When it comes to bringing a baby into the world parents are faced with making tons of decisions. One of the main decisions being what are we going to do for diapers? This brings up more questions. Should we use cloth diapers or disposable diapers? What brand should we buy? What sizes do we need? How many diapers should we buy? The questions can go on and on and quite frankly can be stressful for new parents.
Since cloth diapering wasn’t in our wheelhouse I thought maybe a trip to the diaper aisle will help clarify what brand would be best for me and my baby! Wrong! The diaper aisle was extremely overwhelming and less than helpful. Being pregnant and hormonal I turned to other moms for advice. Now with three small daughters and two still in diapers I can tell you I am a diaper expert and you will get there too.
Here are a few tips that I have picked up up over the last three years of diapering.
- Don’t be afraid to try multiple diaper brands! Whether you chose pampers, huggies, luvs, honest company, hello bello, or a generic brand pick which style fits your baby and budget best. Order a couple different brands so you see them in person. Try them out! Since I am a hands on momma I found it very beneficial to compare the diapers. I tried Luvs, Pampers, and Huggies. What I found was; Luvs didn’t have the wetness indicator I came to adore, Pampers Swaddlers were nice but the fabric seemed thinner and not as soft , and Huggies were my favorite! They offered a thick quilted fabric, feel very soft, have stretchy tabs, and the wetness indicator. We still use them today!
- Diapers are sized based on weight not age! Currently, I have a 2 year old who is wearing the same size nighttime diaper as my almost 4 year old. Since children all grow at different rates the most accurate way to categorize diapers is by weight.
- Buy the Newborn diapers! You may be asking yourself are newborn diapers needed? The answer is yes! Newborn diapers are sized for babies less than 10lbs. It is very uncommon that babies will be born over 10lbs. Also some newborn brand diapers have a cut out or dip in the band that is designed to eliminate rubbing on the umbilical cord which can cause discomfort for your baby. This is a feature the size one diapers does not offer.
- Diapers with wetness indicators are a must! Whatever brand you choose, make sure you are purchasing diapers that have the wetness indicator. The wetness indicator is a line on the front of the diaper that will change color when urine is detected. This is amazing for parents as you are not having to waste diapers that are clean or upset the baby by undiapering them to check.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Mom’s love helping mom’s! Ask other moms which diapers worked best for them and why. Join “mom groups” on social media. If you are having questions so are others. Take advantage of those with experience.
Remember, buying diapers doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It just needs to be another item on your checklist to check off!
Let’s face it babies require a lot of stuff but how do you know what items you really need. Take it from a mom who has been down this road multiple times the baby industry knows how to reel us in.
Kirstin Ashley
Diaper Shower Co-Founder
