It is better for diapers to be too big than too small.
If a diaper is too small it can cause red marks around the baby's waist and legs and also can leak more and not hold enough pee or even cause more blowouts of poop.
However if a diaper is too big then it can also leave gaps and cause leakage of pee and poop but being just a bit too big is not bad but you don't want the diaper to be too big.
Diapers should go slightly below the belly button when the diaper is properly sized.
If the diaper is fitting a little more like a low rise then it's time to size up on the diaper and if the diaper is fitting over the belly button then it's a sign that the diaper is too big.
The diaper's waistband should sit just under your baby or toddlers belly button.
The diapers leg cuffs shouldn't have any gaps.
After the diaper is on the child, run two fingers just inside the diapers leg cuffs to remove any gaps, which can help prevent leaks.
Newborn babies have a little piece of cord called the umbilical stump which is still attached to the belly button.
You have to wait for this to come off, and then for the belly button to properly form.
Only then can a diaper go over the belly button.
Remember to avoid covering the cord with the diaper, because the cord area should be kept dry and clean at all times.
If the diaper is too high, fold it down on your baby before securing.
You can also buy special newborn diapers that have a space cut-out for the umbilical cord.
The most common cause of leaking diapers is fitting your baby with the wrong diaper size.
So begin by checking if the diaper size is right for your baby.
Note also that the amount of pee increases as your baby grows.
By the time your baby is 12 months old, the amount of pee discharged in a day will be twice that of a newborn.