If you’re cloth diapering for the first time, information about fabrics and types of cloth diapers is important. However, many of the diapering decisions tend to come down to the big questions: how many diapers will I need, and how much is this going to cost me?
How many diapers will you need? That depends on a number of factors.
If you have thick diaper liners and don’t plan to change for every pee, you will need fewer diapers.
Are you doing elimination communication, even part time? If you’re doing elimination communication or infant potty training and going diaper-free part of the time, you will not need as many diapers. If you are doing elimination communication and using diapers as a backup, you will need a somewhat larger collection of thin cloth diapers without covers so that you can make sure that you change your baby right away, so he or she does not get used to feeling wet.
Are you going to use cloth at night? If not, then you will need fewer diapers. Many newborns require at least one change at night because they may have a poop in the middle of the night. If you change for every pee, then you will need several more cloth diapers. If you don’t change for pees or just change the liners, you will need fewer diapers. That’s zero to four diapers for night time.
Is your child going to be in child care? Does the child care use cloth diapers? If so, then the number of cloth diapers you use will be about the same as you would use at home. If not, then subtract at least four diapers, possibly more for newborns.
Newborns have the delightful habit of going to the bathroom just as you are changing them. Use a large rag or baby blanket under the changing area and give your baby some bare bottom time and you can often save a diaper at changing time.
Of course, the size and nature of your diaper stash will also depend whether you are using diapers that fit all sizes or a specific size. A diaper stash that only fits a newborn will need to be fairly substantial, 25 or more diapers depending on whether you use diapers with heavy liners, at night, at child care, and whether you practice elimination communication. You won’t need as many diapers as your child gets older, because the frequency of peeing will be reduced – 15 to 20 diapers will often be sufficient. If you’re buying diapers for a toddler, you might be able to get away with ten diapers, fewer if your child is learning how to use the toilet. We used just four pairs of training pants because we did elimination communication part time.
If you have cloth diapered, how many diapers have you used at each stage?