When to Start Buying Diapers When Pregnant?

‘When to start buying diapers when pregnant?’ is a common question many new parents find themselves asking.

After all, you want to be prepared for when your newborn arrives.

Yet, from essentials for dad’s go bag to diaper caddy essentials to nursery essentials there are a lot of baby items to consider.

And it can leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed by everything there is to figure out!

The good news is though, we have put together this guide to help you figure out when should you start buying diapers, how many diapers should I buy before baby, and the pros and cons of buying diapers while pregnant.

And if you love our guide on when to start buying diapers, make sure to check out guide on how many baby wipes do you need and how long do babies wear size 1 diapers.

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When to Start Buying Diapers When Pregnant?

Should you buy diapers before the baby is born? The simple answer is yes.

Whether you choose to use cloth diapers or disposable diapers the one thing you know you are going to need right when the baby is born is diapers.

However, when should I start buying diapers is purely a personal choice.

Factors that may influence your decision include:

Budget

Preparing for your baby is not cheap. So many expecting parents choose to mitigate some of the upfront cost buy essential baby products like diapers from their weekly grocery budget or when on sale. You may choose to do this as soon as you find out that you are pregnant or a few weeks before you are due.

Availability

Depending on your location or the brand or type of diaper you choose, you may want to buy your diapers sooner rather than later to ensure they arrive before the birth of your baby.

For example, if you decide to use organic diapers you may find that the brand you love can only be purchased online. This means that you will need to factor in order and shipping times to ensure that your diapers arrive in time for your baby to use them.

Baby Shower

If you are planning to have a baby shower, you may want to hold off purchasing some of your essential baby items to reduce the risk of doubling up items. Items such as diaper cakes are often given as a baby shower gift, so you may find you end up with more diapers than you can use.

Storage

Do you have the space to store boxes of diapers? Diapers take up a lot of storage space and need to be stored in a dry location. If storage space is limited in your home, then buying bulk boxes of diapers may not be a very practical idea.

You may also like our guide on what to stock up on before baby arrives!

How Many Diapers Should I Buy Before Baby?

How many diapers should I buy before baby is born can get a little more complex of an answer.

There are few reasons for this:

Babies Aren’t All Born the Same Size or Grow At The Same Rate

All it takes is one growth spurt, and your baby will be in the next size of diapers and your left with a stockpile of diapers you can’t use.

Diaper Sizing Varies

Each major (and generic) brand of diapers on the market has its own weight range for diapers. Sometimes, your baby will move out of a size in one diaper brand but not another because they fit differently.

You May Decide to Change Diaper Brand Once Your Baby Is Born

Sometimes there are unexpected factors that will lead to you needing to change your brand of diaper. This may be a diaper rash caused by the ingredients in the diaper or simply that the diaper doesn’t fit your baby well and is causing excess diaper blowouts and leaks. For this reason, you may not want to buy too many diapers in advance.

We’ve put together this diaper buying guide which outlines all the things to consider when buying disposable diapers.

Generally, though we recommend using a diaper calculator to figure out how many diapers you should stockpile before the baby being born.

For how many cloth diapers do I need we have put together this handy chart:

Pros And Cons Of Buying Diapers While Pregnant

Whether you choose to stock up on diapers before the baby arrives or purchase just a few for the first few days and buy as you go, there really is no wrong decision.

But, to help you decide what is the best option for you we have outlined the pros and cons of stockpiling diapers before your baby arrives.

Pros:

• Can save you time and money
• It eases stress if you’re the planning type
• Allows you to be well-prepared
• If you buy different brands and types of diapers, you’ll have plenty of variety to choose from to see which ones work best

Cons:

• Higher upfront cost
• Depending on the size of your stockpile, you’ll need enough space to properly store them
• It can become a hassle to return any diapers that don’t work for your baby, especially if you don’t keep good track of receipts
• You can end up having too many diapers than you can use, especially if you have a lot from your baby shower, which could end up being a waste of money

Final Thoughts On When To Buy Diapers For Newborn

As you can see, there are some things to keep in mind when deciding if stockpiling diapers is right for you and you do need to weigh your options.

If you decide to start a stockpile of diapers, we highly recommend that you don’t open diapers ahead of time and keep track of where you buy them. That way, if you do overbuy and are looking for what to do with extra diapers, you’ll most likely have the option to exchange them at the store you brought them at for a different size.

And if you’re looking for more great pregnancy guides, then check out these best pregnancy gifts for first time moms and things new moms need for themselves!