Disposable Diapers

Pampers takes heat for Dry Max

Proctor and Gamble has been the subject of recent controversy after the company began making two of its popular diapers (Pampers Cruisers and Pampers Swaddlers) with Dry Max material -- a change in the manufacturing process that allowed the company to eliminate some of the added "fluffy" ingredients and relocate the position of the absorbent gel. According to the Pampers website, the Dry Max diapers are now 20 percent thinner than other diapers and lock away moisture better. The company also says the Dry Max system uses the same materials that were previously used in the diapers. The thinner diapers also help to reduce environmental waste by taking up less landfill space, according to the company.

However, some parents aren't happy about the change, saying the new Swaddlers and Cruisers Dry Max diapers have caused diaper rashes. This is where the story gets murky: Pampers denies that there are any problems with the Dry Max material, saying it has been extensively tested for safety. Furthermore, the company has provided all available safety data to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which launched an investigation into the issue in May 2010. We called Pampers to find out whether the non-Dry Max diapers are still available, and were told that the Pampers Baby Dry diapers do not use Dry Max. Furthermore, Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive diapers (*Est. 30 cents each) utilize Dry Max only in sizes 3 and 4.

ZRecommends.com, a blog that reviews baby, child and parenting products, conducted an independent test comparing the previous design of Pampers diapers to the new design with Dry Max technology, as well as to a cloth diaper and a Huggies Snug and Dry diaper. Using actual infant bowel movements and urine, diaper patches were affixed to the forearm of an adult test subject and left relatively undisturbed for eight to nine hours. Evaluators assessed rashes without knowledge of the placement of specific patches. According to the authors, "Pampers with Dry Max are more likely to cause extended irritation persisting long after the diaper is changed." They also say, "In performance, Dry Max diapers from two different 'batches' were associated with different levels of both initial and extended irritation."

Until there's a resolution to the controversy, consider avoiding Pampers Cruisers and the larger sizes of Pampers Swaddlers (sizes 3 and 4). Instead, stick with the Pampers Baby Dry line (which doesn't use Dry Max at all) and with the N, 1 and 2 sizes of Pampers Swaddlers.

Pampers Baby Dry diapers get good reviews and don't use Dry Max

When it comes to leaks, dryness and stay-put fasteners, parents are pleased with Pampers Baby Dry (*Est. 30 cents each), which get consistently high ratings across sites like Amazon.com. All in all, more than 700 reviewers contribute to a rating of 4 stars out of 5 (on average). Reviewers give high marks to Baby Dry for the breathable cloth-like cover, flexible tabs and decorative Sesame Street characters. The contoured shape of these diapers is designed to prevent bunching around the legs, and parents say these diapers fit great and rarely leak. We found several reports from parents on Amazon.com who say that their babies can go all night (for eight to 12 hours) in a single Pampers Baby Dry diaper without leaking.

Of the few complaints we found, a few parents say the gel filling of the Pampers Baby Dry diapers came out of the core, and some don't care for the scent of these diapers, which they call chemical-like. Pampers Baby Dry diapers are the only style of Pampers that are still available in all sizes without Dry Max technology, and as a bonus, many parents report that they're softer than Pampers Cruisers and less expensive. Pampers Baby Dry are available in sizes 1 through 8, which fits babies more than 35 pounds.

For newborns and young babies, Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive diapers (*Est. 30 cents each) are still favored by parents on consumer review sites for their softness, leakage protection and wetness indicator not available with other brands -- but note that only sizes N (for newborn), 1 and 2 don't use Dry Max. Parents particularly like the wetness indicator, a faint yellow line on the front of the diaper that turns blue when wet. It's easy to tell when baby needs a diaper change. More than 150 reviewers contribute to an average rating of 4.62 stars out of 5 on Viewpoints.com, with a few hundred additional reviews averaging 4 out of 5 or better across other sites, such as Amazon.com, Diapers.com, and ToysRUs.com. Parents looking for Pampers in sizes 3 and above without Dry Max will need to switch to Pampers Baby Dry.

