Most new moms are met with a barrage of conflicting pieces of advice about a wide array of topics (should you Never wake a sleeping baby or Wake your baby to eat every three hours?) I was no different and the conflicts extended to even the simplest decisions, like what brand of diaper to purchase. For my baby shower, there seemed to be an even split between the two major brands, Huggies and Pampers.  Half the diapers I received with my gifts were from Huggies lovers, the other half from Pampers supporters.

But which did I prefer? Which diapers were going on my child’s bottom for the next two to three years? Did I have to pick a brand, or could I just buy what was on sale?  I was probably over-thinking it, as usual, but I didn’t want to screw up something as fundamental as diapering my child.

In the hospital, however, I noticed that the staff used Pampers.  Was this because they are the supreme brand of diaper? Or did my child’s hospital get a good rate on Pamper?  Were there hospitals dedicated exclusively to Huggies? Probably. Still, those first few diapers being Pampers made an impression on me.  That familiar green and yellow label imprinted itself on my mind.

So, of course, I did some research on the two brands, then I tried them for myself.  Heck, I had enough of each to give them a fair assessment.  First up was Huggies—the brand that had some disadvantage already.  The red labels seemed strange after I left with all those Pampers freebies from the hospital!

Huggies

The Disney characters, I’ll admit, are pretty cute.  They did get my attention with the adorable Winnie the Pooh “baby” characters—Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet.  Love them.  Since my daughter’s room is decorated in Winnie the Pooh, the design could have made the decision for me.

But then I got to actually putting the diaper on my child…and I couldn’t figure out where the “stickies” were to secure it.  Ah! Velcro-like “stickies.” I see.  These were a bit different, though once you figure them out, it’s nice that they can stick and re-stick without losing any stickiness… (Still with me?)

DiaperReview.com ranked Huggies brand diapers as both High in cost and Poor in absorbency—a combination of facts that had me nervous for my daughter’s clean outfit.  The estimated cost of Huggies diapers is 22 cents each—that doesn’t sound so bad.  But, taking into account the super size box (pictured), a package of Huggies could cost you about $40-$45. Ouch.

In my own experience with Huggies, I noticed that some leakage happened occasionally around the legs of the diaper.  We stained a couple pairs of shorts that way before we made it through the box.  Of course, this is bound to happen with any diapers, but it seemed to be more frequent with Huggies diapers.  Many online reviews agree with me, though, that Huggies seems less absorbent and leaks occur more easily.

Still, the diapers look fun and colorful—my daughter loved the orange and green and the characters—and the material is very soft and comfortable.  Since I had to change her more often, and less moisture was trapped in the diaper, her skin seemed happier.  She did not get a diaper rash while wearing these.  On the downside, I felt like I had to change her more often.

Huggies brand seemed reliable and worthwhile, but in comparison to other brands, I wasn’t totally sold that this was the right diaper for me.  On the other hand, many of my friends are life-long Huggies fans, so what do I know?

Pampers

Once I got her home and started diapering myself, I did find that I preferred the Pampers diapers myself.  These come with Sesame Street characters (although we just learned this weekend that Pampers Splashers feature Dora the Explorer!) instead of Disney.  We stuck with the Swaddlers version of Pampers because of their soft texture and good padding.  Plus, they are super absorbent (as we learned in the pool before buying the aforementioned Splashers.)

I have had incidents with leaking Pampers, I have to be honest.  Any diaper is occasionally going to have a weak point, which my daughter is pretty good at finding.  It just seemed to happen less often with these.  The stretchy sides and extra padding seem to catch all the mess, so her outfits stay cleaner.  Rated Best by Consumer Search, Pampers Swaddlers were also given an Excellent for absorbency and a Good for durability by DiaperReview.com.  Pampers average 22 cents each, just like Huggies, so the price isn’t really a factor.

Since my daughter (fortunately) has been sleeping through the night since she was 3 ½ months old, we really needed a diaper that was super absorbent to last through the night.  In the six or seven weeks that we’ve been using Pampers on her at night, we haven’t had to change the sheets ONCE because of a leak.  The only thing wet on her is the diaper itself—pajamas and bed linens are saved!  That in itself is a great thing for me!

Where to Go?

It seems that no matter the brand, you’re going to spend a chunk of cash on diapers.  I’ve had some luck shopping at Target—the circulars often include Pampers and Huggies coupons for diapers and wipes!  Also, Amazon.com offers price cuts (and free 2-day shipping to Prime customers) on diapers.  Of course, Diapers.com is a very handy resource as well.  I’ve had many great experiences there!  Also, get signed up for the Babies R Us Rewards program to earn free money toward your purchases—anything you buy in the store or online at BabiesRUs.com counts toward your earnings, so turn rebates from clothing into free diapers!

Save even more money on Pampers diapers by signing up for the Gifts to Grow program.  For every pack of diapers, wipes, or wipe refills that you buy, you can earn points toward great free items.  Simply log Gifts to Grow codes online and start earning. Trade in points for great coupons, like $3 off at Diapers.com, entries into free drawings, or photo gifts at Shutterfly.

If Huggies is your choice, visit their website for the Enjoy the Ride program.  Codes become cash towards sweepstakes, coupons, and their catalog here as well. There’s no reason not to turn the money you have to spend on diapers into something more.  Get the most for your dollar with this program!

Spending $40-$45 per case of diapers might induce some sticker shock, so consider using our handy diaper coupons to cut some corners.

Comments