Diapers

Many diaper companies have improved their products with cloth-like cover material and Velcro-like fasteners. The legs now have extra leak barriers and stretchy waistbands. Cartoon characters often decorate the front of the diapers (which also helps confused aunts and uncles tell the front from the back).

Parents looking for extra protection for sleeping hours may want to consider Huggies Overnights (*est. $.34 per diaper) . They have a waist leak barrier and an "all-nite protection zone" to prevent nighttime leaks. Parents on Epinions speak highly of this Huggies diaper. There are a few comments about the Overnights being a little more expensive than most daytime diapers, but parents say it's worth the extra money to not have to change their baby's crib sheets in the wee hours. Many parents use these for daytime as well.

Huggies Snug and Dry (formerly Baby Shaped) diapers receive the thumbs up from some parents, even though they aren't as well rated in professional reviews for leak control. Parents, however, say leaks and blowouts aren't that common, and parents like the fact that they are less expensive than some other brands. Huggies Snug and Dry average 23 cents per diaper and have Triple Protection Leak Barriers that move with baby's legs. They have a stretchy waistband and stretch to hug baby around the legs and waist.

Pampers Swaddlers (*est. $.27 per diaper) , made in three sizes from newborn to babies up to 18 pounds, include a quilted backsheet -- these diapers are meant for less active babies who spend a lot of time on their backs. The cover material is still cloth-like, along with refastening and overlapping tabs. The newborn Swaddlers have a fold-in waistband that provides care for a newborn's delicate umbilical cord area. According to many reviews posted by parents on Epinions, Amazon.com and Diapers.com, Pampers Swaddlers are a favorite, regardless of price. In fact, 90% of reviewers of these diapers on Amazon.com give them a perfect score.

According to American Baby magazine, another parent favorite is Pampers Cruisers (*est. $.31 per diaper) , which were awarded the American Baby Best of the Year Award in the diaper category in 2003 (the last year for which American Baby conducted the survey). Experts rank Pampers Custom Fit Cruisers, which come in four sizes to fit babies from 16 to over 35 pounds, as number one for excelling in leakage control, dryness, fit and fastener quality. They especially recommend these for babies who are prone to leaking. In tests, these Pampers diapers finish just ahead of Pampers Baby Dry and Huggies Supreme diapers, but the differences are minor. Both the Huggies Supreme and the Baby Dry version of Pampers are generally a bit cheaper than Pampers Cruisers. Experts say that not every diaper works for every baby, so you may need to experiment a bit before finding the right diaper for your baby.

Experts are pleased with Pampers Baby Dry (*est. $.23 per diaper) when it comes to leaks, dryness and stay-put fasteners. Reviewers give high marks to Baby Dry for the breathable cloth-like cover, "Koala Fit Grips" and the decorative Sesame Street characters. The most common complaint from parents is that the sides don't stretch enough. The jury is out on the Baby Dry's baby-powder scent. Some parents like it, while others don't.

Luvs Ultra Leakguards (*est. $.18 per diaper) get many positive reviews from parents. On Amazon.com, the average rank is four out of five stars among 144 reviews, with comments on what a great value the Luvs diapers are. They did poorly in expert testing, however, ranking last for diaper design although they did perform acceptably for leak protection. The main features of Luvs are the stretch-to-fit sides, triple-layer protection and a liner with aloe and leak barriers. Luvs are made by Pampers.

Due to the improved quality of store-brand diapers, experts suggest trying them first, pointing out they can cost up to 30% less than name brands. While store brands seem to bring more mixed reviews than the name brands do, parents posting to Epinions give high scores to store-brand diapers such as Kirkland Signature Supreme Diapers (*est. $.18 per diaper) and Wal-Mart's White Cloud (*est. $.13 per diaper). Both brands actually outperformed a couple of name-brand diaper models in expert testing, but both brands also receive some complaints about leaking and rashes. Many parents like the John Lennon “Imagine” quotes and designs on the White Cloud diapers. Experts Denise and Alan Fields also agree that store-brand diapers have "caught up in terms of cloth-like covers, Velcro fasteners and ultra absorbency."

