Bulk Purchase, this is one of the major way's parents save money. The benefits of buying baby products in bulk are numerous. However, as much as buying in bulk has its excellent pros, it does have its cons. One of those noteworthy cons is expiration. Baby formula, for example, shouldn't be in massive quantity as they would most likely expire before you get to use them.
One product that seems a lot like a gray area is the baby diaper. If you are thinking of buying a lot of baby diapers to last your baby through toddlerhood or perhaps you have some old baby diapers hand me downs or otherwise, one likely question that would rule your mind is how safe are these Diapers.
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Do Diapers Expire?
The good news is that baby diapers don’t expire. As paper-based products, diapers are still usable long after their production. However, before you buy a truckload of diapers that can last a hundred years. It is important to note that although diapers do not expire, they tend to depreciate after two or more years from the purchase date.
Two years after purchase, a diaper might still be usable and keep your baby clean and comfortable. However, major changes are likely to occur.
- Discoloration
- Reduced Absorption
- Loss of elasticity
- Strips lose their stickiness
1) Discoloration
After a few years, diapers tend to lose their pure white color and take on a slightly yellow hue. This is common among paper-based products and is mainly due to prolonged exposure to light and air. However, this has no impact on the safety and effectiveness of the diaper.
2) Reduced Absorption
Baby diapers tend to lose their moisture-absorbing capacity after a few years. This is mainly due to the diaper absorbing moisture in the air and getting saturated. Once opened the diapers get to the good work of absorbing moisture, irrespective of if they are worn by your baby or not.
3) Loss of elasticity
Although quite rare, some diapers especially the cheaper brands tend to slack around the legs after a few years. This can be very problematic as it can cause leaks and reduce the effectiveness of a diaper.
4) Strips lose their stickiness
The adhesive tape used to keep your baby's diaper tight and in place tends to break down and depreciate after a few years. They might still stick, but not as tightly as when they were new. However, in extreme cases, your baby’s diaper might slip off if the adhesive is to week. Especially when the diaper is carrying a nasty little package, the strips might find it impossible to keep up.
How To Store Diapers Correctly And Preserve Their Effectiveness
Although diapers never fully expire, they tend to lose their effectiveness and depreciate over time. Therefore, it is necessary to store your baby's diapers correctly to ensure that that you make the best use of them.
Here are some useful tips on how to preserve diapers
- Store in a cool dry place. Extreme heat and humidity are bad for diapers. Too much heat can melt the adhesive tape making it hard to stick.
- Try to repackage pack of diapers you open with tape or store in an airtight bag. This would prevent moisture from sipping in and reducing the absorption capacity of the diapers.
- Avoid opening two packs of diapers simultaneously.
FAQs
How long can my baby wear a diaper?
A baby shouldn’t wear the same diaper for more than 4 hours, irrespective of whether or not your baby has made a stink. Newborns and infants tend to urinate frequently. Within two hours your baby's diaper would probably be at full capacity and needs to be changed.
The rule of thumb is thus, change your baby's diapers every two hours if possible but the limit is four. Anything more than four hours is not advisable, as it exposes your baby to discomfort and rashes.
Do I need to use baby wipes for every diaper change?
No, it is not every diaper change that requires the use of baby wipes. Diapers are highly absorbent, so if your baby only did a number one then you don’t need to use a baby wipe. Urine also doesn’t irritate the skin so you have nothing to worry about.
However, as parents, we like to cover all bases and go the extra mile, so if you can and want to use a baby wipe at every diaper change feel free to do so. No harm, no foul. In childcare, there is no such thing as being too careful.
Should I change a poopy diaper if my baby is sleeping?
This is one of the biggest dilemmas when it comes to baby sanitation. On one hand, your baby is sleeping peacefully, like an angel. On the other hand, his diaper is full and needs changing. It all comes down to discretion. Is your baby showing signs of discomfort or is the diaper too full?. If the answer is yes, then a change is necessary.
However, if the content of the diaper is still a bit light then let your baby enjoy his good night's sleep. Waking your baby up in the middle of the night for a diaper change might spell the end of both you and your baby's sleeping plans. As parents, it is our job to assess the situation and make the best decision for our little ones.
Verdict
Baby diapers don’t expire. They have no expiry date and they don’t depreciate so greatly as to be deemed unusable. However, some parts of a diaper tends to lose its effectiveness and viability after a few years. To ensure that you get the best value from your baby diaper, store in a dry cool place. Diaper companies recommend a storage area that’s 29.5 degrees centigrade, preferably less.
However, diapers do not show any sign of change a few months or a year after purchase. Therefore, if you buy just enough for a year at a time you are sure to get the best out of your purchase. To do this you must be careful to buy different sizes to cater for various stages of your baby's growth.