How many newborn nappies should I buy before the due date?

How many nappies does a newborn use each day?

The NHS page on changing your baby's nappy gives the figure most brand articles are paraphrasing: "Young babies may need changing as many as 10 or 12 times a day, while older babies need to be changed around 6 to 8 times." It also says to change the nappy as soon as possible after a wee or poo to help prevent nappy rash, and that newborn babies who are breastfed may poo at each feed in the early weeks.

Ten to twelve a day is 70–84 nappies a week, or 300–360 in the first month. Some babies use fewer; a baby with reflux or a stomach upset can use more for a few days. Nobody can tell you the exact figure before the baby arrives, which is the whole argument against buying a month's supply in one size.

How many newborn nappies should I take to hospital?

The NHS hospital bag checklist lists 'nappies' for the baby without a number. Working from the NHS changing rate: a stay of one to two nights is 20–30 nappies, which is one supermarket pack of size 1 (Aldi's own-brand size 1 comes in a 24-pack) or half a branded 50-pack. Pack size 1 rather than size 2 for hospital — the smaller size fits more babies on day one — and ask the maternity unit for help if your baby turns out to be at either extreme.

• 20–30 disposable nappies, size 1
• A pack of fragrance-free, alcohol-free wipes, or cotton wool — the NHS lists either
• Nappy sacks or a couple of small bags for the dirty ones
• Barrier cream if you plan to use one; the NHS lists it among changing kit
• Two or three sleepsuits and vests, in case of leaks — sizes are covered in our size guide

Should I buy newborn nappies or size one nappies first?

In UK shops 'newborn' nappies and 'size 1' are usually the same thing: the pack says both. What matters is the weight band printed on the pack, not the word. On the packs we checked, size 1 is labelled 2–5 kg and size 2 is labelled 3–6 kg — a 2 kg overlap. Size 0 (sometimes 'micro' or 'premature') sits below size 1 and is sold in fewer shops; the maternity unit will tell you if you need it.

Now put that against how big UK babies are. ONS figures for England and Wales in 2022 show about 36% of babies born at 3.0–3.49 kg, 28% at 3.5–3.99 kg and 9% at 4.0 kg or more. So roughly a third of babies start within a kilo of the top of size 1's band, and one in eleven is already there. The NHS says babies are usually back at birthweight by three weeks and gain weight fastest in the first six months. A 4 kg baby may fit size 2 better than size 1 within a couple of weeks; a 2.8 kg baby may be in size 1 for six weeks or more.

Buy size 1 first, but buy one week of it, not one month. If the baby arrives at 4 kg or more, the next pack you buy is size 2. If they arrive under 3 kg, you have time to buy more size 1 — every supermarket stocks it.

How much do the first month's nappies cost, own-brand versus branded?

The per-nappy price gap between a supermarket own-brand and a leading brand is the biggest number on this page. We took shelf prices from Aldi (own-brand Mamia) and Waitrose (Pampers) on the same day and multiplied by the NHS changing rate.

Over the first month the gap is roughly £45–£70, and over the years a child is in nappies it runs to several hundred pounds. Whether the branded nappy is worth that to you is a fit-and-leaks question for your baby, not something a website can settle. What the table does settle is that the cheapest way to find out is to buy one small pack of each and see, rather than a month of one.

How can I avoid buying too many nappies in the wrong size?

1. 1
   Before the birth: one week of size 1, one small pack of size 2. About 70–90 nappies in total. If your midwife has said the baby is measuring large, swap the proportions.
2. 2
   Ignore 'newborn bundle' deals until the baby is here. A bundle of 200 size-1 nappies is a bet on a birth weight you do not know yet. It is also the thing most often listed unopened on local selling sites.
3. 3
   Check the fit at each change in week two. Red marks at the waist or thighs, or the tabs meeting in the middle at the front, are the usual signs to size up; most packs describe them. Leaks up the back are usually a size or fastening problem, not a brand problem.
4. 4
   Buy the next size one pack at a time until it is clearly right. Then, and only then, buy the large pack. The per-nappy saving on a jumbo pack is small next to the cost of a wrong size sitting in the cupboard.
5. 5
   Keep receipts and do not open packs early. Sealed nappy packs are among the easiest baby purchases to return or pass on.

How do reusable nappies work for a newborn, and are they cheaper?

The NHS changing page treats cloth as a normal option — its kit list includes "a clean nappy (and liner and cover if you're using cloth nappies)" — and the changing routine is the same. What differs is the cash flow: reusables are an upfront cost that is then spread over months or over more than one child, plus washing.

For a newborn there are two practical points. First, newborns go through the same 10–12 changes a day, so a full-time cloth set needs enough nappies to cover a day plus the wash-and-dry cycle; that is why most cloth newborn kits are 20-plus nappies. Second, 'birth-to-potty' one-size nappies are cut for a range that starts above many newborn weights, which is why some families use disposables or a small newborn cloth set for the first weeks and move to birth-to-potty later. The choice between pocket, all-in-one and birth-to-potty designs, and what each costs, is covered in our separate guide: pocket, all-in-one or birth-to-potty reusable nappies.

Some councils run reusable nappy incentive or trial schemes; the amounts and rules vary by area, so search your council's website for 'reusable nappies' before buying a full set.

Which nappy pack sizes are easiest to budget for?

Think in weeks, not months, for the first two sizes. At 70–84 nappies a week, one Aldi 60-pack of size 2 is about five days; a Pampers 50-pack of size 1 is about six. Small packs cost a little more per nappy but let you change size without waste. Once your baby has been in one size for two or three weeks, the jumbo pack is where the saving is — and by then you also know which brand fits.

In shortBuy one week of size 1 and one small pack of size 2 before the birth — about 70–90 nappies, £3–£20 depending on brand — and pack 20–30 for hospital. The NHS rate of 10–12 changes a day means about 300–360 nappies in month one: roughly £9–£12 in supermarket own-brand or £57–£78 in a leading brand at the prices we checked. Do not bulk-buy size 1 until you know the birth weight; consider cloth once the routine has settled.