If you’re starting a family you’ve probably given plenty of thought to the larger items; making sure you’re getting the best cot, the best pram, the best changing table, best car seat and the best travel cot. But often it’s the small, everyday things, such as finding The best nappies for newborn, that make the biggest difference to your baby’s comfort.
Different sized and shaped babies will tend to get on better with some nappy brands than others, so do try a few to see which fits most comfortably around your baby’s tush.
Other things you might want to consider when choosing the best nappies are ease of use, impact on the environment and handy features such as moisture-locking and wetness indicators to help you know when your young charge needs a change. To get you started, we’ve picked some of our favourites below.
Taking your little one swimming for the first time can be a moment of pure joy, for both of you, but you can’t put them in regular nappies. Instead, you need thinner, specially designed nappies that stop leaks but don’t become heavy and waterlogged. This can restrict the babies movement and change their experience of the water buoyancy. The best nappies for swimming are Huggies Little Swimmers. They come in different sizes based on your baby’s weight, and ideally need to fit as snugly as possible. The smaller versions come with similar velcro seals as regular nappies. The larger models have longer, slightly more fiddly seals. We also recommend a neoprene “happy” nappy – swimmers that fit over the top of the nappies.
If you fancy going down the truly retro resuable nappy route, there’s no brighter way to do so than with this set of six colourful terry squares. Made from 100% cotton in a range of eyecatching colours, these towelling squares are machine washable and will make your baby’s bottom pop with style. Even if you don’t want to pin your baby into a terry nappy old-school stylee, the squares have plenty of additional uses – pop one on your changing mat to catch accidents, lay baby on top of a couple if you’re keeping the nappy off for a while to treat nappy rash, or simply keep one to hand to mop up feeding spills. One brightly-coloured size fits all from birth to potty-trained toddler.
If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of disposable nappies, or have a child with a skin condition or sensitive skin, Naty nappies are an excellent option. They’re made of plant-based materials, and are free of chlorine, latex and any dyes or perfumes, so minimise the risk of allergies, irritations or nappy rash.
“I used these with all three of my children and they are superb. Unlike many others I tried, we didn’t have leaks and I really liked the fact they didn’t smell plasticky like normal nappies. I wasn’t quite prepared to go down the non-disposable route and these were a good alternative.”
This reusable cloth nappy with Velcro fastenings has the ease of a disposable nappy with the eco-friendliness and cost-saving appeal of a reusable.
These tick every box for parents: they look lovely (they come in a range of colours and prints), they wash easily, are gentle on baby’s skin and – crucially – they don’t leak.
Made with a super-absorbent bamboo core, these teeny-fit nappies are designed for newborns from 5-12 lbs and come in a variety of gorgeous prints. Absorbent bamboo core and stay dry buffer zones to keep liquid locked into core, thus keeping your child dry not matter how much they pee
These are ultra-gentle on baby’s body, with a waterproof exterior, stitch-free seams and a slim fit.
These award-winning nappies have created quite a buzz for their low price and high quality. Mamia nappies have been thoroughly tested for allergies and are ideal for sensitive newborn skin. The inner layer design means liquids are absorbed quickly to prevent nappy rash and keep the baby comfortable. They also come with a wetness indicator letting you know when to change your baby.
We noted Mamia’s effectiveness at preventing leaks when compared to other brands. We also love the price and high performance of these nappies, making them our top recommendation for parents of newborns.
These nappies get their name from the fun and cute patterns printed on them. They’re designed to give you something to talk about with your baby while changing them. They are also friendlier to the environment being made from biodegradable wood pulp. We adore the superior softness and comfort of these nappies plus their ability to reduce nappy rash through using natural materials. On the other hand, when the fit was less than optimum, leaks could be a problem with these nappies. Apart from that, a highly recommended nappy.
Available online and at various small retailers in some states, the Bambo Nature nappies are one of the more expensive brands. However, they received excellent scores for leakage and rewetting, and a very good absorbency score. We recommend these nappies. CHOICE Expert Rating: 86%, Absorbency score: 77%, Leakage score: 100%.Eco-friendly, award winning children’s nappy with a super absorbent core and high performance top-dry layer to ensure fast absorption.
