Getting Prepared for Their Arrival: How Many Nappies do Newborns Need?

How many nappies do I need for my newborn?

Babies go through a lot of nappies, there’s no two ways about it. So much so that, during your little one’s first few months, you’ll probably feel like you spend most of your time feeding then dealing with nature when it takes its course. 

So, let’s talk about changing nappies. If you’re soon to be a first-time parent, you’ll likely want to know how many nappies your baby will go through in a day. You’ll no doubt also be thinking about how many newborn nappies you’ll need in total. 

And when it comes to changing nappies, it pays to be prepared! So, to help with your nappy planning, here we’ll run through some general pointers and guidelines of what you’ll need depending on your baby’s age. But always remember this is based on an average and it may vary for you. Here goes. 

Newborn to one month 

When you’re preparing for a new arrival, you want to stock up on all your essentials well in advance. And nappies are no different. 

The thing to know about newborns, is that they go through more nappies than older babies. Babies aged one month and younger can have around three to four bowel movements a day and will likely wet around six or more nappies a day. Yes, that means potentially 10 to 12 nappy changes every 24 hours (you will be doing it at night!) in the first month of being a parent. 

So how many newborn nappies do you need? If we take the daily average of 10 to 12, that means you can comfortably go through around 300 nappies in just the first month! That’s a lot of nappies, and a lot of time spent on your knees changing your new bundle of joy. 

One to five months old 

As your baby hits the one-month mark, you may notice fewer dirty nappies. On average you’ll probably be dealing with around eight to 10 nappies per day until they reach five months of age. 

How you feed your baby will have also an impact. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding for example, they may have more dirty nappies compared to a baby on formula. Breast milk is easier to digest and typically results in more frequent bowel movements. 

Five months upwards 

Babies over five months usually experience fewer daily bowel movements, so eight nappies a day at this age is a good guide. 

How many nappies do you need in the first year?

So, how many nappies does a baby use in a year? The good news is that as your baby gets older, the number of nappies they go through in a day decreases. When they hit six months, you can expect to use five or six a day – half of what newborns use! 

On average in the first year, a baby can go through between 2,000 and 2,200 nappies. It seems crazy when you put it like that – it sure is a lot of nappy changing, but it does get easier as your little one gets older. Thankfully. 

As well as newborn nappies, you’ll want to stock up on plenty of baby things before heading to the hospital. At Munchkin you’ll find everything you need, from bathtime and feeding essentials to travel and bouncers. And for a little more baby advice, why not check out our StrollerCoaster podcast?