How many nappies does a newborn use a day?

Nappies as a feeding gauge

Wet and dirty nappies are the most reliable at-home sign a newborn is feeding well — more useful than timing feeds or guessing volumes. The rough day-by-day expectation: one wet nappy on day one, building daily, until from around day five you should see at least six heavy wet nappies in every 24 hours, plus regular soft stools that shift from black meconium to yellow by about day five. Fewer than that, or dark scanty urine, is worth a same-day call to your midwife.

Budgeting for the volume

At 10–12 changes a day you'll use roughly 300 nappies a month at the start, easing to 4–6 changes as your baby grows. Two proven ways to cut the cost:

• Buy one size up in bulk during supermarket baby events — nappies keep, and events run several times a year.
• Subscribe & Save on your regular brand once you know what fits — see our deals page for the current money-savers.

Sizing tip: red marks on the thighs mean too small; leaks up the back usually mean too small too, not too big.