Diapering

Page Updated on July 28, 2007

Changing table (Unnecessary)
I don't recommend changing tables at all. I personally feel they are a waste of money because your child outgrows them so quickly and only the expensive ones can be used as a dresser later on. I suggest using the crib as a changing table to start out with. Your baby won't fall out, there's lots of room, and during the early months with the mattress raised up to the highest level it's the perfect height. You can just use an underpad (washable or disposable) to protect the sheets. When your baby gets older and wants to wiggle around, a changing table isn't a safe place to change your baby because the chance that he may wiggle right off the table increases. You can continue to change him in his crib if you can handle bending over since the mattress will most likely be lowered by this stage, but the safest place to change a wiggling baby is on the floor. Chances are you'll be spending a lot of time with your little one on the floor during this stage anyhow. If you insist on having a designated changing area, try buying a changing pad that straps onto a dresser or small chest-of-drawers. Then you can just take the pad off and the dresser will remain a permanent fixture in your child's room. If you absolute insist on buying a changing table, make sure that it is certified by the JPMA and is very sturdy.
Disposable diapers (stock up)
Only buy 1 pack of newborn sized diapers. If by the end of the pack your baby is still able to fit in them, feel free to buy another pack. Babies grow out of the newborn sizes quickly, so if you try to stock up on such sizes, many of them may go unused and become a waste of money. However, feel free to stock up on larger sizes because your baby will eventually wear them. Even if you plan on using cloth diapers, consider having some disposables for backup or for outings as well as the diaper bag.

Cloth diapers (5-12 per day)

Cloth diapers are gentle on baby's skin because they're so soft. (Women, imagine having to wear a disposable sanitary pad all day, every day for at least a couple of years. Eventually you would start to beg for some cloth against the delicate skin in those areas.) They are often changed sooner too and allow air flow for your baby's skin to breathe, so diaper rash is reduced. Plus, they save you money because 5 washable diapers is about as much as a pack of diapers but can be used long after those disposables are gone. Many people complain about how cloth diapers are a hassle because there's the folding, the soaking, the handling of baby poop, the washing and drying, and finally the folding for storage, not to mention those dangerous diaper pins and annoying diaper covers. When I hear people say such things, I can't resist lecturing them. Cloth diapers aren't what they used to be. Sure all of those labor intensive tasks are necessary if you are using flat diapers, but most people don't use flat diapers anymore. Modern cloth diapers are designed like disposables, so you just put them on like you would a disposable diaper and use Velcro or snaps instead of diaper pins. The most popular are all-in-one (AIO) diapers. These diapers are absorbent and don't require a diaper cover because the waterproof barrier is built in. Pre-fitted or fitted diapers are very similar but require the use of a diaper cover. If you dislike the idea of trying to figure out how to remove the poop, just use a flushable diaper liner that peels off and goes straight into the toilet with very little mess. If you need more absorbency, use a washable liner (also called a diaper doubler). When you're finished, just throw everything into the diaper pail or hamper and throw it into the washer and then into the dryer like you would a load of laundry. Throw them in a large drawer or basket next to your changing area and forget about the need to fold them into tidy little piles. If you're still not convinced that cloth are easy enough to use every day, just buy a few to use once per week or more to give baby's skin a break from rough disposables. (I only use them 3 days a week.) If that even sounds like too much trouble, realize that you still need to have some cloth diapers on hand as backup just in case you run out of disposables at 3am and you can't get to a store to buy diapers to save your life. (It happens.)

My absolute favorite washable diapers are the Kushies All In One diapers. (I just love these diapers.) There's the Ultra All In One® that has an outer waterproof barrier that is easy to wipe off in case your little one spills dinner on himself. There is also the Classic All In One® that is exactly like the ultra in every way except that the outer waterproof barrier is covered by soft flannel, which is perfect for comfort. We have yet to experience any major leaks with Kushies diapers, and our baby's bum enjoys the soft flannel. Visit the Kushies website to see more models.

Diaper liners (start with 1 roll of disposable and 2 washable)

Diaper liners are intended to catch poop. Why? Because it's much easier to wash a diaper if it isn't filled with poop. The diaper liners catch the poop (at least most of it), so you can remove the liner; hence you remove most of the poop, making the diaper easier to clean. There are two types of diaper liners: disposable and washable. Some disposable liners can be flushed, some will clog your toilet. Washable liners catch the poop, but then you need to scrape off the poop, soak them, and wash them. Some washable liners are designed to add absorbency to cloth diapers (which is handy when you travel). These are good if your child doesn't poop during the night but does pee a lot.

Flushable Diaper Liners

I'm a huge fan of flushable diaper liners. You can flush them down the toilet and be done with them. Then just throw your cloth diapers in the washer. Very little, or no, poop removal required before washing.

