the pad and risking wicking into the cast.
Realize that you'll have some "incidents". Everyone does. The worst one was 3 weeks into the first cast. I was getting cocky, thinking I was the Spica Cast Diaper Champion. She blew out so badly that it was around her knee. It was up the back. It was down the long and short legs. IT WAS HORRIBLE!
Of course, it was also the day I'd promised Amelia's big siblings we'd be going to the library. Instead, they got to watch a show while I desperately soaked up pee and poop with cloth diapers and rags, ran a cool blow dryer with the occasional shot of warm up to try and dry out the cast, while I tried to figure out how to clean poop out the the long bent leg, without being able to get anything really in there. I cried. It took around 2 hours. I felt guilty and worried that I wouldn't be able to get the darn thing clean. Amelia got really, really tired and grumpy since she was due for her nap about an hour into the incident.
But you know what? We got through it. It sucked, but we did it.
You can do it, too!
Know you'll have those times where the poop will overwhelm, or where your baby can't get comfortable at night, or where you feel like your kid has worn the same 5 outfits for 2 months. It went by so much more quickly than I could've imagined (and I've got a pretty good imagination!). So, if you're going through this, join the hip dysplasia support groups (there are some in Yahoo groups and at Babycenter). Let me know if I can give you any ideas. YOU CAN DO IT!!
Oh, and my other tip? Go for a solid-colored cast. Man, our doctor talked us into a cast with 2 colors this time, but I got so annoyed with the pink--it got so dirty, it was SO bright, and it wasn't as versatile as a 1 colored cast. Fortunately, Duck Tape's colors are pretty close to the cast colors...but it would've been better if we'd just stuck with one color. When it was only 1 color, people were less-inclined to notice it and think we were child abusers. If they did notice it, they sometimes thought it was clothes (I guess they didn't see the bar?). Word to the wise!