Question: How Many Diapers do I need?

Answer:
There isn't exactly a one size fits all answer to this one because it depends on the age of your child (how often they wet a diaper) and how often you want to do laundry. Here's some info below to help you make the best decision for your family. Keep in mind, the more diapers have in your rotation, the less use per diaper which means they will last longer. So here's the scoop:

Newborns go through about 12-15 diapers a day for the first 3 weeks or so--oh those memorable 15 diaper days! After those initial weeks, it calms down a little. Figure babies nurse about every two hours, and following that feeding is usually a diaper change -- that equates to about 12 diapers a day with a couple extra (for the diaper bag, or for during a wash cycle). Last thing you want to do with a newborn is scramble around trying to figure out what to do if you run out of diapers. I recommend a minimum of 18-which means washing pretty much daily.

After about 2-3 months your baby will need to be changed 6-10 times a day. Newborns typically use about 10 to 12 diapers per day, infants use 8 to 10 diapers a day, Toddlers use 6 to 8 diapers per day.

You will need a few extra on hand while you are washing and a few for the diaper bag (already packed so you are set to go).

Most full-time cloth diaper users we've talked to want to do laundry at least every 2-3 days. Use the above information to guide your decision as to how many diapers per size to buy for your family's needs.

Our Detailed General Recommendations in short:

Diapers:

? 18-24 diapers per size if you want to wash every 2-3 days

? Approx. 3 dozen will allow you to wash every 3-4 days (especially for newborns).

? Part-timers can get away with 8-12

Diaper covers (needed for prefold and fitted diaper users only): 4-6 per size. That's right. You do not need a cover for each diaper. A good fitted diaper (like all those carried at Angel Bunz) will contain messes from soiling your covers. These can be rinsed at the sink while a fresh one is rotated in for use for days. That's precisely what makes fitted systems a frugal diapering choice. Prefold users may want to have another cover or two since prefolds generally do not cantain messes as well as fitteds. Especially if you're still fine-tuning your folding skills, more covers can mean fewer wet outfits which means.less laundry! Some people like to use wool covers for nighttime because they enjoy the breathability and durability of this fabric. We recommend 1-2 wool covers for nighttime use. If wool is your primary fabric choice for covers, you will need at least 4.

Training Pants

Potty learners-We suggest starting with 5 training pants because depending where your child is at in the learning stage you could start with 5 and might go through that in a day or three days or a week as learning progresses.

Note for parents of multiples: If you have more than one child in diapers you do NOT need to double these numbers necessarily but how many more you will actually need depends on the age spread between your children.and how often you want to do laundry. Feel free to call us to discuss your individual needs.

That's It! What follows below is optional, but we decided to list it here anyway because the fact is the following accessories are really successories. They will make your diapering journey a success because they make it really easy to use cloth diapers. The easier you make it for yourself, the more likely you are to succeed and stick with it!

Accessories (Successories):

Doublers/ inserts etc.:
Entirely dependent on your baby!

Pocket diaper users: you may require an additional insert or two for each night-time diaper (in addition to the insert that comes with the diaper) depending on how often you want to change a soiled diaper and how much output your child has. If your child needs more absorbency than 2 microterry inserts, we recommend a hemp doubler because it adds absorbency without adding more bulk.

Pre-fold, fitted, and All in one diaper users: Doublers may be helpful for very heavy wetters, naptime or nighttime. A doubler is essentially additional absorbent fabric laid in a diaper before putting it on baby. Having a few on hand "just in case" is a good idea if you aren't sure yet whether you need them.

Cloth wipes:
2-3 dozen. Easy and inexpensive, especially since you're already washing diapers. You will find yourself using these for everything. A necessary luxury, you will find an assortment of textures in our cloth wipes page. Some changes don't require a wipe at all and others will require a few. The ones we sell fit in a wipe warmer, wicker basket, or recycled disposable wipes box. They are better for you because you won't have to sort trash from cloth during a diaper change (making the whole diapering process quicker-just toss wipe and diaper into your diaper pail or wet bag). They keep your hands from getting icky (Can't say that about disposable wipes). They're much better for you baby than disposable wipes which contain harsh additives, preservatives and perfumes that cause rash for many babies..and they are much less expensive than disposable wipes.

A squirt bottle-with room temperature water (our recommendation for sensitive newborn skin) or homemade wipes solution, or Kissaluvs diaper lotion potion (for a treat) does the trick on for even the nastiest clean-up jobs. Works great whether you spray baby or spray the wipe.

Diaper pail/wet bag/tote bag(s),: 1-3 Waterproof bags for transporting wet/dirty diapers while away from home or to the washing machine come in quite handy. Small ones for the diaper bag, larger ones for extended trips, or pail liners. Use it as a pail on its own (fastened to a doorknob) or to line a Rubbermaid foot pedal lidded trash bin. These bags can be washed along with the diapers. I highly recommend the Wahmies Pail Liner or the Bummis drawstring Large bag. You may also want a tote made of the same material because the last thing you'll want to have happen is that you put a wet cloth diaper in a grocery or plastic bag and accidentally dispose of it in the trash (there goes your investment). These wet bags are simply turned inside out in the washer--so your hands never touch anything nasty. Wash dry and use again. Its nice to have an extra one on hand while the other is in the wash.

Snappi Diaper Fastener: 1-2 For anyone who owns a prefold diaper (as a backup diaper or primary diapering system) For a couple of dollars you can make that prefold contain things soooo much better with a Snappi.

Flushable Liners help lessen wetness against skin and/or make clean-up easier. Flushable biodegradable liners are great for those transitioning from disposibles to cloth. Makes clean up quick.

The Minishower - Eliminates the need to scrub or dunk diapers. Prevents laundry stains. Great for those with shared laundry facilities. Can make it so you do wash less often. We use ours for toddler superpoopers, for potty trainers who want mommy to help wipe them-no way!-spray it off, for people who step in dog poo and soooo much more.

You can always contact us to help design a system suited to your family's needs and budget.

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