Disposable wet diaper wipes (stock up)

Disposable diaper wipes are a must when you're on the go and they're convenient around the house. Purchase wipes that are as cloth-like as possible. Scratchy paper wipes will eventually irritate your baby's skin. (Don't you just hate scratchy toilet paper.)

Kirkland disposable wipes. You can only get them at Costco, but they don't smell and are made out of cloth instead of paper, so they won't irritate your baby's bottom. They're not flushable, though, so into the diaper pail or trash can they go. They're also great for washing hands and even cleaning furniture.

Wipes warmer (1)
This is a must. Many babies scream when the cold wipes are placed against their skin, making diaper time an unhappy routine. (Try putting some cold wipes on your inner thigh when you're cold or not expecting it. It's not a pleasant experience.) Get a wipe warmer that you can put the wipes into. Don't bother with the ones that wrap around the container the wipes originally come in. If you don't want to invest in a wipes warmer, you can heat them up in the microwave for a few seconds (no foil pouches please), or at least hold the wipes close to your body (such as under your shirt or between your thighs) to warm them up a bit.
Washcloths (12-15 per day if not using disposable wipes)
For some reason people forget that you can use a washcloth with plain old water to wipe down your baby's bottom. The soft baby washcloths are the best for this job, but if you want to save money you can cut up some flatfold cloth diapers. You should have at least a few of these washcloths just in case you run out of disposable diaper wipes. If you plan on using them exclusively, you'll need quite a bit more. Just make sure you throw them in with the cloth diapers when you clean them instead of with the rest of your laundry. If you don't use cloth diapers, make sure you wash them separately from the rest of your laundry in hot water. To keep them from getting mixed up with washcloths you use on your baby's face, get them all in one color, a color that obviously won't be confused with the colors of your other washcloths (like hot pink).
Diaper pail (1)
A diaper pail is another one of those individual preference items. Some people absolutely must have a diaper pail for disposable diapers because they only take their trash out once or twice per week and want to keep the smell down. Other people just stick the disposable diapers in the household trash which gets taken out every night. If you decide to purchase a diaper pail for disposable diapers, consider the costs. A basic diaper pail can keep smells to a minimum without forcing you to purchase expensive bags and liners. Of course, those, like the Diaper Genie, which require the purchase of expensive bags do work well, sometimes better than those basic diaper pails, but you will pay for it. Some people who use cloth diapers use a diaper pail so that they can soak their diapers for a day or two while other people who use cloth diapers just keep them in a hamper or laundry basket and wash them every day or every other day. Think about how your household handles matters like trash and laundry before you decide to purchase a diaper pail. No matter what you purchase, make sure your little one can't get into it. Diaper pails are no place for babies to play. The germs can make them sick, and if you soak your cloth diapers, your baby could drown in the water. Keep those diaper pails locked and out of reach of curious little hands.
Underpads (3 per day)
This is the one thing I never saw on any "shopping for baby" list, but it is one of the most valuable. Underpads are usually sold by medical supply companies for people with bladder control problems. (I would like to suggest that babies definitely have problems when it comes to controlling their little bladders.) Some companies have started making underpads especially for babies, but I've noticed they're rather overpriced.

Many parents will tell you that the vast majority of babies love "naked time." Naked time is great. It helps air out baby's bottom, reducing diaper rash, and gives junior a much needed break from uncomfortable diapers. The only problem with naked time is uncontrollable pooping and peeing, so here's what you do. Put an underpad in your baby's crib. Put your naked baby on the underpad. Let baby experience naked time as long as he wishes, knowing that if junior has an accident, the underpad will protect the crib sheets. If you have a boy, you might want to put a washcloth or flat cloth diaper over the pee pee hose, or the underpad won't even be able to keep your walls from getting wet. The use of an underpad is also wonderful for when you use your crib as a changing table or giving you a protected place to lay your naked baby down for drying and dressing just after bath time. If your baby has been having excessively leaky diapers for one reason or another, the underpad can help protect other surfaces, such as the couch, the carpet, mommy's lap, etc.

As your little ones get older, you can use the pads under their car seats to protect from spilled juice or potty training accidents. They even come in handy for protecting your bed during your period if you have a heavy flow and catching urine leaks (which certainly can happen after you've had a baby). Even if nobody needs them for hygiene purposes, you can use them to cover up spills that you can't clean up immediately (just throw them face down over the spill and tell your kids to go jump on it to suck out the spill; excellent for travel). If you're creative, you can use them to absorb any liquid that you use for projects, so it doesn't flow off your workspace, onto your table, onto your clothes, and onto the floor. Yes, the underpad is my hero.