How many onesies do newborns go through a day?

New parents often wonder just how many onesies their newborn will go through in a day. The number can vary quite a bit based on factors like how often the baby spits up or has blowouts. Here’s a quick overview of what to expect:

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Quick Answer

Most newborns will go through at least 5-10 onesies per day, but some may go through 15 or more, especially in the early weeks.

What Impacts How Many Onesies Are Needed?

There are several factors that can impact how many onesies a newborn goes through in a day:

How often they spit up or have blowouts – Babies who spit up frequently or have frequent blowouts will need more outfit changes.
How much they pee – Very wet diapers may require an outfit change as well.
Clothing size – If onesies are too big, blowouts are more likely to soil the outfit.

Laundry schedule – Some parents change baby into a new outfit with each diaper change, which uses more onesies between loads of laundry.
Time of day – Babies often go through more changes at busy times like the evening hours.
Season – During hot weather, babies sweat more and need more frequent changes.

Average Number of Onesie Changes

On average, most newborns will go through at least 5-10 outfit changes per day. However, it’s not uncommon for some newborns to go through 10-15 onesies or even more.

Here’s a look at what a typical day might require:

Time of Day	Number of Outfit Changes
Early morning after waking up	1-2 changes
Late morning	1-2 changes
Afternoon	2-3 changes
Early evening	3-4 changes
Overnight	1-2 changes
Total	8-13 changes

So on an average day, most newborns will need about 8-10 onesie changes at a minimum. But some babies, especially in the early newborn weeks, can easily go through 12-15 changes or more.

Reasons for Frequent Onesie Changes

There are a few key reasons why newborns often need so many outfit changes each day:

Frequent urination

Newborns have very small bladders and urinate often, as much as every 20-30 minutes at times. All that peeing requires frequent diaper and outfit changes.

Blowouts

Blowouts – when stool leaks out of the diaper – are common in newborns. Loose stool combined with ill-fitting diapers leads to blowouts that soil onesies multiple times a day.

Spit up

Since newborns have an underdeveloped digestive system, they tend to spit up frequently after eating. All that spit up can lead to outfit changes after most feedings.

Drool

Excess drool is common in newborns and can soak into the chest area of onesies, requiring outfit changes.

Dribbles after diaper changes

It’s common for newborns to dribble a bit of urine during or right after a diaper change. Putting a new onesie on protects the bedding from these dribbles.

Temperature regulation

Newborns have difficulty regulating their body temperature. Parents may change baby’s clothes frequently to ensure they are comfortable.

Tips for Managing Lots of Onesie Changes

Frequent onesie changes are par for the course with newborns. Here are some tips for making it more manageable:

Stock up on lots of onesies in newborn and 0-3 month sizes.

Use items like bibs, burp cloths and receiving blankets to help cut down on spit up related outfit changes.
Layer onesies under sleepers or rompers so you don’t have to change the whole outfit for small spit ups.
Buy packs of inexpensive onesies for frequent outfit changes.

Keep a basket of onesies, diapering supplies, wipes etc. in your main living space so changes can happen quickly.
Use cloth diapers or double up on disposable diapers at night to help contain overnight blowouts.
Do laundry every 1-2 days so you always have fresh onesies on hand.

Ask loved ones to gift packages of onesies for new parents.

How Many Onesies Should You Have on Hand?

Since newborns go through so many onesie changes, it’s a good idea to have a generous supply on hand. Here are some recommendations:

Have at least 15-20 onesies in newborn size at the start.

Aim for 30-40 onesies in the 0-3 month size.
Plan to purchase more as needed once you see your baby’s changing patterns.
Focus on having plenty of “backups” in case of spit ups, blowouts, laundry delays etc.

While it may seem excessive, having a large stash of onesies will make it easier to simply grab a fresh one when needed. You can always pass along extras to friends with new babies later.

Reusing Onesies Between Outfit Changes

With so many onesies being used, is it possible to reuse them between outfit changes? Here are a few tips:

Spot clean onesies with just dribbles or light spit up and reuse for another 1-2 hours.

Hang onesies up to air out if just lightly worn between washes.
Use stain pre-treater and rewash onesies with light staining.
Have designated “home” onesies that can be reused more freely vs. going out clothes.

Consider doing a quick daily wash of just onesies so they can be promptly reused.

However, it’s best not to rely too heavily on reusing onesies multiple times before washing. For health and sanitation reasons, most onesies should be laundered after one wearing.

Doing Laundry as a New Parent

Given all the onesie changes, laundry piles up quickly for new parents. Here are some tips for staying on top of it:

Wash baby clothes separately from adult clothes.
Use a gentle, fragrance-free baby laundry detergent.
Wash in hot water to really get clothes clean.

Use oxygenated bleach alternative for stain removal.
Skip the fabric softener which can cause buildup.
Dry on low or hang onesies up to dry to preserve elastic.

Do a load per day since babies go through so many clothes.

Streamlining laundry routines and having realistic expectations of how much washing you’ll do can help manage the near constant stream of dirty onesies.

When Do Babies Need Fewer Onesie Changes?

While frequent onesie changes are the norm with newborns, there are some times when less changes may be needed:

In older babies around 6-9 months when solid food digestion improves.
When formula feeding, as formula tends to cause fewer blowouts versus breastmilk.
When babies begin spacing out pees thanks to bigger bladders.

When diapers fit well with fewer leaks and blowouts.
When babies begin sleeping longer stretches at night with less overnight changes.

Of course every baby is different, but in general onesie changes tend to gradually reduce as babies grow and digestive systems mature.

How Long Should Babies Wear Onesies?

Given how quickly newborns soil their clothes, how long can they wear one onesie before needing a change? Here are some guidelines:

Plan to change after every bowel movement.
Change after spit ups that soak through onto onesie.

Change when onesie feels overly wet from urine.
Limit to 1-2 hours max for a lightly worn onesie.
Change immediately if onesie gets poop on it.

Let babies in just diapers sleep longer stretches at night.

Aim to change into a fresh onesie as soon as baby seems wet or soiled. This helps keep them comfortable and decreases the risk of skin irritation.

Other Outfit Change Tips

Here are a few other tips related to changing a newborn’s outfit:

Have designated daytime and nighttime onesies.
Swaddle baby in a muslin blanket then layer onesie on top.
Use kimono style onesies or shirts for easy diaper access.

Buy some double zipper onesies for quicker middle of the night changes.
Use mittens or socks over hands to avoid scratches.
Change diaper first before picking out new outfit to avoid more messes.

Conclusion

Newborn babies can go through a seemingly endless number of onesies and outfit changes each day. While the frequent changes can be tiring for parents, stocking up on plenty of onesies, streamlining laundry, and having a good changing system will make the process more smooth. Within a few months, babies will start needing fewer daily outfit changes. But in those early newborn weeks, expect to go through at least 5-10 onesies a day, if not more!