By Jeana Lee Tahnk
When my first baby came into the world, like most new parents, I was completely clueless about everything. I listened intently to the nurses after the birth, studied how they bathed my baby and left the hospital with whatever they put into that big plastic bag.
One of those items, of course, was that starter pack of diapers. Believe me, after changing 10 to 12 diapers a day, you get pretty comfortable after a week or so and you've logged about 100 changes.
I remember running out of that initial pack of diapers and standing in the aisle at my local pharmacy, gazing through a euphoric and sleep-deprived haze of all the diaper options out there. Wait, he's 8 pounds-do I go newborn or do I go size 1? And to add to the sizing confusion, I couldn't figure out why there were different types of diapers under the same brand. What were the differences? This was way before the age of the smartphone, when I could look things up in an instant.
For me, back in the day, it was through trial and error that I figured out what worked when it came to diaper sizing. And after three kids in diapers (one of whom is still in the diaper stage), I feel like I've become pretty well-versed in what works.
Here are my suggestions on how to find the right diaper:
- Experimentation: There are lots of diaper styles out there. Get a few packs and see what works the best, what you like and what seems to make your baby the most comfortable.
- Recommendation: Ask your friends what diapers they use. Why do they like them? I found that most of my friends ended up picking one brand and sticking with it.
- Size of baby: Just like adults, no two babies are the same size. If your baby has super squishy legs or is more lean in the leg, you may want to consider sizing up or down accordingly.
- Size of diaper: The weight recommendations are general guidelines, but again, based on fit and your baby's body, you might want to try different sizing. My baby doesn't quite meet the weight guidelines for the size diaper she wears, but I like that they're a little bigger on her and give her a little extra room.
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Diaper features: Something I found very important, especially during those first few months when diaper changes were abundant, is having an elastic waistband. So many middle-of-the-night changes were spared from having a full head-to-toe clothing change because of that elastic band in the back.
Aside from your baby, your baby's diapers are something you become familiar with very quickly. You want to make sure that you find ones that you have faith in (no leaks!) and are comfortable with. And when you do, chances are you'll stick with them for years to come-or, at least until your little one is potty-trained.