Here’s a hot take: having two, three, or more in diapers is not a big deal.
If you’re reading this, then you are probably pregnant with a baby. And also, you have a baby.
Maybe your family is even a little more shocked this time around when you tell them the news.
Maybe you’re hearing things like, “Already?” or “Two in diapers?!” or maybe even, “Three in diapers?!”
I want to assure you that you are not alone in this! Having been there not once, but twice, I want you to know that having cluster babies is really a wonderful experience!
Cluster babies (kluhs-ter bey-bee) noun – Siblings born within two years of each other. Synonyms: Irish twins, baby bunching, two under two, three under three, three under four, four under four, etc.
You can read here all about how to not merely survive, but thrive with your cluster babies!
But cluster babies do in fact need many, many diapers.
When I announced I was pregnant a second, and then a third time (all within 2.5 years), it seemed like a lot of people were fixated on the diaper thing.
And they weren’t wrong. We do go through a lot of diapers.
But I want to let you know, it really isn’t a big deal. Like, at all.
I have a few points that I want to share with you that make the diapering task simpler, and hopefully relieve any stress you might feel about multiple kids in diapers.
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6 Tips for Managing Multiple Kids in Diapers
1. Have diaper baskets everywhere.
I keep diapers all over the house. They’re in just about every room.
When I brought home my third newborn, I had a diaper basket in the nursery, toddler’s room, my room, living room and kitchen.
Having diapers all over makes it so easy to do a quick change whenever it is needed!
2. Refill diaper baskets weekly.
I found it really helpful to load up the diaper baskets once a week.
Each Sunday, I would round up all the baskets, and head to the nursery, where I kept boxes of diapers and wipes.
I’d distribute diapers to each basket, depending on where they were going. For example, the nursery basket would be all newborn diapers, with a few size 4 for the occasional diaper change of the older two.
The diaper basket for the toddler’s room would have almost all size 4 and a few newborn diapers.
You get the idea.
I also keep plenty of wipes in every basket. I like to use a plastic reusable wipe holder to keep the baskets just a little more organized.
3. Do diaper change round-ups!
A really efficient way to manage multiple kids in diapers is to do them one after the other in succession.
I have a diaper basket nearby, and do one after the other, usually just on the floor.
You can even have your oldest help out by handing over diapers and putting used ones in the trash.
This also makes for some sweet moments- and pictures- having them lying next to each other!
The older ones are usually so curious about the baby, and love to talk and sing to him!
4. Simplify diaper sizing.
Depending on your children’s sizes, you may be able to make your life a little easier by putting them in the same size diaper.
At one point, my son was in a size three and my daughter was in a four. I thought it was silly to be so particular as to who got which diaper, when really, they each could wear either size and be fine. So I decided to have them both wear size four.
It sounds like a small thing, but it was a help when having multiple kids in diapers!
Before I had my third, I only had to worry about buying one size. I knew that any diaper I grabbed would work for either of them. Once I had my third, I only had two sizes to worry about, rather than three.
It really just makes the whole diaper thing simpler. And I’m a big fan of simple.
5. Try to stock up on diapers while you’re pregnant.
There are a few ways to do this.
If you know you are going to have a sprinkle, you can request to have diapers and wipes as gifts.
If you’re having a slightly larger baby shower, a diaper raffle is an awesome way to get a bunch of diapers. You can read here about what a diaper raffle is, and how to include it in your shower. We did this at my baby shower for my first, and I was lucky enough to collect diapers for her first eight months!
Alternatively, you can just add on a box, or even a small bag, of diapers each time you hit the store or see a sale.
6. Avoid potty-training in response to having a newborn.
I was pretty set on potty training my 2.5 year old before her youngest brother was born. I was less concerned about having three in diapers, and more concerned about potty training while taking care of a one year old and a newborn.
But then I just got more pregnant, and it was hard to do anything, let alone try to jump up every time she needed to use the bathroom. No jumping was happening.
So I waited until the newborn was about a month and a half old. This actually worked out really well.
My concerns about potty training with a one year old and newborn ended up not being a big deal. Because newborns sleep a lot.
All this to say, if you feel like you and your child are up for potty-training, by all means, go for it!
But if you are feeling pressure to get it done before you have your newest baby, it really can work out just fine if you wait a little longer!
Conclusion
If you’re really worried about having multiple kids in diapers, I encourage you to take a deep breath.
You already know the diapering routine of your current child. That probably won’t change much.
Maybe your current diapering routine is similar to mine. I really only change diapers for older babies and toddlers before and after sleeping, and then also if there’s a poop.
Once you have your new baby, they’ll be thrown into the mix. Yes, there will be plenty of diapering going on for a while, but once they’re around six months old or so, it will probably just be around the sleep times.
I want you to know that diapering your cluster babies is completely manageable!
Being organized helps, but really, just having diapers everywhere is key!
Related
2 Under 2 Must Haves: The Things Babies and Toddlers Actually Need
The Ultimate Guide to 2 under 2, 3 under 3 (and other Cluster Babies)
2 under 2, 3 under 3, & other Cluster Babies: 19 Tips for Surviving
