Cloth Diaper Choices
How many cloth diapers does my baby need?
How many cloth diapers your baby needs is directly related to the type of cloth diapering system you choose, the age of your baby, and how often you want to wash.
We recommend washing every 2-3 days.
Why?
A diaper that sits is a diaper that stinks. It will be to your advantage, and your diapers’ durability and longevity, to stock up enough cloth diapers to wash every 2-3 days.
We recommend the higher quantity indicated for babies 0-9 months and the lower quantity for babies 9 months and up.
- Cotton Prefold Diapers
- Quantity per size: 24-36
- Diaper Covers per size: 4-6
- Fitted Diapers
- Quantity per size: 18-24
- Diaper Covers per size: 4-6
- One Size Diapers - We recommend more one size diapers. Since they last from birth to potty training, they will get more use. A bigger supply will reduce wear and tear.
- Quantity per size: 30
- Diaper Covers per size: 4-6
- Pocket Diapers - Basically just a diaper cover, pocket diapers require an absorbent prefold or insert stuffed inside. You will need to purchase an equal number of cotton prefold prefolds or diaper inserts to stuff the pocket diapers.
- Quantity per size: 12-18
- Diaper Covers per size: N/A (when stuffed, pocket diapers are a diaper and cover in one)
- All In One Diapers
- Quantity per size: 18-24
- Diaper Covers per size: N/A
- Contour Diapers
- Quantity per size: 24-30
- Diaper Covers per size: N/A
It is a simple equation to figure how many cloth diapers you will need. Are you ready for it? Take the number of diaper changes you will make per day and multiply that number with the number of days you would like to go without doing diaper laundry.
The more cloth diapers you have, the less often you have to wash - and we all know mommas have enough to do as it is, right?
Tags: "one-size diapers", All In Ones, cloth diapers, cotton prefold diapers, diaper covers, Diaper Junction, diaper laundry, diaperjunction.com, Fitted Diaper, fitted diapers, how many cloth diapers does my baby need, Pocket Diapers, prefolded diapers, prefoldsCloth Diaper Blog is published by www.diaperjunction.com.
Discussion
2 comments for “How many cloth diapers does my baby need?”
Post a comment
This is a nice estimate, but we get by pretty darn well with a whole lot less, and we did cloth diapering by the cheapest means possible (ye olde flats and prefolds with simple covers, almost all sales and seconds with no complaints). We currently use 1 dozen unbleached flats and 18 unbleached prefolds (we bought 12 infant, which baby outgrew quickly, and 18 premium sized) along with two bumkins covers (had only 2 of each size, worked just fine) in heavy rotation with one backup (a mommy’s touch one-size cover that i tested out) on our 4.5 month old son; I wash diapers about every third day and covers as-needed. Never been without, never needed more unless we were upping sizes.
If you’re trying to do diapering on a budget, there is definitely a way, and so long as you plan well, it doesn’t leave you wanting.
I agree with the first comment about not needing that many diapers to have a successful diapering experience. The majority of our stash is bumGenius 3.0 (one size and a pocket). We have 18 of them and have been using them for 16 months. They do show a little wear, but not bad at all. You would actually have to be looking for the wear to see it. I wash the diapers every other day. As my son is getting older, we use less diapers in a day and can sometimes wait to wash until the third day.