New Born Nappies

[Prinnyboo]

Hi -

I am a first time mum to be (my first new thread as well!) and was just wondering how much people stock up on new born nappies (ie how many boxes) I've been told the cheapest I will find nappies is about $28 - $29 per box from the supermarket when on special but just have no idea on how many boxes to get!! I'm quite small about 5'3 and DH is quite short as well (not sure if this is relevant!) - any thoughts on whether to get 5,10 or 20 boxes!!! I know I know I'm a bit of an eager beaver considering my due date - just like to be very organised!
Thanks

[~clover~]

I had one box of NB huggies with DD1. I used a few packets as well, so I'd say 2 maybe 3 boxes. They grow so fast & are in the infant sized ones before you know it.
DD2 was only in NB's for a few weeks. DS for about 2 1/2 months. They were both big bubs though. DD1 was 7lb 5oz & was in them longest.

Welcome to BB by the way! & congrats to you on your pg.

[*Efjay*]

The trick with buying NB nappies is too keep recipts! Also, not sure of your area but do you hvae a toys r us? They are often pretty cheap (still about $29) but if you keep reciepts for your boxes & obviously don't open untill needed you can return them for larger sizes if your bub out grows them.

Or you could look into cloth

[Holly84]

Well I had a 10 pound 6 baby and the newborn nappies were too small for him so he went into infant which they dont make in the big boxes. So in my case 1 box was too much!! We had 3 boxes originally and ended up giving them to a friend who was pregnant! I wouldnt go too overboard. The nappies come on special fairly often.

[PinkPalace]

DD was in huggies newborn for about 2 months. She was 5lb13oz.
So we used about 4 boxes of them
Also even if you dont have a reciept woolies (safeway) will let you swap them over if unopened!)

[Bathsheba]

I only used 1 large box of newborn sized nappies for my average sized babies. However i combined them with cloth. Once you realise how much money you'll be spending if you only use disposable nappies then you might start to consider cloth nappies. There's some great cloth nappy threads here if you are interested.

[Astrid]

Best not to go overboard on one brand either, as it might not suit your bub. This time around I have tried 3 brands. Also check out some of the local discount chemists, sometimes they will sell the name brands cheaper. My local one sells them for over $2 less than the supermarket next door for the convience packs. So it pays to get to know your nappy prices.

[BhoysGirl]

We used about 2.5 boxes of the newborn size (Huggies) before needing to go up to Infant. Keeping the receipts if you get them from coles/woollies/safeway is a good idea. I knew it was time to upsize when we regularly had leakage...

I have also used Aldi nappies, and they've worked well for my DS.

[Bathsheba]

Astrid is right: different brands seem to suit different babies. I've stuck with Huggies for my two sons (my daughter was in 100% cloth) however even though Huggies were the most absorbent I found that they kind of pinched the skin around my newborns legs. My babies all had skinny little legs so i would dread to think how they would pinch chubbier babies legs. This is another reason why I liked to give my newborns a "break" by alternating with cloth (flannel flats). After wearing a cloth for a while the pinching creases on the skin went. Oh and I also agree with Jan: Aldi make great nappies too... I use them for my toddler.

[Janie]

Another cloth user here But for the rare occasions we use disposables I find Aldi nappies to be excellent. Huggies are good too, but I agree with Bath that they pinch their little legs. And my tiny bub (5lbs1oz) had very skinny legs! Hmmmm, come to think of it, I'm not sure if Aldi make nb nappies?

So if you're planning on using all disposables, I would buy two boxes of newborn at the most. You can always get more if you need them, they won't be going anywhere

[Curly]

I wouldn't buy more than 2 boxes of Huggies to start off with. You don't know how big your baby will be or how much they will poo! A breastfed baby can poo several times a day or not poo at all for a week or longer.

My DS was a champion pooer and we went through nearly a whole box of Huggies in just one week, same again for week 2. Towards the end of week 3 we went and bought another 2 boxes of Huggies newborn size but by week 4 he needed to move up a size.

It happened quite quickly - when all of a sudden the nappies start leaking more often than not (rather than just the occasional blow out) then you know it's time to move up to the next size.

As for the leftovers, we just stashed them in the cupboard, ready for the next bub! We have quite a supply of nappies in various sizes now, ready for Number Two.

Never buy the bulk boxes at the supermarket - biggest rip off of all ($42). Keep your eyes peeled for the $29.95 specials and stock up big then. In between times, Toys R Us and Big W tend to have them a bit cheaper. You should never ever pay more than $36 and only then if you are desperate! (This will be when you start experimenting with other brands and working out which brands suit your baby's shape).

ETA: I do love Huggies and they are my number one choice, have not ever had problems with them pinching DS' skinny legs. They are the only ones I trust to hold it all in without fail. Other brands that aren't as fitted around the legs always leak for DS. However I know other mums with chunkier babies who are just the opposite to me and like all the brands I hate. Don't worry too much about this though, this won't be a factor until your baby is a bit older.

[Bathsheba]

Yeah I don't think Aldi made NB size nappies come to think of it...

Ahhh... if I had my time over again (starting off with my first baby) I would be buying up big on cloth My flannel flats are almost threadbare but they have serviced 3 babies. A pretty good use of the $40 or so I spent on them back in 1994. yeah, you have to buy pins/snibs/pilchers/liners... but still a cheap way to keep 3 bubbas butts clean.

[maz]

Ah mate - get some prefolds and some covers...cost you about $100 all up to start with and your on your way to a brand new addiction...Modern cloth nappies. Total cost is about $500 for a good stash were it will cost you anywere between $2000 - $3000 until your baby is toilet trained to be out of disposables.

BUT

if sposies are our path then yes Aldi nappies are great...they are simular to huggies but without the pricetag

ETA no darn it they dont have NB but the new coles eco babies are great but $$$$$$$$

[Janie]

You don't know how big your baby will be or how much they will poo! A breastfed baby can poo several times a day or not poo at all for a week or longer.

I'm sorry to go OT (hope you don't mind Curly ), but I just have to point out that a breastfed newborn should poo at least once every day, usually numerous times a day. It's later on, after a couple of months that it is more common for BF babies to go a long stretch, ie. a week, without pooing. Sorry to split hairs, but when I was pg I heard so many people at pains to point out that it was normal for BF babies to go awhile without pooing, that when my own little DS was only pooing once a week as a nb I thought it was normal! It wasn't until Barb found out and explained it to me that I realised it was a very good indicator that he wasn't getting enough BM (which was backed up in other ways).

[*Efjay*]

ETA no darn it they dont have NB but the new coles eco babies are great but $$$$$$$$

They do, its the yellow bag, only prob is they are about the same size as the huggies infant not NB nappies.

[Prinnyboo]

Thanks so much for all your input guys that was a HUGE help! - I'm so glad I didn't go out and buy 20 boxes of NB nappies when they were on special! - To be honest I hadn't even really considered cloth nappies (I know not very enviromentally friendly of me) - but just thought the washing and cleaning of them would be to huge a task when I'd have other things to worry about - is it not as bad as I've always thought?.....

[maz]

justine - washing cloth gives me a little break and time out when needed. I have 2 in cloth, we use them out, away at home EVERYWERE! We're going away next week for 3 - 4 days and im taking cloth then too so nah its not as hard as some people make out.

[Alyssas_Mum]

I would plan to buy atleast 2 boxes of NB. They go through atleast 10+ a day. If you run out or need more you can always get them, maybe if you wanna buy more (espeacially when they are on special for $29 a box) buy the infant size or next size up and check with the shop u buy them from and ask if you could change them if they were too big or too small (as long as u dont open the box). Some shops are good like that and some are not.