What is a nappy fund?
A nappy fund is a cash gift on a baby registry that the parents spend on nappies as the baby grows through the sizes. In the US it is called a diaper fund. Guests give any amount, and the money keeps buying nappies long after the boxes from the shower run out. On EasyRegistry it is a Wishing Well gift: add the Nappy Fund from Gift ideas, or set any gift's type to Wishing Well.
How many nappies, and what they cost
Tresillian puts a newborn at about 6 to 8 nappies a day, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says to change a nappy every 3 to 6 hours or after a poo. Over a 30-day month that is 180 to 240 nappies. Here is what newborn nappies cost online on 22 October 2026 (prices vary by store, postcode and specials):
| Store | Nappies | Price | Each |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aldi | Mamia Size 1 Newborn, 28 pack | $4.89 | 17c |
| Coles | CUB Newborn Size 1, 30 pack | $5.35 | 18c |
| Woolworths | Little One's Ultra Dry Size 1 Newborn, 30 pack | $5.35 | 18c |
| Woolworths | Huggies Skin Protect Newborn Size 1, 108 pack (on special) | $29 | 27c |
| Coles | Babylove Cosifit Newborn Size 1, 84 pack | $30 | 36c |
| Coles | Huggies Skin Protect Newborn Size 1, 108 pack | $40 | 37c |
| Woolworths | Huggies Skin Protect Newborn Size 1, 54 pack | $24 | 44c |
The working: 180 nappies at 17c each is $30.60, and 240 at 44c each is $105.60, so a month of newborn nappies costs about $31 to $106 at these prices. Premium brands cost more: Choice's June 2026 test found newborn nappies from 18c to 78c each. Cloth is cheaper over time; Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says modern cloth nappies, cold-washed and line-dried, cost about half as much as disposables.
That is why a fund beats boxes: a shower can leave you with a cupboard of one size, while a fund pays for whatever size comes next.
How to set up a nappy fund on EasyRegistry
- Add it from Gift ideas. In your registry, open Gifts, then Gift ideas, and add the Nappy Fund. It is a Wishing Well gift: guests contribute as much as they like, there is no limit, and it is never marked as given, so it stays open for everyone.
- Or make your own. Add any gift, set its Gift type to Wishing Well, then give it a name, a photo and a line on what it pays for.
- Choose how guests pay. Cash and bank transfer gifts are free to receive. Card gifts come with Premium, a one-time $39 after a 14-day trial, and the card processing fee is Stripe's, not ours.
Put the fund next to the items on your baby registry checklist, so guests can pick a thing or give towards the fund. It works like any online wishing well for a baby shower, and if you are still building the list, see when to start a baby registry.
Other cash funds on a baby registry
The same Wishing Well gift works for any named fund, for example:
- Meal fund: Takeaway or meal deliveries for the first weeks. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests accepting offers of food drops and meal preparation; a Pledge gift lets someone promise a home-cooked meal or babysitting instead of money.
- Postpartum help fund: Towards a doula, a lactation consultant or a cleaner in the newborn weeks.
- Parental leave top-up: Government Parental Leave Pay is 26 weeks for a child born or adopted from 1 July 2026, at $200.94 a day before tax (Services Australia); a top-up fund stretches it.
- Childcare fund: For the first months of care when a parent goes back to work.
- Baby's first savings: A starting balance for the baby's own account, a gift that grows with them.
For a second baby, a fund often replaces the list altogether; our guide to the baby sprinkle covers the smaller celebration.
How to word a nappy fund
Keep the ask soft, never put a figure on it, and always leave a card-only option. Some lines to adapt:
- Nappies are the one thing a new baby never stops needing. If you'd like to help, there's a nappy fund on the registry. Seeing you there is gift enough.
- Rather than boxes in one size, a nappy fund buys the right size each month as bub grows. Any amount helps, and a card is just as lovely.
- No gift needed. If you would like to bring something, a contribution to the nappy fund will be put to good use, one change at a time.
- The big things are sorted from last time, so the nappy fund and the meal fund are where help goes furthest.
For more, see the wishing well wording examples or write your own with the wishing well wording generator.
Nappy fund questions
What is a diaper fund?
Diaper fund is the American name for a nappy fund: a cash gift on a baby registry that the parents spend on nappies. In Australia it works the same way, and guests give any amount towards it.
How many nappies does a newborn use?
Tresillian puts a newborn at about 6 to 8 nappies a day, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says to change a nappy every 3 to 6 hours or after a poo. That is roughly 180 to 240 nappies a month in the newborn size.
How much does a month of newborn nappies cost?
About $31 to $106 at the newborn-size prices Aldi, Coles and Woolworths listed on 22 October 2026: 180 nappies at 17c each is $30.60, and 240 at 44c each is $105.60. Premium brands cost more; Choice's June 2026 test found newborn nappies from 18c to 78c each.
Is it rude to ask for a nappy fund?
Not when the ask is soft. A fund for something every baby needs reads as practical rather than as asking for money. Never name an amount, always leave a card-only option, and say plainly that turning up is what matters.
Can a nappy fund pay for cloth nappies?
Yes. Tresillian suggests a stock of about 18 to 24 cloth nappies, depending on how often you wash, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says modern cloth nappies, cold-washed and line-dried, cost about half as much as disposables over the same period.
Add a nappy fund to your baby registry
The Nappy Fund is ready in Gift ideas, next to items from any store. It is free to create.