How Many Diapers Do I Need For My Newborn?

How Many Diapers Do I Need For My Newborn?

There’s no getting around the fact that babies go through a lot of diapers. So much so that, during the first few months after your little one is born, you may feel like you spend all your time just feeding your baby and changing diapers!

If you’re expecting your first child, you may be wondering just how many diapers does a baby use in a day? How many newborn diapers do you need? And even questions like how long do newborns wear newborn diapers or when to size up diapers. These are some of the many great questions soon-to-be parents have when preparing for the arrival of their baby.

To help give you a better idea of what to expect in the diaper department so you can plan ahead, we’ve provided some general guidelines based upon a baby’s age. Just keep in mind these diaper numbers are based on average usage and can vary for each individual baby.

Newborn to 1 Month

New parents are always especially curious about how many diapers they need for a newborn – after all, they want to be sure to stock up before the baby arrives!

In comparison to older babies, newborns go through more diapers. Babies 1-month-old and younger may have 3 to 4 bowel movements a day and typically wet at least six or more diapers a day. This can add up to changing 10 to 12 diapers a day during the initial month.

So just how many newborn diapers do you need? A daily average of 10 to 12 diapers over the first month of a baby’s life means that your baby may go through around 300 or so diapers in his first month of life!

You may also be wondering how long newborns wear newborn diapers. Most babies stay in newborn size for only a few weeks, though this depends on their birth weight and growth. Knowing when to size up diapers is key—if you notice frequent leaks, red marks, or a snug fit, it may be time to move up a size.

It’s also helpful to know that breastfed vs formula diaper changes can look different. Breastfed babies often have more frequent bowel movements, while formula-fed babies may have fewer but more solid stools.

1 to 5 Months Old

Once your baby is older than 1 month, you may notice fewer soiled diapers. Babies between 1 and 5 months old typically go through 8 to 10 diapers per day.

As your baby grows, you’ll continue to monitor when to size up diapers, since growth spurts can happen quickly during this stage.

During these months, it’s also important to have enough diapering supplies on hand. Many parents ask, how many wipes do I need for a newborn? On average, you’ll use about 1 to 3 packs of wipes per week early on, depending on how frequently your baby needs changes.

You may also start thinking about your diapering setup. A good diaper pail for newborn use can help keep odors contained and make frequent changes easier to manage.

5 Months+

Babies over 5 months of age usually have fewer bowel movements than when they were younger. At this age, you can expect to use up to 8 diapers per day.

This is also when some parents begin exploring different diapering options, including cloth diapers or sticking with disposable diapers, depending on what works best for their lifestyle.

No matter which option you choose, keeping an eye out for diaper rash is important. Regular changes, gentle wipes, and allowing the skin to breathe can help prevent irritation.

How Many Diapers Do You Need in the First Year?

How many diapers does a baby use in a year? Luckily, the number of diapers a baby goes through as a newborn decreases significantly as he gets older. By the time a baby is 6 months of age, you can expect to use 5 or 6 diapers a day – half of what newborn babies use!

On average, a baby can go through between 2,000 and 2,200 diapers in their first year. That’s a lot of diapers and a lot of diaper changing – but thankfully a lot of it is upfront and lessens as the year progresses.

Having a baby shower? Then you have the perfect opportunity to stock up on those diapers and helpful diaper supplies like our STEP™ diaper pail (read more about diaper pails) and our Touch Free Wipe Warmer.

And while it may still be some time before your baby is ready to transition out of diapers, when you’re ready for that next step, check out our potty training tips!