What Size Diapers Should You Put on a Baby Registry?

When you’re building a baby registry, diapers seem like one of the easiest things to add. You know you’re going to need a lot of them, so why not register for a giant stockpile before the baby arrives?

After two babies, I actually think the opposite. I would not stock up on too many diapers before your baby is born, especially in newborn and size 1.

Both of my babies moved through the smallest diaper sizes much faster than I expected. You also have no idea which diaper brand you’re going to like best until you actually have a baby wearing them. My advice is to register for a few different sizes and use gift cards or a diaper fund for the rest.

What Diaper Sizes Should You Put on Your Registry?

If I were building a baby registry today, I would keep it simple. I would register for one smaller pack of newborn diapers, one box of size 1 diapers and one box of size 2 diapers.

I would not register for multiple giant boxes of newborn or size 1 diapers. Babies can grow out of those sizes surprisingly quickly, and you don’t know ahead of time exactly how big your baby will be or how quickly they will grow.

Size 2 is where I personally felt like we had a little more breathing room. My daughter has been in size 2 for a while now, and I expect her to stay in them longer than she stayed in newborn or size 1.

That doesn’t mean every baby will follow the same pattern. It’s exactly why I think having fewer diapers before your baby arrives is better than having an entire closet filled with one size.

Should You Register for Newborn Diapers?

If you want to register for diapers than yes, but I would only register for a small amount. My son started in newborn diapers and moved through them pretty quickly, so unless you know you’re expecting a particularly small baby, I don’t think you need several large boxes of newborn diapers waiting at home.

The hospital also sent us home with a handful of diapers and wipes. It wasn’t enough to last very long, but it meant we didn’t need a huge supply waiting for us the second we walked through the door.

You can always order more once you know newborn diapers fit your baby. It is much more annoying to have several unopened boxes your baby has already outgrown.

Don’t Stock Up Too Much on Size 1 Either

I would be cautious about size 1 for the same reason. Both of my babies moved through newborn and size 1 pretty quickly.

Before having kids, I thought you would be in each diaper size for a long stretch of time. In reality, those early months involve so much growth that you may feel like you just opened a new size before you’re already wondering whether it’s time to move up again.

If you receive a box of size 1 diapers, great. I just wouldn’t make five boxes of size 1 part of your registry strategy.

Size 2 Diapers May Be More Useful

If you want to register for a larger box, size 2 would be my preference based on my experience with my two kids.

My daughter is six months old and has been wearing size 2 for a while. She was born seven weeks early, so her growth and sizing experience obviously isn’t going to be representative of every baby, but she still moved through those first diaper sizes surprisingly fast.

By size 2, you may have a better sense of which brand you like and what works for your baby. That’s another reason I wouldn’t try to buy six months of diapers before your baby is even born.

Should You Put Preemie Diapers on Your Registry?

I wouldn’t put preemie diapers on a standard baby registry. My daughter was born seven weeks early and spent about two and a half weeks in the NICU. She started in preemie diapers before eventually moving into newborn sizing.

The NICU provided her diapers while she was there. When she came home, we bought a small pack of preemie diapers because we knew she still needed them, but she eventually outgrew those quickly too.

Preemie diapers are something I would buy if and when you know you need them rather than adding them to your baby registry just in case.

You Don’t Know Which Diaper Brand You’ll Like Yet

This is another big reason I wouldn’t stockpile diapers. I’ve tried different diaper brands with my kids, and there are differences in fit, feel and what works best for each baby.

You may love the brand your friend swears by, or you may discover that it just doesn’t fit your baby particularly well. Your preferences can change too, so there’s no reason to commit yourself to hundreds of diapers from one brand before you’ve changed a single diaper on your own baby.

Start small, see what works and then buy more.

What About a Diaper Fund or Gift Cards?

I actually think this can make more sense than registering for a huge number of physical diapers. If your registry allows you to create a diaper fund, that gives you flexibility to buy the size and brand you actually need once your baby is here. Gift cards can accomplish the same thing.

Diapers are one of those expenses that just keep coming, so money specifically set aside for future diaper purchases is still an incredibly useful baby gift. You just aren’t committing yourself to a particular size months before you need it.

What If Your Baby Outgrows Diapers You Already Have?

This is exactly what I would try to avoid. I’ve ended up with diapers my kids outgrew, and I simply gave them away.

Return and exchange policies vary depending on where the diapers were purchased, so I wouldn’t assume you’ll be able to return every unopened box. Instead of planning your registry around having every diaper you’ll need for the first year, think of it as having enough to get started.

My Baby Registry Diaper Recommendation

If I were registering for my first baby again, I would register for a small pack of newborn diapers, one box of size 1 and one box of size 2. After that, I’d rather have gift cards or money in a diaper fund.

The biggest thing I learned is that there’s really no reason to stockpile diapers. Babies grow quickly, diaper sizing changes quickly and you won’t know which brand you prefer until you’ve actually tried a few.

You will absolutely need a lot of diapers during your baby’s first year. You just don’t need to own all of them before your baby is born.

We have an article that outlines what NOT to include on your baby registry if interested. And ff you are still building the rest of your registry, start with what you actually need on a registry.

Frequently Asked Questions About Diaper Sizes for a Baby Registry

What size diapers should I put on my baby registry?

I would register for newborn, size 1 and size 2 diapers, but keep the quantities relatively small. You can always buy more once you know your baby’s size and which diaper brand works best.

How many newborn diapers should I register for?

I would start with one smaller pack rather than several large boxes. Some babies move out of newborn diapers very quickly, while others wear them longer.

Should I register for more size 1 or size 2 diapers?

Based on my experience, I would rather have more size 2 diapers than stockpile size 1. Both of my babies moved through the smaller sizes quickly.

Should I put preemie diapers on my baby registry?

Unless you already know you are likely to need them, I wouldn’t. My daughter was born prematurely and the NICU provided her diapers while she was there. We bought a small pack once she came home and we knew she still needed that size.

Should I register for multiple diaper brands?

You can, but I wouldn’t register for huge quantities of any brand. You won’t know which diapers you prefer or which fit your baby best until you try them.

Is a diaper fund better than registering for diapers?

It can be. A diaper fund or gift cards give you the flexibility to buy the size and brand you need when you actually need them. I would personally rather have a small starter supply of diapers plus money for future diapers than a closet filled with one size.