Are you wondering how many baby wipes you need to buy ahead of your new arrival, perhaps so you can budget how much money you need to put aside each month for wet wipes?
Calculating how many wipes you will need for your baby can be tricky, because a lot depends on how “generous” you are with the wipes during each diaper change.
But there are definitely some useful averages and typical scenarios you can use to help you determine how many you will need.
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How Many Wipes Do I Need?
The amount of baby wipes that you need will depend on several factors, including the number you use per diaper change, how old your baby is and even if you use the wipes yourself.
From the calculations below you will see that you may need anywhere from 3 to 20+ packs of baby wipes per month depending on your baby’s age, how many wet vs poopy diapers your child has per day, and how many wipes you use per change.
How Many Wipes Per Diaper Change?
The numbers you will need for each individual diaper or nappy change will depend on how messy things are down there and how many wipes you like to use.
Typically, you should find the following information and average number of wipes needed per change helpful:
- You will need 1-3 for a wet diaper (pee), unless the pee has leaked through.
- Cleaning a poopy diaper will usually need up to 10, depending on how messy it is.
- For those extreme poop blow-outs – the ones that leak through to your baby’s clothes – you may need closer to 20.
How Many Baby Wipes Are In A Pack?
To help your calculation, the first thing we need to do is work out how many baby wipes are in the average pack.
Depending on the manufacturer, wipes are typically sold in packs of 52, 56, 60 and 72, although some large value packs can contain 100 or more.
How Many Packs Of Wipes Per Week During Newborn Stage
The average newborn will have around 6-7 wet diapers and 2-3 dirty diapers per day, which equates to needing 30-50 wipes per day.
This means that during the newborn stage (or the first 3 months), you will need an average of 1,200 wipes per month, which equals around 20 packs per month.
How Many Wipes Do I Need Per Month?
An important factor in determining the amount of wipes you will need per month is you baby’s age.
Although the exact number differs between babies, here are the average number of wet diapers or nappies a baby will have, broken down by age:
- Newborn to 1 month: 10 wet diapers per
- 1 month to 5 months: 8 wet diapers per day
- 5 months to 12 months: 6 wet diapers per day
- 12 to 18 months: 5 wet diapers per day
- 18 to 24 months: 4 wet diapers per day
- 24 to 36 months: 2 wet diapers per day
By using the logic above, we can calculate that depending on your baby’s age, they will need the following number or wipe packs per month:
- Newborn to 1 month: 20 packs per month
- 1 month to 5 months: 14 packs per month
- 5 months to 12 months: 12 packs per month
- 12 to 18 months: 8 packs per month
- 18 to 24 months: 6 packs per month
- 24 to 36 months: 3 packs per month
What Is The Cost Of Baby Wipes Per Month?
If we assume the average cost of a pack of baby wipes is $3, then you can expect to pay anywhere between $9 to $60 per month on baby wipes.
The reason for the wide range is because newborns and infants will need many more than older babies and toddlers.
What about the cost of baby wipes over a one year period?
It’s hard to be exact as some parents use a lot more wipes than others when cleaning their baby’s diaper, but on average in the first year the cost is somewhere between $200 and $450.
How Many Wipes Does A Baby Use In A Year?
When budgeting for your baby, a common question parents ask is how many wipes do I need for the first year?
In the first year, you will need approximately 7,000 to 9,000 baby wipes, which is equates to 115 to 150 packs.
This assumes you do not use the wipes for other purposes, like cleaning up after meals or wiping surfaces like a high chair or cleaning squishy toys.
Do Baby Wipes Expire?
Unlike food, baby wipes do not go off, so they do not have an expiry date.
However, most manufacturers state their products last for 2 to 3 years after manufacture, as long as they are unopened and stored in the correct conditions.
Baby wet wipes can contain over 99% water, so they are prone to drying out easily if exposed to air.
It’s important therefore to tightly reseal a pack once opened, and to store them out of direct sunlight or heat to avoid drying out.
It’s also worth noting that expired baby wipes are safe to use, provided they do not contain any mold, mildew or other bacteria.
See Also: Deciding What Baby Gear You Really Need – The Complete Guide
