But on a side diaper note – the diaper champ is AMAZING! It keeps the diaper smell AWAY!! We have kept it in our room for 4 months and have never smelt a thing plus you don’t have to use any special bags with it. We actually use the Target or grocery store plastic bags so we don’t have to buy any! Every little bit of money that you can save helps!!

Diapers take AGES to decompose… but then again, you’ll use more water and bleach with cloth which may just defeat the ecological benefits of not loading the landfill. I read in some hippie green parenting magazine that it may just be a wash.
So do what’s best for you.

But, I was a teenager when my nephew was born – my sister was single so between sis and me and my mom we were in sort of the position you’ll be in soon…
anyway – at the time (before car seats were mandatory) manufactured diapers were still a luxury of sorts. I think we ened up going about 50/50 with cloth/ consumer diapers. I guess that’s a pretty fair way to go.

One last note… Make sure you load up on as many hospital “freebies” as you can–including diapers. As you know, those diapers aren’t cheap, so you might as well get as many as you can for free. Just be real sweet to the nurses.

I’m due with #4 in October and I’m not stocking up. My 3 babies have all gone through the newborns and size ones and different rates. My first (6 pounds 8 ounces) wore them for several months. My second (9 pounds 9 ounces) skipped right over the newborns I’d stocked up on and wasn’t in size one for long. So for that reason, I’ll be buying one package of newborn and one of size one. After we get home I’ll send hubby to Walmart for more. I don’t stock up on diapers unless until size 3, that’s when my crew slows down growing.

I’ve found moms are loyal when it comes to diapers. I suggest a mid-price diaper. The super cheaps are exactly that. You’ll go through more of them because they leak and thus not save any money. I personally use White Cloud Diapers. I’ve only seen them at Walmart but I think Target has a similar line. It is NOT the super cheap Walmart line. They fit and feel like Pampers without the Pampers price. They are cheaper than Pampers with a coupon.

I suggest you try out the different brands to figure out which ones you prefer. It’s true that some work better for boys and some for girls. You just have to figure out which you think work better for you.

For us, Costco wipes are the way to go, assuming you have one near you and you’re a member. If not, buy in bulk wherever you can do that! Same thing with diapers. The bigger the package, the cheaper. As others have mentioned, you won’t need too many newborns, s/he won’t be in those for much more than a few weeks. But after that, get the biggest package you can find!