DiaperReview.com ranks some of the store-brand diapers very highly. White Cloud diapers receive a rating of seven out of ten, but the site states the side tabs are not stretchy enough and the bottom of the fastening clip actually scratched a baby’s thigh during testing. They were impressed otherwise with the quality and design.

The trend of environmentally-friendly diapers is also gaining steam. Seventh Generation chlorine-free diapers (*est. $.27 per diaper) in particular are extremely popular with parents, many of whom swear by the quality. Prices have also been dropping. In parent reviews on all sites, Seventh Generation diapers rank highly with positive comments that these diapers don’t leak. Some find the tan color off-putting, however, and some complain that Seventh Generation diapers are dubiously environmentally friendly because they are not biodegradable (read more on green diapers in the Alternative Considerations section below).

Cloth diapers

Regarding the longstanding debate between cloth and disposable diapers, experts say it's entirely a personal decision. Cloth diapers are widely assumed to be more environmentally friendly, since they don't take up landfill space like disposables. Still, they incur the environmental cost of water and energy for washing. In an article for Wired News, writer Elisa Batista tackles the cloth vs. disposable subject: "On the face of it, cloth diapers appear to be the best way to avoid additional waste dump in landfills. But laundering cloth diapers does appear to suck up a lot of water, which could present a problem in drought-afflicted areas."

In our research, we found many insightful arguments for and against cloth diapering, but nearly all articles emphasize that it comes down to your personal preferences in terms of your lifestyle and your level of consumer activism. In an article for Mothering.com, Jane McConnell writes, "Like breastfeeding and drug-free childbirth, cloth diapering has always seemed to me to be the most "natural" approach." She adds that aside from environmental benefits, cloth diapering can lead to early toilet training, since the baby can feel that he or she is wet.

If cost is your main concern, using a diaper service will cost the same, if not more, than buying disposable diapers. Therefore, laundering your own cloth diapers will be the most cost-effective option, albeit the most labor intensive. Some parents split the difference by using cloth during the day and disposables at night.

Aside from cost, your baby's health used to be a factor in the cloth/disposable debate. In an April 2003 Parenting magazine article, "The Biggest Decision New Parents Face," Paula Spencer writes, "As far as your baby's health goes, it doesn't matter which type you choose. Although cloth was once linked to fewer diaper rashes, recent improvements in the ability of disposable diapers to wick away moisture means that this concern has pretty much become outdated."

According to estimates, about one in ten households experiment with cloth diapers.

There's a large and active Internet community that supports parents who choose cloth diapers, so we'd suggest visiting some of those websites if you're considering using cloth. BorntoLove.com has a wealth of information, including articles on laundering, cost calculators and supply resources. DiaperPin.com is another good source, with product reviews, articles and a parent forum. For a good overview, a website owned by The Peace and Environment Resource Centre has an excellent article examining the pros and cons of cloth vs. disposable.

Training Pants

There is some controversy about training diapers in that some parents say popular “pull-ups” impede toilet training and that you should just switch straight to underwear during this period to help a child learn. Regardless, many parents use training diapers with success. The biggest problem with training pants is made clear by reviewers across the board -- they can be difficult to put on and take off. Regular diapers can be put on to a child who is wearing a pair of jeans by simply pulling the jeans down, sliding the diaper under his/her behind and taping the sides together. Most training pants, by contrast, require that the jeans (and usually the shoes) be taken completely off so that the training pants can slide on, just like underwear. This can be frustrating if your child is wetting or soiling the training pants on a regular basis. Another complaint is that pull-up style diapers are not as absorbent as standard diapers.

