A diaper is a type of underwear that allows the wearer to urinate or defecate without the use of a toilet, by absorbing or containing waste products to prevent soiling of outer clothing or the external environment. When diapers become wet or soiled, they require changing, generally by a second person such as a parent or caregiver. Failure to change a diaper on a sufficiently regular basis can result in skin problems around the area covered by the diaper.
Diapers are made of cloth or synthetic disposable materials. Cloth diapers are composed of layers of fabric such as cotton, hemp, bamboo, microfiber, or even plastic fibers such as PLA or PU, and can be washed and reused multiple times. Disposable diapers contain absorbent materials and are thrown away after use.
Diapers are primarily worn by infants, toddlers who are not yet potty trained, and by children who experience bedwetting. They are also used by adults with incontinence, in certain circumstances where access to a toilet is unavailable, or as part of a sexual fetish. These can include those of advanced age, patients bed-bound in a hospital, individuals with certain types of physical or mental disability, and people working in extreme conditions, such as astronauts.
Disposable diapers are composites typically consist of an inner covering layer (coverstock), an absorbent layer, and an outer layer, where coverstock is a generic name used to describe the several nonwoven materials of about 18–85g/m2 used in hygiene products, which typically include topsheet, barrier leg cuff, backsheet, stretchy panels, fastening and landing strips, and airlaid-pulp absorbent core materials.
The use of disposable diapers has offered improved health care benefits. Urine and fecal matter leakage from the cloth nappies and the hand-to-mouth behavior in infants leads to many illnesses with a feco-oral mode of transmission. Also, the tender skin of the infant is more prone to nappy rash. The modern age disposable diapers, when compared to cloth nappy, have displayed a superior ability in containment of urine and feces, thereby reducing contamination and transmission of infection. Also disposable diapers contain Super Absorbent Material (SAM) that successfully reduces the incidence of nappy rash.
Tape diapers or Pant diapers?
It is a delight for new parents that nowadays, there are many types of diapers for the little ones to choose from, all designed to fit infants of each age and different needs for different times of the day and different activities, making taking care of your little one’s hygiene very easy and convenient. But with the overload of the choice of diapers in this era, some parents may have doubt regarding which one to choose: between the “pant diaper ” and “tape diaper”. Which one is the better fit for the baby? And how do these two diapers differ? We have prepared the answer for you!
Disposable Tape Diapers
- Suitable for newborns whose umbilical cords have not fallen off yet since parents can adjust the tape under the baby’s navel conveniently as desired. At present, the design of diapers for newborns include a soft touch surface suitable for the sensitive skin of the baby, as well as a special curved waistband design. Parents can be confident that the baby’s navel area is well protected from friction.
For babies who are not very active yet, mostly breastfeeding and sleeping, the use of tape disposable diapers is easier because they cannot sit or stand. It is ideal to put the diaper on as the baby lies on its back and lift up the baby’s bottom.
- By comparing prices in the market in general, tape diapers are usually cheaper than pant diapers. It is suitable for infants up to 6 months because during this age, especially during the first month, the baby will often defecate 2-3 times a day or several times a day (every time after being fed. Babies defecate very often in the first 2-3 weeks after birth, and will gradually reduce the frequency of defecation when they reach the age of 3 months. Therefore, the use of tape diapers is appropriate.
Disposable Pant Diapers
- When the baby is 6 months old, they often flip over onto their stomachs, rolling and crawling. They do not stay still. This means that it becomes difficult to put them on their backs to put on tape diapers. So, during this age, putting on and removing pant diapers is easier and more convenient. You can put your baby in any position and it does not require the baby’s legs to be pulled up.
- Pant diapers have an elastic band around the waist and around the legs, which are soft and flexible. Therefore, they fit comfortably with the baby’s physique. Without a tape strip, parents do not have to worry that the little ones will remove the tape due to their movements. Pant diapers ensure that the baby can move with agility, ready to learn new things. There is no need to worry about leakage.
