First of all, it is a must to calculate the right size based on age and weight. Here are some basic indications summarized in this diagram:
Size 1: weight 2-5 kg, suitable for birth and first days of life;
Size 2: weight 3-6kg, suitable for about the first 6-8 weeks of life;
Size 3: weight 5-9 kg, suitable for from the second month;
Size 4: weight 7-18 kg, suitable from 5/6 months;
Size 5: weight 11-25kg, suitable after the first year;
Size 6: weight 16 kg and more, suitable until the moment when the diaper is no longer used.
In any case, the classic "grandmother's method" is always valid, i.e. insert the thumb between the diaper and the tummy to check that it does not tighten too much.
Once you have chosen the size, you are spoiled for choice among the various models that are on the market.
Disposable diapers
Among the most common types there is certainly that of the classic disposable diapers. They have the advantage of being very practical and comfortable to use, but at the same time the disadvantage of creating enough space for disposal. To overcome the problems of encumbrance and bad smells, the nappies are very useful.
Biodegradable diapers
Biodegradable nappies were invented for a lower impact on the environment. Very similar to the classic diapers in terms of use, however they are produced with 100% biodegradable elements. However, they are compostable in the undifferentiated container.
Washable nappies
Cloth diapers are precisely diapers that can be washed in the washing machine or by hand and can be reused. It is certainly a more demanding choice for the family, but certainly the most ecological and, in the long run, also the cheapest solution.
Panty diapers
Children's diapers are ideal for when your child will start moving or when he starts to go to the potty. As the name says, they look like panties, so they make it easier to pull them up and down.
Waterproof diapers
Waterproof diapers are similar to panty diapers in fit, but are made of an absorbent material that does not expand in water. Therefore excellent for the swimming pool or for holidays by the sea.
Cotton muslin
Cotton muslins were already used by our mothers and grandmothers and have come back into fashion in recent years. Muslins are brushed cotton, flannel or bamboo towels and have the characteristic of being very soft, resistant, absorbent and breathable.
One of the uses of these muslins is right inside cloth diapers as an absorbent layer.
In the past, muslins were used to swaddle newborns, a practice still recommended today to give the baby a sense of protection and relief, especially in case of colic. It also protects from heat and cold, acting in a natural way as a thermoregulator and being delicate on the baby's skin.
When to remove the diaper
There is no precise age at which the diaper should be removed. It usually occurs between 18 months and 3 years. Very often we approach pottying in the summer preceding the kindergarten. Surely it must be a gradual transition, which does not create anxiety in the child or frustration in the parents.
