9 Smart Diaper Habits to Start Now

These quick tips will save you time, sanity, and maybe even your wardrobe.

1. Always pack at least two more diapers than you need. Because just when you get cocky about having had an extra one on hand, your baby is sure to have her poopiest day yet.
2. Restock! Whenever you get home from an outing, restock your diaper bag. It’s one of those little things that’ll make you feel super organized and smart.
3. Order diapers and wipes online. Let’s see, you could drive to the store for diapers between feedings, wait in line, get stuck in traffic, and haul the heavy bags home. Or you could click one pre-set button. Be the smart mom: Click.
4. BYO trash bag. "I always pack a plastic grocery bag to avoid the uncomfortable situation of having to throw a smelly diaper in someone's kitchen garbage," says Allison Brown, a mom of one in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Her friends are grateful—and yours will be too!
5. Duck and cover! "As newborns, both of my boys had the tendency to pee as soon as the cold air hits their privates," says Brenna Paransky, a mom of two in Raleigh, North Carolina. "I learned quickly the open-diaper-and-cover routine." Use a wipe or an extra diaper to keep the surprise spray in check.
6. Open up the new diaper before taking off the old one. "Sometimes babies are super-squirmy," says Karen Lesh, a mom of two in Cheshire, Connecticut. "The faster you can get the new diaper on, the better!"
7. Keep a package of one-size-up diapers on hand Growth spurts are real, and they happen seemingly overnight.
8. And when you do find yourself with leftover too-small diapers… "For goodness' sake don't throw them away," says Francesca Donner, a mom of one in New York City. "Find a neighbor, a community center, or a homeless shelter to donate them to and you'll make someone else happy—and feel good, too." 
9. Want to help out? Check out Huggies’ No Baby Unhugged Program, which has donated over 225 million diapers to babies in need.