How Many Diapers Will Baby Use?

Any parent will tell you that babies use a lot of diapers, especially during the first few weeks after birth. Many parents decide to stockpile nappies before the baby arrives to be prepared. Deciding on how many nappies are needed and what brands to buy can be overwhelming, particularly with so many options available. When stocking up on nappies, there are certain factors to take into account, like your baby’s weight, your finances, and diaper fit. So, the question remains. How many diapers will baby use and should you buy larger size nappies too?

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How To Buy Nappies

Parents who opt for disposable nappies quickly realize that a baby can easily go through around 3000 nappies during their first year alone. More seasoned parents might already have their chosen nappy brand. For first time parents, however, the options are varied.

Sometimes people gift newborn nappies at baby showers, however, the majority of newborns gain around three pounds during the first month after birth and many babies that are born with a higher birth rate will skip this diaper size entirely.

If you are stockpiling nappies and you don’t have a lot of storage space, do not stock more than two sizes at a time. Instead of adding nappies to your baby registry, rather ask for gift cards that you can use at a later stage for buying nappies.

Important note: not all babies come in equal sizes and shapes, and they all grow at their own rate. Therefore, it is not always easy to determine how many nappies your baby will use.

You may also decide to opt for cloth diapers for your baby. This will be much bigger expense at the beginning but will save you thousands in the long run.

However, to stock up on disposable nappies, you can use the following guidelines. But keep in mind that this is only a rough estimate:

Rough Estimate: How Many Diapers Will Baby Use?

• Premature Babies (Six pounds) – As needed per day.
• Newborn babies (Up to ten pounds – Size 1) – 8-12 nappies per day during the first few weeks.
• Size 2 (8-14 Pounds/birth to four months old) – 8-10 nappies per day.
• Size 3 (16-28 Pounds/5-24 months old) – 6-7 per day.
• Size 4 (22-37 pounds/18-36 months old) – 5-7 per day.
• Size 5 (27 pounds/older than 3 years) – as needed.
• Size 6 (35 pounds/older than 4 years) – as needed.

How To Stockpile Nappies

Start out small and begin only with size 1 at first, just in case you do not like the nappy brand you selected. Once you find a nappy brand that ticks the boxes as far as cost, fit, and size are concerned, you can go for larger sizes too. Remember, various brands might work better or worse for particular babies. Therefore, be open to try a few brands before you decide on one brand. When buying nappies, you must keep in mind your baby’s weight as well as rate of gain when planning ahead. Sometimes a nappy that costs a tad more but has a better fit and works well for you, makes it worth spending more.

Frequency Of Nappy Changes

A baby’s diaper must be changed each time he urinates or has a bowel movement, or alternatively, every two to three hours.  About eight percent of parents report changing nappies less regularly to make their nappy supply last longer, according to a survey from American Academy of Pediatrics in 2013. However, changing your baby’s diaper less frequently can lead to issues like yeast infection or nappy rash.

Sizing Up

Once your baby’s weight overlaps two different nappy sizes, it is typically best to opt for the larger size. Signs that are indicative of your baby needing a larger size include skin irritation, difficulty to close the nappy over the tummy area, and red marks where the elastic leg openings are digging into his legs.

When it comes to diaper fit, ideally, you should be able to fit two fingers between the diaper waistband and your baby’s tummy and one finger between his leg and the nappy’s leg elastic. The top of the nappy’s waistband must be at least two inches underneath your baby’s belly button. A diaper that sits too low on your baby’s back will be more susceptible to “blowouts”. Leaking diapers are also an indication that your baby needs a larger size nappy.

Conclusion

We hope this post has been helpful and that it has given you some indication on how many diapers your baby will use during his first year and beyond.