Parents should get babies’ consent to change their diapers: Researchers

By Denette Wilford, Toronto Sun

Early childhood researchers in Australia suggest that parents should be asking babies for “consent” before changing their diapers.

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“At the start of a nappy change, ensure your child knows what is happening,” study authors Katherine Bussey and Nicole Downes, a research fellow and lecturer, respectively, at Deakin University.

“Get down to their level and say, ‘You need a nappy change,’ and then pause so they can take this in,” they wrote in a November 2025 guide, per The Conversation.

Considering babies aren’t verbal, why would anyone do this?

According to the experts, it ensures that “consent becomes a normal, everyday part of life.”

The researchers noted that diaper changes shouldn’t just be a task that parents “rush through and get