In my quest to save you from buying piles of baby stuff you won’t use, I’ve been outlining the essential baby basics on a budget.
You will change a lot of diapers. Elimination is one of those baby needs you meet one way or another.
As with baby carriers, you save money when you buy diapers that can be used from baby through toddler. We’ve got the solution for even a tiny diaper budget.
How Many Diapers Will a Baby Use?
Short answer: you will change 3000 – 6000 diapers on your baby.
During the first couple of months, you will probably have 12 diaper changes or more a day. If your newborn eliminates every hour, you change the diaper every hour in order to avoid discomfort and rash for your baby. That number will gradually dwindle to 4-5 diapers a day before your toddler uses the toilet.
12 x 30 x 3 = 1080
10 x 30 x 6 = 1800
8 x 30 x 6 = 1440
6 x 30 x 3 = 540
4 x 30 x 3 = 360
Total = 5220
Even if you are lucky and find that your child learns to use the toilet early and doesn’t eliminate as often, the lowest estimate for number of diaper changes per child is about 3000. I’m going to use that lowest number so I have a generous place to start when comparing with disposable diapers, but I want you to realize that it could be almost double that number. Babies’ needs vary.
How Many Diapers Do I Need?
Short answer: you need 24 prefolds and 4 one-size diaper covers.
On a budget, choose the lowest number of diapers you will need. I’ve seen more than one family make do with a dozen diapers, but you will end up washing more than once a day or leaving your baby in a wet diaper (which can cause irritation and rash). I consider 18 the minimum to start for a family washing diapers every day. The number of diapers used per day will go down quickly, so your laundry will go down quickly.
Just to keep being generous with the numbers, I am going to use 24 as my comparison number. Buy 24 prefold cloth diapers and 4 one-size covers, and a few accessories (like wipes or wash cloths and a bucket to hold the dirties), and you are set.
Compare Diaper Prices
- $690 Disposable Diapers
- $600 Cloth All-in-one Diapers plus Newborn
- $240 Cloth One-size All-in-one Diapers
- $231 ($195) Cloth prefolds with sized covers
- $177 Cloth prefolds with one-size covers
The clear winner is prefold diapers with one-sized covers.
1 set of 12 Organic Cotton Prefolds, Infant Size
1 set of 12 Organic Cotton Prefolds, Premium Size
4 Bummis Simply Lite one-size diaper covers (Made in Canada!)
Our calculations
- Disposable diapers – 3000 diaper changes x $.20-25 each = $690 ($.23 x 3000)
- All-in-one one-size (no newborn) – 12 AIO x $20 = $240
- All-in-one one-size plus newborn – $240 + (18 Newborn x $20 = $360) = $600
- Prefolds with sized covers – 12 organic cotton Infant prefolds $44.96 + 12 organic cotton Premium prefolds $59.98 + (3 x 3 x $14 = $126) = $231 SPECIAL: Bummis Super Brite sized covers are on special right now for $10 per cover. Knock that total down to $195.
- Prefolds with one-size covers – 12 organic cotton Infant prefolds $44.96 + 12 organic cotton Premium prefolds $59.98 + 4 one-size diaper covers $71.92 (4 x $17.98) = $177
Simple diaper bonus: prefold cloth diapers are by far the easiest diapers to wash. You can use and accidentally abuse cotton, and it still performs. For answers to your diaper cleaning questions, start at our Cloth Diaper Laundry Hub.
Why Shopping Local Will Save You Money in the Long Run
Saving money with diapers isn’t just a matter of the price you pay up front. I’ve heard many sad stories of people who thought they had found great diaper deals, but it turned out that they bought trouble.
Nature Mom has outlined the reasons shopping at bynature.ca or any other local store will save you money when you are buying for baby. The store in Orillia has a staff that is trained to help you succeed.
We’ll help make sure the diapers you choose are best for your individual circumstances. You won’t have to try multiple styles to get it right. We can help narrow down the many choices to the absolute best choices for you.
Every cloth diaper purchase from bynature.ca includes our 10 years of experience helping thousands of parents with cloth diapering. We’ll ensure you get off to a good start from day one, with everything you need to be successful.
We’re easy to get in touch with when you need help. Email, phone, or stop by the store, and we can help troubleshoot with fit, leaking, overnight diapering, washing issues, etc. This saves time weeding through the crazy responses online. (We joke, please don’t put your diapers in the dishwasher! This could be a costly mistake.)
Many local stores offer consignment sales so when you are done with your diapers, if you choose quality brands and followed recommended washing instructions, you might be able to resell your diapers through the local stores. Our next cloth diaper consignment sale at bynature.ca (our Repeat Sale) is coming up fast already! We’ll start registering consignors next month for our Spring Sale on March 22nd.
How do you know if your diaper is safe, a counterfeit, or under warranty? When you talk to us in the store, we help you understand these issues. They do matter. It’s like having insurance for your investment. Authorized retailers can also help with warranty issues, and there are many unauthorized sellers online.
Bottom line, cloth diapers are an investment. Spending your money with a local retailer helps to secure this investment. That $50 or $100 you might think you’re saving buying from a big box store is easily worth the independent retailer’s time and expertise when you need it, as well as your own peace of mind throughout your cloth diapering experience.
Are You a Super Saver?
Go diaper free with infant pottying (or elimination communication). You will still need some diapers but not nearly as many as you would cloth diapering full time.
More Baby on a Budget
Next week I’ll talk about breastfeeding essentials. As you can guess, doesn’t involve much more than you and your baby.
Don’t forget if you have multiple children you are using the cloth over and over wheras with disposables you are spending again and again.
Exactly!