Diapers for a newborn — what should you actually think about?

Nobody prepares you for how often you change a newborn's diaper. 8–12 times a day. That's roughly one diaper every other hour, around the clock, during the first few weeks.

It sounds like a logistics question. But it's really a skin question. That many hours against a newborn's skin — what the diaper is made of matters. Read more about the skin here:

Baby skin isn't like your skin

A newborn's skin is up to 30 percent thinner than adult skin. It absorbs substances more easily, reacts faster to irritation and doesn't handle moisture as well. The diaper area is especially exposed — warm, damp, trapped under plastic.

Most conventional diapers have an innermost layer of synthetic plastic directly against the skin. It works in terms of absorption, but it breathes poorly and, in sensitive newborns, can contribute to the damp microclimate that causes diaper rash.

Bammies has bamboo fibers directly against the skin instead. Naturally soft, breathable and better at wicking moisture away from the skin — instead of locking it in.

Which size for a newborn?

Diapers are sized by weight. Most newborns fit in size The Mini or The Newborn — but it depends on how big the baby is at birth.

Bammies The Mini starts at 3 to 5 kg and comes with a cut-out for the umbilical cord stump, which falls off within 1–3 weeks. Never buy six months' worth of newborn-size diapers before the baby arrives — if the baby is born over 4 kg, you'll most likely skip straight to size The Newborn.

What you should actually look for

Always choose a fragrance-free diaper for a newborn. Fragrances are one of the most common causes of contact allergy and diaper rash — and a newborn needs no additives against the skin.

Check that the leg cuffs lie flat without digging in, and that the diaper reaches up to the navel during the first few weeks. If the diaper leaves marks on the skin around the tummy or thighs — try the next size up.

Why we created Bammies

Founder Filippa was looking for a solution to her son Viggo's diaper eczema and didn't want to fix it with creams — she wanted to remove the source of irritation. The result was a diaper with 100% bamboo fiber against the skin, with no fragrance, no unnecessary chemicals and no fossil-based plastic.

Certified to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and Dermatest®. With a money-back guarantee if the diaper causes diaper rash.

Your newborn deserves better than fossil-based plastic against the skin from day one.