Pampers Easy Ups (*est. $.30 per diaper) are well-liked by reviewers, and they rank highly on essentially every consumer review site. Easy Ups can be removed without taking off pants with easy-to-tear sides. However, the sides can't be re-closed, and the only option for putting on a new diaper is by removing pants and shoes. Although reviewers generally like Easy Ups, many say it's a pain that you can't choose to fasten them like a regular diaper. Pampers Easy Ups come with popular character designs (with Dora the Explorer on girls’ diapers and Diego on boys’ diapers). Pampers Easy Ups also have a Feel ‘n Learn design that helps toddlers notice when their diapers get wet.

The only pull-up diapers that don’t require pants be removed are the Huggies Pull-Ups (*est. $.33 per diaper) , which feature Velcro-like side tabs that can be both opened and closed, allowing you to use them as either pull-up training pants or as regular diapers. Huggies Pull-Ups also come in a variety of styles designed to appeal to kids. Parents can choose from boy or girl styles and patterns with popular designs such as Disney Princesses and Disney Cars. They also feature a choice between methods of alerting a child to wetness that parents can experiment with, to see whether the child does better from physical or visual stimulus. The options are “Cool Alert” which gets cold when wet and “Learning Designs” in which designs disappear when wet. There is also a nighttime version of the diaper with extra absorbency. Pull-Ups are newer, so they haven't yet been included in professional reviews, but in early parent-written reviews, caregivers indicate that the re-closable sides are a big plus.

The biggest limitation on Pull-Ups and other training diapers is the size limit. Some children are big for their age, and some can take a while to fully conquer the diaper. For older or larger children, GoodNites Underpants (*est. $.80 per diaper) appear to have better absorbency and comfort, plus come in a wider range of sizes (as high as 125 pounds). GoodNites also offer the option of boxer-style training pants.

Swim Diapers

Most public swimming pools require babies who are not toilet trained to wear a swim diaper. Huggies and Pampers are the only major diaper companies that currently make disposable diapers for swimming.

The Huggies Little Swimmers line can cost more than a dollar per diaper, and as you can imagine, this is the number one complaint on Epinions about these swim diapers. Otherwise, parents say they are a good choice for swimming. But there is some controversy about the leak guards; some parents saying they work perfectly and many complain that they leak terribly. You may want to do a trial run and let your child wear one around the house before trusting the diaper in a pool. Pampers Splashers cost about the same, but there are few reviews of these swim diapers yet.

Important Features: Diapers

Experts say no diaper can be absolutely leak-proof for every baby. Still, you can hedge your bets by choosing a diaper with the following features:

• Newborn diapers should have a notch for the umbilical cord

• Elastic leg bands

• Elastic waistbands

• Absorbent cores

• Breathable covers to keep baby dry

• Diapers with adjustable tape or Velcro fasteners.

Reviews say that fit is the most important consideration in avoiding leaks and ensuring comfort. Match your baby's weight to the package sizing. Brands can vary with respect to size and weight parameters, so if your baby wears a size two in one brand, he may wear a different size in another brand.

As far as saving money, experts recommend trying a store-brand diaper first. If a store brand works well for your child, there is little point in spending the money on more expensive diapers. In addition, buy in bulk. Experts say you'll pay less per diaper if you buy the biggest package available.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (With Retailer Links)	Details from Amazon.com
5	Pampers Cruisers (*est. $.31 per diaper)	details
5	Pampers Swaddlers (*est. $.27 per diaper)	details
3	Seventh Generation (*est. $.27 per diaper)	details
2	Pampers Easy Ups (*est. $.30 per diaper)	details
2	Huggies Pull-Ups (*est. $.33 per diaper)	details
2	Huggies Supreme (*est. $.27 per diaper)	details
1 each	Huggies Ultratrim , ShopRite Training Pants, Tushies , GoodNites Underpants , Huggies Snug and Dry , Luvs Ultra Leakguards , Pampers Baby Dry ,

Reviews choose popular name-brand diapers most often in reviews, although they are more expensive than store brands. However, experts still say that store brands are not necessarily inferior, and have improved in recent years. They are definitely worth a try, since they are significantly less expensive than Pampers or Huggies.

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