For my baby shower, I received lots of diapers. Most of them were Pampers Swaddlers, although I received some other brands, such as Huggies, White Cloud, and others. I had no idea what we would use or like the most. At the hospital, they used Pampers Swaddlers as well, and we were able to take a decent size bag home.

After I had gone through the diapers we received and brought home from the hospital, I made a choice as to what diapers to purchase on my own – and stuck with the Pampers!


Pampers Swaddlers New Baby

These diapers are pretty popular and easy to find. A pack of 40 diapers runs about $9.99, but you can buy different size packs, smaller and larger (such as 66, 96, or 200+). The diapers themselves also are available in different sizes, from Newborn (N) size up to 18 lbs (size 2-3, which is new).

The diapers themselves are mostly white. On the back, there are two yellow tabs which unfold and then fold over the front panel with a Velcro type material and a sticky part. The front of the diaper has a yellow panel across the front with Sesame Street characters on it, the brand name, and the diaper size.


My Thoughts & Experience

The first and only concern I have had about these diapers is that they are scented. They have a sort of baby powder scent, which I think is unnecessary. The scent is pretty typical, and it isn’t bad by any means, but I don’t know why baby stuff has to be scented. I prefer less ingredients - the less chemicals on baby’s skin, the better!

The diaper size is printed on the outside of the diaper. This is a must, since diapers end up everywhere and I never know what size they are unless they are printed on the diaper. I got a bunch of diapers at my baby shower that weren’t packaged, and weren’t printed with the size – so I had no idea what size they were. I actually also like that these are white and not covered with designs - designs tend to show through a lot of baby's outfits and look kind of weird.

I like how many different size packs of diapers are available. As my daughter grew, I purchased smaller packs so I wouldn’t end up with hundreds of unusable diapers.

The first great thing about the Pampers Swaddlers is that they are soft. The diapers are soft, smooth, even to the point of feeling sort of fuzzy. They are soft on the inside and outside. They feel soft against baby’s skin and also go on easily. Some other diapers take some adjusting to put on.

We had no problem folding the front of these diapers down in the first few weeks after the baby was born. Although the diapers are soft, we did not want them rubbing on the umbilical cord, and it was really easy to just fold down the front.

Like most diapers I have tried with my daughter, there are “ruffles” on the inside. You just want to make sure that the edging around the leg holes face out, and the inner “ruffles” face inward or towards each other. This way, the diaper holds in any accidents.

The great part about the inside (and one of the main reasons these are my favorite diapers so far) is that they have a mesh layer. This is intended to wick moisture away from baby’s skin. When I change the baby, the mesh layer is very evident, at least as a separate layer. I don’t see this mesh as much on other diapers, at least a mesh that pulls away from the rest of the diaper. Here is a neat little "demonstration" on Pamper's website:
http://us.pampers.com/en_US/products/page/pdt_details/selectedProduct/swd_starabsorb.do

As for sizing, these can be a little tricky. At the hospital, some of the nurses stuffed my baby into the Newborn (N) size, which were way too small even though they are meant for up to 10 lbs. My daughter was well into the size 1 diapers (for 8-14 lbs) about 2 weeks after she was born, when she was around 9lbs. I had bought a ton of the N size diapers before my daughter’s birth, assuming she was going to be under 10 lbs and wouldn’t hit the 10lb mark for a while (and ended up returning quite a few unopened packages of them). I guess that is why there is an overlap on sizing. There is a size 2 (12-18 lbs), which my daughter is not using yet even though she is about 12 lbs. The highest size is size 2-3 (14-22 lbs).

Lastly, I just found out about points you can earn through Pampers.com by redeeming codes from the packages. There are some baby and children’s items you can get by purchasing this brand. I wish I had known this from the beginning!


Any Accidents?

I have used these diapers almost every day throughout the past several months. I kind of alternate diapers throughout the day when I have had other brands on hand. The Pampers Swaddlers have never leaked except on one occasion - it was a long night and the diaper was just overfilled to capacity and leaked out the back (above the waistband). It was clear that the diaper was just too full and there was nowhere for the urine to go. It seems like the other diapers I have used have leaked before reaching “capacity”.

I can also tell when these diapers are wet. They get a little harder and I can tell with a quick poke that it’s time to change baby!


How Do They Compare to Other Diapers?

As for the other diapers I have tried, I have an opinion for them all, so here is my comparison:

Pampers Baby Dry: I assume these for nighttime? They have pictures of stars, moons, and Sesame Street characters in PJs on them. It seems like they might be thinner than the Swaddlers, but they are definitely not as soft. They are harder to fit tightly on baby and I had two leaks in the first week I tried them. There is not an obvious mesh layer on the inside.

Walmart White Cloud: Had several leaks with these. Kind of soft but again don’t feel as soft or absorbent as the Swaddlers, and are a little on the “crunchy” side.

Huggies: Definitely not as soft as the Swaddlers. Diaper does wick moisture away from baby’s skin but doesn’t seem to do as good of a job. I would say these are my second choice to the Swaddlers.


Overall

I don’t have any complaints about these diapers except for the scent (which isn’t bad, I just wish there were no scent). They are very soft to the touch and also fit well because of their overall soft feeling. I will continue to use these.

The Swaddlers New Baby do seem to be one of the more expensive diapers, but I buy them strategically - using manufacturer coupons or coupons I get from Babies R Us. Be sure to sign up on Pampers.com for coupons if you use Pampers. I get regular coupons for $1.00 or $1.50 off a pack of diapers, which is always a help!


Pampers: http://www.pampers.com/



Recommended: Yes