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As an expecting first-time parent, there are so many different things that you have to prepare for by the time your baby is delivered. The majority of expecting parents understand that babies go through diapers quickly, but not many parents understand just how quickly babies go through diapers.
With diapers being a high-cost item, it’s a great idea to start stockpiling on diapers before your baby arrives. Not only can this help to reduce some of the financial strain for when your baby first arrives, but it can also help to ease some of your stress!
But, how many diapers does a baby use in a year? We’ve got a complete guide for you to learn how many diapers your bundle of joy will be needing on a daily basis!
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How many diapers will your newborn baby need?
The average amount of diapers that your baby will use per day varies upon the age of your baby.
1st month
Newborn babies are going to go through more diapers than older babies do. On average, newborn babies soil their diapers every one to three hours. If your baby is under a month old, you should expect for your baby to go through ten to twelve diapers per day, which equals out to an estimated 320 diapers during the first month.
2-5 months
As your baby gets older, it’s going to soil its diaper less often. During two to five-month period, your baby may go through four to six diapers a day, which breaks down to 240 diapers a month.
5-12 months
Babies between five to twelve-months are expected to soil eight diapers a day on average, which equals out to be around 240 diapers a month.
This diaper usage is an average based upon the age of the baby, however, the number of diapers that your baby goes through may slightly vary.
How do you know when to change your baby’s diaper?
As soon as you discover that your baby’s diaper is wet and/or soiled, you need to change the diaper. The longer that your baby sits in a foiled diaper, the higher their chances are of getting an infection caused by sitting in their urine or feces.
Checking your baby’s diaper when your baby is awake is a great habit to get yourself into. Other great times to check your baby’s diaper is before you feed your baby, babies tend to get sleepy after they’ve been fed. You should also check your child’s diaper before you lay them down for the night, as you don’t want to wake your baby up to change their diaper.
How should you go about stockpiling disposable diapers?
Before your baby arrives into this world, you should make sure to have a big diaper stash to depend on for a few weeks. But, how should you go about stockpiling disposable diapers? We’ve got a few tips and tricks for you:
Shop online
Online retailers often have subscribe-and-save options on products, where they offer you a discount off of your purchases if you have your diapers delivered on a consistent schedule (weekly, monthly, etc). Most of these online retailers offer between 5-10% off of your orders, which may not seem like a lot upfront, but that extra percentage off can really help to save you money in the long run.
Buy boxes, not bags
If you’re super budget-conscious, you’re probably worried about over ordering diapers. Upfront, the cost of a bag of diapers is a lot cheaper than a box of diapers. However, if you break down the pricing of each diaper individually, you’ll find that you’re actually spending less per diaper when buying boxes.
- A bag of 27 diapers for $9.18, which average $.34 a diaper
- A box of 124 diapers for $35.96, which averages $.29 a diaper
Don’t overstock on newborn diapers
The average newborn diaper can fit babies weighing up to ten pounds. If you’re having a baby shower, most people will probably gift you a pack (or a giant pack’s worth) of newborn diapers. Plus, hospitals will usually send you home with a handful of newborn size diapers.
Considering that the average newborn baby gains three pounds within their first month, your baby will outgrow the newborn size diapers very quickly.
So, instead of buying up several packs of newborn size diapers, you should invest (and ask for) diaper sizes that your baby is going to grow into. However, keep in mind that diaper sizes are based upon the weight of the baby, not the age!
Boys vs girls
Do you know what gender baby you’re having? If so, you may need to change up your diaper plan. Baby boys tend to have more accidents on the changing table, due to accidental squirts of pee, which may cause you to soil more diapers that you originally anticipated.
If you’re worried about making sure that you’re not wasting any extra diapers, keep a cloth over your baby’s groin area to prevent an accidental squirt from soaking the replacement diaper! This will not only help to keep extra diapers from going to waste, but it’ll help to keep you dry while changing diapers!
Disposable vs reusable diapers?
Choosing between reusable diapers vs disposable diapers is truly all up to your personal preference and what best suits your baby. Disposable diapers are super convenient and a great to have around during the first few weeks after your baby’s birth.
However, if you are someone who is concerned about the environment, reusable diapers can help to keep excess waste from going in the landfill, but they can be pricey to purchase.
What other supplies will be needed when changing diapers?
Diapers aren’t the only thing that you’ll need when you’re changing diapers. Wash cloths and cloth wipes are handy to have around when changing diapers, as you can use these types of cloths to gently wipe your baby’s bottom.
A trash can or a trash bag to throw away stinky diapers (or at least place them there until you can throw them away). Barrier cream to help lock in moisture in your baby’s skin to help prevent the likelihood of developing diaper rash.
What happens if your baby gets a diaper rash?
Even if you do use a barrier cream, your baby is likely to develop a diaper rash at some point in time. Your child is more likely to develop a diaper rash when they’re between the ages of nine to twelve months old, as this is when your baby should start eating solids.
Once your child starts eating solids, the consistency of their poop will change, which may cause irritation on their skin due to the change in diaper weight on their body.
Besides using barrier cream, the other things that you can do to help prevent your baby’s chances of developing a diaper rash are:
- Change diapers often
- Make sure that you’re keeping your baby’s genitals clean
- Apply barrier cream or ointment every time you change diapers
- Don’t leave the same diapers on for a long period of time
- Try to change a dirty diaper as soon as you possibly can
Conclusion
Knowledge is power when it comes to making sure that you’re properly taking care of your newborn. How many diapers does a baby use in a year? You can expect your baby to use anywhere from 2,000-3,000 diapers in a year.
Do you have any diaper hacks that you’d like to share with us? If you do, we would love to hear your tips and tricks in the comments section down below!
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