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How Many Nappies And Wraps Will I need?

A newborn needs around 12 changes a day, but the older they get the less changing they need. A rule of thumb appears to be they need 2 less changes every 6 months, down to 4 changes a day by 18-24 months. HOWEVER, this is an average. Your baby will have his/her own rhythm- my son is 26 months needs at least 5 changes a day, whereas his friend at the same age only needs 2!

The WRAP website suggests you have 25-30 nappies. We will assume here that you'll need 25, and that you will wash daily- 12 nappies being worn + 12 in the wash or drying. If you plan to wash and dry in one day then you'll only need ½ as many and so on.

bumGenius! are a special case when it comes to figures. As they dry so quickly (overnight in a warm house on average) you won't need the extra "in the wash" load. You may get by on 15, but 20 would be more than enough.

The only system that needs a particular wrap is the prefolds- they need close fitting wraps (such as a ME Rikki) with a good gusset to hold the prefold in place. A terry nappy, on the other hand, would probably do best with a ME Airflow, or even a Tots wrap.

The Tots, ME Airflow and ME Rikki wraps can all be used with most shaped nappies. Obviously the Tots are designed to be used with Tots nappies etc, but they are pretty much interchangeable.

Breastfed poo can be explosive and very soft (but not smelly, honest!), so you will probably need to change the wrap a couple of times a day in the early months. A bit of soiling on the inside can be cleaned with a wipe, but should be changed if it gets onto the fabric binding.

If you choose the All-In-One or Pocket/Stuffable options then you do not need seperate wraps. As the wraps are intrinsic part of the nappy the whole thing needs changed each time.

I'll start with the cheapest option (flat nappies) but don't be put off by the more expensive systems on cost alone, if you've got time you can save up, and if you want to start straight away you can go part time to begin with.

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Flat Nappies

0-6 months (approx)

Muslins can be used for newborns, in addition to the options below, a muslin folded into a rectangle and placed in a Tots Fleece Wrap is quite cozy. A regular booster would work well in a fleece wrap too. If you choose this for the 1st few weeks then you are best going with the Size 0 Tots Redwrap.

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

Newborn-18lb (6 months)
Description	Cost each (£)	Quantity	Total cost (£)
Muslins	1.20	30	36
Terries Small 40cm²	1.75	25	30
Terries Large 60cm²	2.00	25	50
Prefolds Small (up to 15lb)	2.15	25	53.75
Medium (15-28/35lb)	2.65	25	66.25
ME Rikki/Airflow Wrap Small (6-12lb)	8.50	5	42.50
ME Rikki/Airflow Wrap Medium (10-20lb)	8.50	5	42.50

6 months + (approx)

After the 1st 6 months you can probably get away with fewer wraps as leaks occur less and so you won't need to change the wrap so often. I rarely need to change one in a day.

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

18-35lb 6 months+
Description	Cost each	Quantity	Total cost (£)
Terries Large 60cm²	2.00	25	50
Prefolds Medium (15-28/25lb)	2.65	25	66.25
ME Rikki/Airflow Wrap Large (20-35lb)	8.50	3	25.50

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Terries Birth to Potty bought individually
Quantity	Product description		Cost (£)
25	Terries	Small 40cm²	30
25	Terries	Large 60cm²	50
5	ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap	Small (6-12lb)	37.50
5	ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap	Medium (10-20lb)	37.50
3	ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap	Large (20-35lb)	22.50
	Total cost		177.50

 

Prefolds Birth to Potty bought individually
Quantity	Product description		Cost (£)
25	Prefolds	Small (up to 15lb)	53.75
25	Prefolds	Medium (15-28/35lb)	66.25
5	ME Rikki Wrap	Small (6-12lb)	37.50
5	ME Rikki Wrap	Medium (10-20lb)	37.50
3	ME Rikki Wrap	Large (20-35lb)	22.50
	Total cost		217.50

Shaped Nappies

0-6 months (approx)

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

Newborn-18lb (6 months)
Description	Cost each (£)	Quantity	Total cost (£)
Tots Bots Cotton Size 1 (8-18lb)	7.00	25	175
Tots Bots Bamboozle Size 1 (8-18lb)	9.25	25	231.25
ME Sandys Small (8-20lb)	8.25	25	206.25
Tots Bots Wrap Size 0 (up to 12lb)	7.50	5	37.50
Tots Bots Wrap Size 1 (up to 18lb)	7.50	5	37.50
ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap Small (6-12lb)	8.50	5	42.5
ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap Meduim (10-20lb)	8.50	5	42.5

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6 months+ (approx)