- In case you have to bring your little ones along to activities outside the home, finding the right place for changing diapers may not be easy. Pant diapers are easy to put on and take off. It is a good choice for when you are on the go.
Both tape diapers and pant diapers have different advantages. In summary, tape diapers are suitable for newborns up to 6 months. Diaper pants are suitable for babies who are learning to crawl and have a lot of movement and activities.
However, the choice of diapers is not a fixed formula. It all depends on the convenience of the parents and each baby. Some moms may continue to use tape diapers for the whole duration because they are already familiar with and is skilled in putting them on and removing them. Meanwhile, some may use two alternate types of diapers, such as pant diapers for the daytime where the baby has many activities and use tape diapers at night, when they are getting ready to sleep.
Whether you use pants diaper or a tape diapers, what parents should consider is the ability to absorb and ventilate, the fit to the baby’s physique, as well as the touch of the surface and the shape of the diaper and whether it is suitable for the little one or not. In addition, no matter what type of diaper you use, always change the diaper every 3-4 hours and every time the baby defecates to maintain the health and hygiene of the little one.
Sizing
| Diaper Size | Baby Weight (lbs) | Baby weight (kg) | Approx Child Age |
| N | <11 | <5 | <2 months |
| 1 | 4-11 | 2-5 | 0-2 months |
| 2 | 6-17 | 3-8 | 0–6 months |
| 3 | 13-24 | 6-11 | 5–22 months |
| 4 | 20-31 | 9-14 | 8–30 months |
| 5 | 24-55 | 11-25 | 20–36 months |
| 6 | >35 | >16 | > 30 months |
How to choose the right size disposable diaper for your baby
During the period where the baby cannot control their own excretion, diapers are an important everyday tool to have around all day every day. The choice of diapers for the age and size of the baby is very important. In addition to good absorption and ventilation, finding diapers that fit well to the baby’s body is not to be overlooked. If you choose diapers that are too small, they will be too tight and cause the baby to become uncomfortable. But if you choose one that is too large, the problem is leakage. Today we have good tips in choosing a diaper size to match your little one’s needs.
- Choose disposable diapers according to your baby’s weight
Choosing the right sized diaper for your baby is not hard. Parents can determine the size according to the baby’s weight group .
However, in choosing the right disposable diapers to fit the baby, parents should consider the physique of each child since diapers of similar size indicates overlapping recommended weight because parents can adjust the size of the diapers according to the child’s shape and size, as well as weight.
For parents who are in the process of selecting new diapers, we recommend buying in a trial amount, then seeing whether the diaper fits. If it does, the parents can then decide to buy a larger quantity for long term use.
- Testing the fit of a diaper
When your baby starts to grow, of course, the weight and height of the baby increases. Therefore, it’s a time for parents to take notice of the change in size and consider moving up in size in regards to diapers. We have tips on how to notice these changes.
When diapers are too small: Parents start to struggle during the taping process of the diaper or the baby starts showing signs of tightness, such as redness, around the waistband or leg, including symptoms of uncomfortableness. With these signs, going up in size in recommended.
When diapers are too big: If the parents cannot achieve a precise fit with the tape. If the tape is too loose, there will be a gap between the waist and leg and the diaper, which can cause leakage. If the tape is tightened to the maximum capacity and this problem still persists, we recommend going down in size.
Adjusting a diaper for perfect fit: When parents choose diapers that are appropriately sized for the baby, they also have to tighten the tape in accordance to the baby’s physique in order to prevent leakage. The elastic around the edge of the leg must be positioned so that it does not fold in. The tape must be tightened at the waist. Parents must be able to insert 2 fingers into the waistband to make sure not to strap too tightly that it makes the baby feel uncomfortable. Some may have heard the urban legend that putting diapers on loosely is good for the baby for fear of children being uncomfortable, but the truth is, they should be fitted to the baby’s body. If the diaper is too loose, it cannot absorb as well and may create friction against the baby’s skin, causing irritation.
