[Comparison] Best Newborn Nappies in Australia

The newborn phase is generally three months, but when it comes to nappies, it’s best to go by weight rather than age. Most brands with newborn nappies are for babies up to 5kg, but there are some that specifically for 4-6kg.

As such, how long your baby will require newborn nappies will depend on how quickly they gain weight and how long it takes them to exceed the maximum weight recommendation for that particular brand.

As a general rule, though, if you’re trying to work out a budget, it’s safe to assume you’ll need at least three months worth of newborn nappies. Most newborns can use up to 12 nappies a day, so over their newborn phase, you should budget for roughly 1,080 newborn nappies.

It’s definitely not a small figure, which is why the cost comparison in this article is significant. Based on the cheapest and most expensive brands out there, you could be looking at a total difference of almost $600 over three months!

Yes, most if not all newborn nappies are unisex, both in terms of print design as well as the fitting and layer composition. Bigger sizes, however, catering for crawlers and toddlers tend to be gender-specific, with boys’ nappies having greater absorbency at the front, and the girls’ more concentrated in the middle and back.

Newborn nappies are usually labelled as Size 1. Some brands will offer premmie nappies as Size 0.

The two most common issues parents experience with nappies are leakages from the sides and back, and also nappy rash or redness.

Nappy leakages can be caused by many reasons including:

• Incorrect use of nappies – Taping it up too loose, misaligned, or forgetting to flip out the leak guard can all result in leakages.
• Unsuitable fitting – Every baby is different, so it will take trial and error to find a nappy with a contour and cutting that perfectly wraps around your baby’s bum and thighs.
• Sizing too large or too small – Both cases can cause leakages, although in most cases people have found that sizing up usually solves leaking problems.

Nappy rash and redness is also fairly common, and has a few contributing factors:

• Sensitive skin – If the baby has eczema or naturally sensitive skin, they might will require nappies that are more breathable and natural.
• Having nappies on for too long – Unlike older babies who can sometimes go half a day without changing their nappies, newborns require frequent changing of nappies, even if it’s only a small wee because wet nappies create a lot of warm moisture around their sensitive area which can lead to skin reactions.