How many diapers?

[kblackstone444]

I'm pregnant and due in January.  My Father-in-Law gave me a couple hundred dollars to spend on "baby needs", since I will be out of work with no income for a while after he's born.  I'm trying to stock up on at least two, maybe three months worth of diapers so that I won't have to go out any more than necessary when the baby is born, and because I'm afraid I'll run out and not be able to get more.  I will be using disposable diapers.  I have three packages of newborn (36 count- up to 10 pounds) diapers, two packages of size 1 (50 count, 8-14 pounds), and three packages of size 2 (96 count, 12-18 pounds).  My first son was 7.6 at birth (two weeks early), 16 pounds by three months old, 23 pounds at five months old, my family tends to have big, fast growing babies, and this little one is already "a little bigger than average", and expected to be between 8 and 8 1/2 pounds if I go to my due date.  If I get a couple more size 1 packages, do you think that will be enough to be a good two month start on my diaper supply?

[bandgeek]

I would go ahead and buy more size 1's but ONLY as long as you can exchange them later for bigger sizes if you need to.  Both of my kids chunked up so fast they were in size 4 by 2-3 months.  With my son we only went through 2 packs of newborn diapers, skipped 1's entirely, a few packs of 2's, a few packs of 3's and then he wore 4's for like 2 years.  My DD was quite large and wore size 1's immediately and jumped to 3's within a couple of weeks.  She was the only baby in the NICU wearing size 3's. LOL

Would you be open to buying some flat diapers and covers to use if needed?  I don't know your laundry situation, but flats are VERY versatile and can even be hand-washed.  I always suggest some cloth to new moms even if they don't plan on using cloth primarily.  Actually it was a disposable using mom that suggested that to ME.  She always kept some prefolds and gerber covers around just in case.

[kblackstone444]

The newborns were given to me as gifts, and I bought the 1's and 2's today.  I've thought about getting some cloth diapers, but I'm not sure how practical they would be- I use a laundromat for laundry and it I handwashed, well, let's just say me, my teenaged son, and the soon, the baby, are sharing a tiny one bedroom apartment, there's simply no place to hand anything to dry.  Perhaps some in case of emergency, but not practical for the long run.

My other son was born 15 1/2 years ago- I've forgotten how much and and many diapers newborns use up.  

[sssheri]

We use cloth, which tend to be changed more frequently, but we go through about 11 diapers a day (from 3 weeks to 3 months). We keep disposables on hand for sitters etc. and she grew out of the newborns very quickly. I think get a few more size 1 (it will take at least a few months to grow out of them even if the lo is a big baby). By the time you are ready for size 2 you will be willing to leave the house more often.

[texmati]

 I'd be careful buying so many in advance. If I were to stock up on any one size it would be 3's. My son was in 3's for months and months and months, but moved out of nb, 1's and 2's rather quickly. I'd also check out sams and generic diapers etc before stocking up. Also, you might check out craigslist-- I see people in my area selling unused cases and packs of diapers on discount.

[Knitting Mama]

Have you heard of Amazon Mom before? You can get free 2-day shipping by buying your baby products through Amazon. So I would save the money you're getting and buy as needed, but get them through Amazon so you don't have to go out and get them.

[kblackstone444]

Never heard of it.  Going to check it out now...  Sounds like it could be a real lifesaver.
 

Originally Posted by Cecilia's Mama 

Have you heard of Amazon Mom before? You can get free 2-day shipping by buying your baby products through Amazon. So I would save the money you're getting and buy as needed, but get them through Amazon so you don't have to go out and get them.

[BathrobeGoddess]

moved to diapering

[chel]

i would so wait.  disposies are like cloth in that some just fit your baby better than others.  plus some give rashes more than others.

[octobermom]

I'd honestly invest in a gift card or set aside soem of the money and buy more as needed. Like others you may find what fits best isn't what you end up getting a bunch of and LO go through sizes fast. I cloth diaper but we do use the occasional sposie. My LO was 5lbs when she came home and down to the 4 lb range by a week yet even then we were well into the size 2 by 2 months and into size 3 soon after that (still in that size) .. Cloth wise I averaged around 14 diapers a day as a newborn in a disposable It would have been closer to 10-12 a day in the NB stage.

Deanna

[texmati]

This thread just popped back up on my subscriptions-- I'd also keep the money in cash if I could. Diapers are one of the easiest things to 'do without', if money is tight. I'm a sposie using mommy, and the truth of it is you'll be washing poopy recieving blankets no matter what you do.  I'd keep some of it back for unexpected things-- otc meds for you or little one etc.

[sosurreal09]

http://www.willowpads.com/t/the-willow-store/sprout-change/diapers these dipes are awesome and completely size customizable from 5lbs to 40+

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by sssheri 

I think get a few more size 1 (it will take at least a few months to grow out of them even if the lo is a big baby). By the time you are ready for size 2 you will be willing to leave the house more often.

That bolded part really isn't true for all babies. My dd was out of size ones by 6 or 8 weeks. It all depends on how they wear their weight.

I second the idea of keeping some of the money in cash, if you can. You don't really know what sizes you'll need or what diapers you'll like. I know recently there was a big hubbub about some brand of diapers causing serious diaper rash in lots of babies. You just never know what will work or what won't. Also, I know there's one particular brand of diapers that only fit my dd in a size 4, whereas she wears a 3 in the other two brands I've tried.