Always be observant: Even if the parents know how to choose the appropriate diaper size to fit the baby and how to put it on correctly, they should also pay attention and be observant of the baby as well, especially toddlers who very rarely stay still. The movement of the child may cause the diaper to move around and cause leakage.
When parents are able to choose disposable diapers that fit and are able to put them on correctly, little ones will be able to move around actively and agilely without any worry of leakage.
Diapers Usage – How Many Will Your Baby Need
If you have not read your antenatal books properly, then your baby’s diaper usage may startle you. If you think that babies poop and pee like adults, then you are highly mistaken. The first year after delivery can be an extremely demanding year, where you will be struggling with your baby’s feeding and diaper changing schedule. In the following article, we will give the facts and let you know how many diapers your little one will require daily. The aim is not to scare the newbie-parents but to prepare you mentally to deal with your baby’s diaper changing requirements.
How Many Diapers Should Your Infant Normally Use in a Day?
Newborn to a Month Old
Newborn babies use more diapers in comparison to older babies. Therefore, if your baby is under one month of age, you can expect to change 6 to 10 diapers per day. Around this age, your baby may have 3 to 4 bowel movements a day and pee after every feed.
Over 1-Month-Old Baby
As your baby turns one month old, you may notice fewer soiled diapers, and you’ll see that your baby may require up to 4 to 6 diapers in a day. If your baby is exclusively on breast milk, then he may have more soiled diapers in comparison to a baby who is on formula milk. Breast milk is easy to digest, which means more poops and more soiled diapers.
How Many Diapers Per Day by Age Chart (Up to 1 Year)
Here in the following chart, we have discussed how many diapers your baby may require on daily and monthly bases.
| Age Of The Baby | Diaper Usage Per Day | Diaper Usage In One Month |
| 0 to 1-month-old baby | 10 to 12 diapers | 320 diapers |
| 1 to 5 months old baby | 8 to 10 diapers | 240 diapers |
| 5 to 9 months old baby | 8 diapers | 240 diapers |
| 9 to 12 months old baby | 8 diapers | 240 diapers |
Above-mentioned diaper usage is an average usage of a baby of a particular age. However, it may vary slightly in all the babies.
When Should You Change Your Baby’s Diaper?
As soon as you find your baby’s diaper soiled and wet, it is recommended that you change it. The infection caused by urine and faeces is very painful for your baby, and it is very difficult to treat as well.
It is recommended that you check for your baby’s soiled diaper when your baby is awake. Avoid waking your baby to change his diaper. You may check and change your baby’s diaper before feeding him, as babies tend to sleep after their feeding session. You can also change your baby’s diaper just before retiring for the night.
You may notice a soiled diaper every 1 to 3 hours with your newborn baby and also after you finish feeding him. This happens because his bowels get stimulated, making the baby poop. You should change the diaper when it gets wet, but you can wait for a disposable diaper to become wet and heavy before changing it.
What if Your Baby’s Wet Diaper Count Is Too Low?
On average, your baby may be wetting 6 to 8 diapers in a day. If you notice that your baby has fewer wet diapers, then this may be a cause for concern. Fewer wet diapers mean that your baby is not getting enough milk and this can make your baby dehydrated. Dehydration is a cause of great concern in babies, and this can lead to various health complications. As soon as you notice this change of your baby using lesser average diapers per day; get in touch with your baby’s doctor. However, if you are worried about your breast milk supply, you can discuss it with your doctor and learn about various ways of increasing your milk supply.
What if Your Baby’s Wet Diaper Count Is Too High?
Your baby’s high diaper usage may scare you, but it is very normal for newborn babies to the soil every 1 to 3 hours. This will get better as your baby grows. Your baby will develop better control of his bladder and bowel movements by the time he is one year old
