How Much Do I Need??

So you have figured out what style of diaper you are going with and if you want to go the sized or the one-size route... Now how many do you actually need?????

 

Well that is a bit of a complex question that depends on a few variables. The age of your baby is probably the first consideration.  IF you are diapering a newborn you can expect to change 15 diapers or more in a 24 hour period!  So having 24 diapers on hand may work if you have a 1 year old but it is not practically for a newborn. I had about 30 diapers in my NB rotation and there were days when I had to wash daily. Generally speaking breastfed babies poop more than formula fed babies.  Breastfed poop is also water soluble so you do not need to rinse soiled diapers before they go in the wash. I rinsed anyways because I HATE stains!

 

The second thing to consider is how often you want to do diaper laundry.  It is recommended that you don’t go longer than 3 days between washing but you want to have enough diapers to get you through a 2-3 day period. You can wash daily if you need to but with a new baby you have enough on your hands.  I wish I had a few more diapers on hand for my son when he was a newborn because I had to wash every other day, in fact a few times I had to wash daily.

 

The third thing is your budget... If you are going to use all AIO’s it is going to be more pricey than if you are going with prefolds and covers.  If your budget is limited you may need to start with a smaller stash and build up so in the beginning you may be washing more often... and that’s OK.

 

So here are the number of diapers that I think are a good starting point for washing every other day. You certainly can have more and make do with less if you have to. I am also going to list a few other accessories that you may want to consider... We will talk about accessories later though.

 

For a Newborn (1-3 months):

 

30-36 diapers

8 covers ( if using prefolds, flats or fitteds)

36 wipes

1 large wet bag ( for storing dirty diapers until wash day)

 

For an older baby (3 months+)

 

 

20-24 diapers

6 covers ( if needed)

36 wipes

1 large wet bag

 

 

Sized vs One-Size

So you have finally selected the system you would like use, now comes the next issue: sized vs one size.
Sized diapers are much like disposables with sizes based on the weight of your baby whereas one-size (OS) is just that. 1 diaper with adjustment from 7-35 lbs on average. 
I think both have advantages and disadvantages and I like one or the other in different styles and brands.
For example I much prefer sized prefolds and covers because they fit the best on my son. I also prefer sized Fuzzibuns and Charlie Bananas also because of a better fit around the legs. I tried OS prefolds and they were enormous on my son for the longest time and then they seemed really weird anyway I folded them.  With Fuzzibuns an Charlie Bananas I just hated mucking with the elastics to adjust it just right.
On the other hand I LOVE my OS bumGeniuses and Giggle Lifes.  They did not fir quite right until my little guy was about 9 lbs and had some bulk in the thigh but after that they are great!
A definite advantage of sized diapers is they fit so well at whatever weight your baby is.  OS says they go from 7lbs but if you have a thin baby you may not be able to use them until 10lbs.
OS is definitely the more economical as you only need to buy the one set instead of several but the sizing is only a guideline!  You may also end up with more wear and tear on them then on a sized collection.
If you are just starting out on the journey of cloth I would strongly advise you NOT to invest all your funds in one or the other.  Just like I would advise you not to settle on one system without trying it.If you are just starting your stash get a mix of all styles and sized and OS and see what works on your little one.  Each baby is different and while I love prefolds and covers on a newborn you may prefer fitteds.  You don't know what you like until you try.  If you can get your hands on a diaper trial that lets you experiment.  If you do have to buy everything like I did just sell or trade what you don't like for what you do like.