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

18-35lb 6 months+
Description	Cost each	Quantity	Total cost (£)
Tots Bots Cotton Size 2 (18-40lb)	7.00	25	175.00
Tots Bots Bamboozle Size 2 (18-40lb)	9.75	25	243.75
ME Sandys Large (20-35lb)	8.75	25	218.75
Tots Bots Wrap Size 2 (20-40lb)	7.50	3	22.50
ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap Large (20-35lb)	8.50	3	25.50

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Tots Bots Nippa Birth to Potty bought individually.
Quantity	Product description		Cost (£)
25	Nippa	Size 1 (8-18lb)	175
25	Nippa	Size 2 (18-40lb)	175
5	Wrap	Size 0 (up to 12lb)	37.50
5	Wrap	Size 1 (up to 18lb)	37.50
3	Wrap	Size 2 (18-40lb)	22.50
	Total cost		447.50

 

Tots Bots Bamboozle/Fluffle Birth to Potty bought individually
Quantity	Product description		Cost (£)
25	Bamboozle	Size 1 (8-18lb)	243.75
25	Bamboozle	Size 2 (18-40lb)	243.75
5	Tots Wrap	Size 0 (up to 12lb)	37.50
5	Tots Wrap	Size 1(18-40lb)	37.50
3	Tots Wrap	Size 2 (18-40lb)	22.50
	Total cost		585

ME Sandys Birth to Potty bought individually
Quantity	Product description		Cost (£)
25	Sandys	Small (8-20lb)	206.25
25	Sandys	Large (20-35lb)	218.75
5	Airflow/Rikki Wrap	Small (6-12lb)	42.50
5	Airflow/Rikki Wrap	Meduim (10-20lb)	42.50
3	Airflow/Rikki Wrap	Large (20-35lb)	25.50
	Total cost		472.50

Onesize Nappies

Onesize nappies should fit from birth to toddler on the average baby. Obviously there are great savings to be had, but as direction for the MEOS state it is to fit from 8-35lb, and Tots size 2 is 18-35lb you could surmise that they will look a bit bulky on the littler babies. That's the pay off I'm afraid. The exception to this is the brand new bumGenius! pocket nappy. It is a onesize to fit 6-35lb and as it is a thin "shell", which is stuffed with an appropriate absorbent booster, it can be fitted small and neat, as well as big for the toddler.

0-6 months (approx)

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

Newborn-18lb (6 months)
Description	Cost each (£)	Quantity	Total cost (£)
MEOS (8-35lb)	7.50	25	187.50
bumGenius! (6-35lb) Inc Microfleece booster	14.00	20	280.00
Tots Bots Wrap Size 0 (up to 12lb)	7.50	5	37.50
Tots Bots Wrap Size 1 (up to 18lb)	7.50	5	37.50
ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap Small (6-12lb)	8.50	5	42.50
ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap Medium (10-20lb)	8.50	5	42.50

6 months+ (approx)

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

18-35lb 6 months+
Description	Cost each	Quantity	Total cost (£)
MEOS (8-35lb)	7.50	25	187.50
bumGenius! (6-35lb) Inc Microfleece booster	14.00	20	280.00
Tots Bots Wrap Size 2 (20-40lb)	7.50	3	22.50
ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap Medium (10-20lb)	8.50	5	42.50
ME Airflow/Rikki Wrap Large (20-35lb)	8.50	3	25.50

All-In-One

All-In-One is a nappy that has the absorbent nappy and waterproof wrap attached in one unit. They are used in the same way as a disposable in that you change the whole thing at each nappy change.

bumGenius! is a pocket nappy and as such needs absorbent boosters (they have no absorbency on their own). However, once they have the boosters they are used as an All-In-One as the whole thing needs changed at every nappy change. NOTE: The bumGenius! comes with a onesize microfleece booster.

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0-6 months (approx)

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

Newborn-18lb (6 months)
Description	Cost each (£)	Quantity	Total cost (£)
bumGenius! (6-35lb) Inc Microfleece booster	14.00	20	280.00
ME AIO Small (8-20lb)	11.99	25	299.75

 

6 months+ (approx)

Range of nappies and wraps you can choose from:

18-35lb 6 months+
Description	Cost each	Quantity	Total cost (£)
bumGenius! (6-35lb) Inc Microfleece booster	14.00	20	280.00
ME All-In-One Large (20-35lb)	12.49	25	312.25

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ME AIO Birth to potty bought individually
Quantity	Product description		Cost (£)
25	All-In-One	Small (8-20lb)	299.75
25	All-In-One	Large (20-35lb)	312.25
	Total cost		612

bumGenius! Birth to potty bought individually
Quantity	Product description		Cost (£)
20	bumGenius!	Onesize (6-35lb)	280
	Total cost		280