Overview
- The November 2025 article on The Conversation by Deakin University lecturers Dr Nicole Downs and Dr Katherine Bussey advises using diaper changes to introduce bodily autonomy.
- Suggested practices include telling the baby what is happening, offering simple choices like walking or being carried, watching facial and body cues, involving the child in brief dialogue, and avoiding distractions.
- The guidance urges using anatomically correct words such as vulva, penis and anus, arguing this can help children accurately describe experiences to trusted adults later.
- The authors acknowledge limits, noting parents may need to proceed quickly during urgent messes and encouraging families to be realistic and kind to themselves.
- Coverage has prompted divergent reactions, with clinicians such as NYU Langone’s Yamalis Diaz and psychotherapist Lesley Koeppel saying the approach lays a foundation for boundaries, while critics in several outlets call it impractical or label it a gentle‑parenting trend.