It’s good to be prepared and that’s why it’s smart to buy in nappies before your little Angel is born. But we know that it’s impossible to know what size nappy your baby will need. That’s why we’re happy to refund or exchange any unopened bag of Little Angels Newborn nappies. So that’s one less thing to worry about. Secure fit – helps keep baby’s poo in place Super soft – feather-like softness for baby’s extra delicate skin Help prevent umbilical irritation – contoured design is kind to baby’s sensitive tummy Leg cuffs – super-soft and gently elasticated to help prevent leaks Time-to-change wetness indicator – helps you know when it’s time to change baby’s bum
Muumi eco nappy pants are made in Finland, with the best and purest raw ingredients, and to the highest eco standard in the world, the Nordic Swan Eco Label. The outer packaging is biodegradable, too.
The nappy pants pull up and down, and tear off at the side for easy removal if you need. Roll them up and tape them for hygenic disposal.
Muumi nappy pants are manufactured in Finland, by a family owned company who have been making nappies for over 35 years. Muumi eco nappies have a much lower eco footprint than standard disposables, guaranteed by the Nordic Swan Eco Label. Unlike many other eco labels, the Nordic Swan Eco Label is concerned with the nappy’s impact over its entire life cycle, not just the disposal. There are many factors that affect the environmental impact of a product. Currently, there isn’t a fully biodegradable disposable nappy available on the market.
Disposable or reusable?
The biggest decision when deciding on the best nappies for your baby’s bottom is between single-use disposable nappies and washable reusable nappies. Reusables have come a long way since our own terry-towelled childhoods and can now be purchased in a range of colourful, machine-washable, easy-to-fit styles. While reusable nappies are not completely lacking in environmental impact – the energy involved in washing itself needs to be taken into consideration – washable nappies certainly avoid the problem of non-biodegradable materials sitting in landfill for centuries.
Fit to prevent leaks
A correctly-fitting nappy should allow no fluid leaks either through the leg holes or up around the waist. If you find that leaks are a recurring problem, try a different size in your current brand, or check out another brand as one manufacturer’s sizing can differ significantly from another’s. For example, Tesco nappies come up larger than most, while Pampers are a little on the snug side.
Some nappies are designed to withstand more moisture than others and are good for use overnight or on long journeys. See above for our extra-dry recommendations but, as a rule, anything labelled extra- or ultra-dry have been designed to absorb more moisture. You can also look out for the plus symbol next to the nappy number to give an indication of absorbency and fit. The plus symbol does not represent a half size.
Absorbency and moisture-locking
Most disposable nappies contain superabsorbent polymer beads embedded into the nappy material. These beads can absorb many hundreds of times their weight in moisture, allowing babies to wander around with a “wet nappy” without the skin being in contact with the moisture. It’s not impossible for a baby to get nappy rash from a wet nappy, but as most of the moisture is locked away it’s less likely and you won’t be doing your baby any harm if you accidentally leave a wet nappy on for longer than intended. It’s just not a good idea to make a habit of it, though.
If eco-friendliness is important to you, note that the natural materials used in biodegradable nappies are less moisture-wicking than these superabsorbent polymers (which take hundreds of years to break down in landfill), so you will need to change the nappies more often to keep baby’s skin dry.
Wetness indicators
Many of the best nappies for newborns have a yellow line down the front of the nappy which will turn blue when the baby wees. It doesn’t always change colour for poos, however, unless the baby has urinated at the same time. As some nappies are bulky to begin with, this wetness indicator can let you know when the baby has peed without having to strip him or her off.
Newborn babies, on average, pee every 20 minutes so bear that in mind in both how many nappies you’ll be using as well as when to check for changes.
Rashes and skin reactions
The leading cause of nappy rash is delicate baby skin left in contact with a soiled nappy, so if you’re using reusables (or plastic-free nappies made of natural materials) you will need to keep on top of changes in order to prevent stools irritating the skin. Sometimes the nappy itself can cause a mild allergic reaction, so if you’re changing regularly but baby is still getting rashes, try switching to another brand to see if the condition improves. Leaving baby out of a nappy for while (on a towel or other absorbent surface) and avoiding perfumed wipes and soaps can help. Your health visitor can recommend a course of action if rashes are frequent or severe.
As you’ve seen, there are a huge selection of nappy types and sizes available right now, with choices to suit every lifestyle and budget. Inevitably you will have to experiment to find the right nappy for your baby. Hopefully we’ve given you some of the best choices on the market right now, and a few that are better for the environment.
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