New parents tend to obsess over finding the perfect bouncer and adorably themed crib sheets for their little one. While those are fun and all, let’s talk about the real MVP of baby essentials: diapers.
How Many Newborn Diapers Do I Need?
During that exciting first month, you'll find yourself changing your newborn's diaper 8 to 10 times a day. Over the newborn stage (the first three months), expect to go through around 700 diapers.
The silver lining? As your baby’s bladder gets bigger, the number of daily diaper changes decreases—by the time they’re six months old, you’ll be down to about 5 to 6 diapers per day. Those non-stop diaper duties do ease up. Pinky swear!
How Many Diapers Do I Need in the First Year?
Brace yourselves, parents! Your little bundle of joy may need around 2,200 diaper changes in their first year. Yep, that's a lot of diapers! 🤯 So, why not kickstart your diaper collection at your baby shower?
When crafting your baby registry, think ahead and aim for a year's worth of diapers. You've got options:
- Add individual boxes of diapers so your guests can contribute to your stash.
- Set up a diaper cash fund, making it easy to buy the diapers yourself.
- Opt for a diaper subscription service for hassle-free, regular deliveries.
How to Stockpile Disposable Diapers
To help you build up a grand diaper stash before that much-anticipated due date, here are some savvy tips on everything from how many diapers to throw on your registry to figuring out what size diapers you’ll need at each stage.
Don’t Focus on the Newborn Size
While newborn diapers fit babies up to 9 pounds, be mindful that your little bundle of joy might gain around three pounds in their first month. Plus, most hospitals will send you home armed with a heap of newborn diapers, so you probably don’t need to buy a lot.
Though newborn diapers are the go-to gift at showers, you likely won’t need more than one or two packs (120-240 count) on your registry. Your baby might breeze through them within the first few weeks or skip straight into Size 1. So, what's a better ask? Go for sizes your growing munchkin will need soon enough.
Friendly Reminder: Diaper sizes depend on your baby’s weight, not their age. Here’s a quick guide for Pampers Swaddlers to help you out:
- Preemie (Size P1): Less than 6 lbs
- Newborn (Size 0): Less than 10 lbs
- Size 1: 8 - 14 lbs
- Size 2: 12 - 18 lbs
- Size 3: 16 - 28 lbs
- Size 4: 22 - 37 lbs
Consider Baby's Growth Rate
If you're short on space: Focus your diaper stash on sizes 1 and 2. Those sizes will usually fit your little one until they reach about 18 pounds, depending on the brand.
If you've got storage to spare: Go ahead and add Size 3 diapers to your registry. These should last you right up until your baby's first birthday.
Here's a handy guide to stockpile diapers for the first year:
- 1 to 2 boxes of Newborn Size: (Typically 120 per box; babies are usually in this size for about a month or less, with an average of 8 diaper changes per day)
- 4 to 5 boxes of Size 1: (Typically 164 per box; babies generally wear this size for about 3 months, needing 6-9 diaper changes per day)
- 5 boxes of Size 2: (Typically 148 per box; expect to be in this size for another 3 months with 6-9 changes daily)
- 8 boxes of Size 3: (Typically 136 per box; your baby will generally move up to this size and stay here for the rest of the first year—and maybe longer—with around 5-7 diaper changes per day)
Diapers for Little Princes and Princesses
When it comes to diaper duty, your baby’s gender can actually affect how soon you’ll need to transition to larger sizes. On average, baby boys tend to graduate to Size 1 diapers at around four weeks and to Size 2 at about three to four months.
Baby girls, on the other hand, usually hit these milestones a tad later, moving into Size 1 diapers around six weeks and Size 2 somewhere between four to five months.
Heads-up: baby boys are known for having more “changing table surprises.” Many parents who've experienced diapering both boys and girls assure us that little boys go through more diapers.
To avoid wasting diapers and to stay dry yourself, try placing a cloth or baby wipe over your baby boy during changes. This handy trick can help minimize diaper waste and keep both of you clean and happy!
Diaper Dilemma: Boxes vs. Bags
When it comes to diaper duty, the age-old debate of boxes vs. bags still prevails. Let's break it down for today's parents:
Bags of Diapers: Bags have fewer diapers, making them a popular choice for newborns. This way, you can avoid stockpiling diapers your little one might quickly outgrow.Boxes of Diapers: Once your mini-me is ready for the next diaper size, boxes offer a budget-friendly benefit. The price-per-diaper drops, saving you some serious diaper dollars. For example:
- A bag of Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers (26 count) averages at $0.46 per diaper.
- A box of Size 3 Pampers Swaddlers (136 count) averages at $0.33 per diaper.
(Based on Target prices in January, 2024)
Save Money on Diapers Later
Heads-up, savvy parents! Online retailers like Amazon offer sweet subscribe-and-save deals, letting you save up to 5% when you schedule regular diaper deliveries. Think of it as your diaper budget's best friend.
Running short on storage for those mega diaper boxes? No worries! Instead, consider registering for gift cards or starting a diaper cash fund. This way, you can snag those bundles of joy (the diapers, that is) exactly when you need them.
How Many Cloth Diapers Do Modern Parents Need?
Thinking about diving into the world of cloth diapering? Even the most committed cloth diaper enthusiasts often keep a stash of disposables around—especially during those whirlwind early days. Many parents opt for disposables during the first month, simply because newborns are little diaper machines!
But if you’re ready to commit to cloth right from the get-go, we’d suggest starting with at least 20 newborn-sized cloth diapers (trust us, you’ll need them!). Just a heads-up: Your little one might outgrow them faster than you expect.
The frequency of your laundry routine plays a big role in determining how many cloth diapers you'll need. Most folks find a sweet spot at around 24 cloth diapers, but if you're okay with running daily laundry marathons, you could manage with as few as 14.
Whether you choose disposable or cloth, it’s normal to not have a perfect system right away. That’s all part of the parenting adventure! Mix and match brands and sizes on your registry, and see what works best through some good old-fashioned trial and error. Your baby will help you figure it out soon enough!
