When you become a parent, the first thing you want to know is the diaper’s expenses per year.
A diaper estimator or calculator can help you to find the exact number of diapers according to the baby’s weight.
It is important to note that all the diaper sizes wouldn’t work well for every baby. Another issue is when the diaper’s size increases, the number of diapers in a pack decreases. The good news is when the baby grows; the number of diapers required also gets reduced. In this article, we will discuss how the diaper estimator works?
How Does Diaper Estimator Help to Calculate the Number of Diapers?
We all are different as an individual, so does our babies are. If one diaper size is working well for one family might not work best for others. So, this article is a general guideline of how many you need to buy for your baby. Don’t expect this article to be a perfect guide. It will somehow give you an idea of cost per year.
Newborn consumes 8-10 diapers per day. As they grow old and start sleeping through the night, this number reduces to 5-8 diapers per day. Babies who take formula feed are likely to gain weight quickly than breast-fed babies. So, let’s have a look at the required number of diapers according to age and weight.
Size 1 Diapers
During the first four months, babies grow quickly, and normally their weight increases 2 lbs per month. If the starting weight was only 6 lbs, then they will be in size 1 for just four months. So, the number of diapers required will be:
4 Months * 30 Days * 10 Diapers per day = 1200 Diapers of size 1. If a jumbo pack contains 40 diapers, then you will have to purchase 30 packs.
Size 2 Diapers
Size 2 and size 3 overlap by several pounds, so I have skipped the details of size 2. But size 2 pack contains more diapers than size 3. So, we have moved 10 diapers from size 2 to size 3.
Size 3 Diapers
After a couple of months the baby’s growth slows down and the baby grows in weight by 1-1.5 lbs per month. So, you can use size 3 for almost 8 to 12 months. During this period, diaper usage also decreases, and now the baby will consume 5-8 diapers per day. If a baby uses size 3 for 8 months, then the number of required diapers will be:
8 Months * 30 Days * 6 Diapers per day = 1440 Diapers of size 3. If a jumbo pack of size 3 contains 36 diapers, then you will have to purchase 40 packs.
Size 4 Diapers
It depends on the baby’s size, but in general, size 4 last for 12-18 months. During this period, you will be changing 6 diapers per day.
6 Months * 30 Days * 6 Diapers per day = 1080 Diapers of size 4. If a jumbo pack contains 23 diapers, you will have to purchase 46 packs.
Size 5 Diapers
It depends on the size and weight of the baby. Babies use this size from 18-24 months. During this period, they consume 5 diapers per day.
6 Months * 30 Days * 5 Diapers per day = 900 Diapers of size 5. So, if a jumbo pack contains 20 diapers, then you will have to purchase 45 packs.
So now we will look at the price of these packs.
Newborn = 2-3 Packs
Size 1 = 30 Packs
Size 2 = 15 Packs
Size 3 = 30 Packs
Size 4 = 46 Packs
Size 5 = 45 Packs
So almost it becomes 170 Jumbo Packs. If the price of one pack is $10, it becomes $1700. Means for two years, you will have to pay this price. Remember, these estimates are general and can vary from baby to baby. But ideally, you will have to purchase the same amount of packs for the first two years.
How to Stock Diapers at the Best Price?
Now, you have calculated the total number of diapers for two years by diaper estimator. Now, the question is how to stock them at the best price? You can purchase diapers from grocery stores, but the rates will be higher. So, the best place to buy diapers is the drug store. You can find the best deals there. You can use a coupon to get the reward. Deals can help you to find the best diapers at a reasonable price.
Will it be good to buy Diapers in Large Boxes?
It might look a good idea, but it wouldn’t work well. For example, if you buy one large diaper box, you will get only one coupon. If you buy three packs at the same price, then you will get three coupons. So, the chances are you can save more money by buying more coupons. So use your phone calculator before making any decision.
How to Reduce Diaper Costs?
Parents want the ease of diapers and don’t want to pay too much for that ease. So, if you don’t want to compromise on quality and want to reduce diaper costs, then follow the below-given tips.
- You can check Amazon subscriptions.
- If you are not picky about brands, you can choose diapers that offer coupons.
- You can find coupons on Amazon as well.
- If you can afford to buy the large packs. It can help to save you money.
Conclusion
A diaper estimator can only give you an idea of the required number of diapers per year. However, these numbers and costs vary from baby to baby. Some babies grow quickly and use fewer diapers than the others, so the required number of diapers will be less. You can buy quality diapers at low prices by following the tips above mentioned. So, prepare yourself for these diapers and wipe expenses because you will pay a massive amount for diapers and wipes when you have a baby. If you already have some babies, then you might know it better.