Huggies Snug and Dry diapers (*Est. 30 cents each) receive the thumbs-up from some parents,  who say leaks and blowouts aren't that common. Huggies Snug and Dry have leak barriers that move with baby's legs, along with a stretchy waistband, and they stretch to hug baby around the legs and waist. More than 400 reviewers contribute to an average rating of 4.15 stars out of 5 on Viewpoints.com, where most parents say Huggies Snug and Dry fit great. There are some reports that these diapers get very saggy and a few complaints about leaks and tabs that tear off during diapering.

Another strategy is to give store brand diapers a try. They're less expensive, and some parents say they work just as well as more expensive brands. Viewpoints.com is the best place for finding reviews for store-brand diapers. Walmart's Parents Choice diapers (not sold online) earn an average rating of 3.4 stars out of 5, based on more than 425 reviews. Opinions are mixed; only 64 percent of respondents give Parents Choice a rating of 3 stars or better. Some say they work well, but others say they don't absorb moisture and are stiff.

Target brand diapers fare better, but they have recently been redesigned and are now called Up & Up diapers (not sold online). Only 45 reviews were in, but 80 percent of reviewers rate Up & Ups with 3 stars or better (out of a possible 5). Most parents say that for the price, they're decent, but they do leak, and many prefer name brands over Up & Ups.   

Luvs Premium Stretch diapers (*Est. 20 cents each) receive good reviews from parents on Diapers.com, with an average rating of 4 stars in nearly 500 reviews. Another 350 reviewers on Amazon.com give Luvs Premium Stretch an average rating of 4.5 stars (out of 5). Most comments say Luvs diapers are a great value. Some parents say these diapers aren't as soft and comfortable as other brands, despite the thin design of Luvs Premium Stretch. There are also a few complaints about leaks.

Parents looking for extra protection for sleeping hours may want to consider Huggies Overnites (*Est. 35 cents each). These diapers have a waist leak barrier and an "all-nite" protection zone to prevent nighttime leaks. Parents on Viewpoints.com and Amazon.com speak highly of this Huggies diaper. They do cost more than most standard diapers, but many parents say the Huggies Overnites diapers work great for babies and toddlers who sleep through the night and for those who are heavy nighttime wetters. Others, however, say a standard diaper like Pampers Baby Dry works just as well for overnights without the added cost. Unless your baby is leaking in a standard diaper overnight, you probably don't need to spend the extra money on a specialty diaper.

Swim diapers

Most public swimming pools require babies who are not toilet trained to wear a swim diaper.  Swim diapers are made from the same materials as standard disposables: a woven plastic combination of polypropylene and polyethylene. The difference between swim diapers and standard disposables is that swim diapers don't contain the super absorbent inner core that swells up in a regular diaper, and they won't immediately expand and become heavy in the water.

Several brands now offer disposable diapers for swimming, and there are even a few reusable swim diapers available. Huggies makes the Little Swimmers brand (*Est. 70 cents each) and Pampers offers the Splashers Swim Pants (*Est. 70 cents each). Imse Vimse (*Est. $20 each), iPlay (*Est. $15 each) and Bummis (*Est. $15 each) are among reusable swim diaper makers.

The Huggies Little Swimmers line is expensive, and as you can imagine, this is the main complaint on Viewpoints.com about these swim diapers. Otherwise, parents say they are a good choice for swimming. Some say swim diapers generally aren't used as frequently as regular disposables, and the high price isn't that much of an inconvenience. Pampers Splashers cost about the same, but there are few reviews of these swim diapers. Just 10 parents on Diapers.com contribute to an average rating of 3.5 stars out of 5, with a few complaints of leaks and one parent noting that the diapers began to fall apart in the water.

There are also few reviews available for the reusable swim diapers. Several parents note that public pools have banned disposables altogether, even those designed for swimming, and now require reusable swimming diapers instead.