The Best Baby Diapers for Their Comfort

Disposable diapers are one-time use diapers. Parents buy them in different sized packages, and the diapers are available in several sizes for growing children. Disposable diapers are convenient, but not very good for the environment as they cannot be recycled. 

Parents appreciate disposable diapers because they are absorbent and keep moisture away from baby’s skin. They rarely leak, especially if your baby is wearing the correct size. They are excellent choices for traveling and taking to daycare because they are disposable. Unfortunately, buying diapers every week for a few years can become expensive. 

Cloth diapers have been around longer than disposable diapers. They are popular today because they are environmentally friendly as they do not end up in landfills like disposable diapers do. Unfortunately, cloth diapers do need to be washed, which takes a lot of time that some parents do not have. Reusable diapers only need to be purchased once, so they are less expensive than disposable diapers.

Reusable diapers are not as absorbent or leakproof disposable diapers. So, to prevent leaks, parents use diaper covers with inserts. The moisture-resistant covers keep leaks from happening, and the liners soak up moisture. Parents usually need to buy liners and can use one or two as needed. Covers are fully adjustable to fit babies who are newborn up to age two. 

Reusable diapers need to be changed quickly, and you must wash them daily. If you do not clean them, reusable diapers become smelly and can get moldy, too.  

Disposable baby diapers and reusable baby diapers come in several sizes. While the sizing isn’t standard through the industry, most manufacturers are close. Diapers are sized by the weight of the baby and how often diapers need to be changed. 

Diapers begin with “newborn” size and go up into numerical sizing. Some manufacturers also make preemie sized diapers, but those aren’t as readily available in stores. You can tell that a diaper fits when the leg elastic and waistband fit snuggly, but without leaving marks on your baby’s skin. Your baby’s belly button should show about two inches above the top of the diaper. 

The leg elastics should fit tighter than the waistband because leaks happen at the legs. Parents should be able to close the tabs on the waist quickly. If you have to pull the tabs with force to get them to close, then the diaper is too small. 

Disposable diapers have a crystalline substance that creates the absorbent layer. These crystals are similar to a product sold in garden stores. Diapers usually have a paper-like layer, then a layer with crystals. When the moisture gets to the crystals, they soak them up and keep the moisture from baby’s skin. 

Reusable diapers do not have the same absorbent layer. Instead, parents use materials that are biodegradable or moisture-wicking fleece to keep moisture from their baby’s skin. Manufacturers make the absorbent liners out of bamboo, hemp, or microfiber as well as fleece. 

Because many disposable diapers are so absorbent, parents cannot always tell when they fill up with fluids. To help parents know when to change a diaper, manufacturers put wetness indicators on them. Usually, the wetness indicator is on the lower front of the diaper and is a picture that either disappears or appears after baby fills the diaper. 

Wetness indicators help parents save money. Since it is difficult to tell if a diaper is wet, parents often change diapers unnecessarily, which wastes diapers and money. 

Disposable diapers are designed to keep waste on the inside, but some do it better than others. Most disposable diapers have leg openings with stretch, so they have an adjustable fit for babies of all sizes. Manufacturers design the leg openings to stay tight to baby’s legs to prevent leaks. 

Diaper manufacturers also add stretchy waistbands to keep waste from going up baby’s back (this is called a blow out). Some diapers do not have stretchy waistbands, so waste does not stay put. 

There are several reasons why babies develop diaper rash. Some get it because they have a food sensitivity. Others get it because they have eczema or other skin conditions. Some get it because they react to moisture in their diapers. So, if you want a diaper that prevents diaper rash, then disposable diapers are the best choice. 

Reusable diapers do not have the same moisture absorbent materials that disposable diapers have. So, even though reusable diapers wick moisture from baby’s skin, they cannot keep all of the wetness away from baby’s sensitive skin. 

Many parents use diaper creams to prevent rashes with reusable diapers, but it isn’t a guarantee that your baby will stay dry. Some of the diaper creams stain the fabric on reusable diapers, so many parents do not like to use them. 

If you cannot change your baby right away, then you might not want to invest in reusable diapers. Some babies also react to laundry soap, which you will need to keep your reusable diapers clean. Many disposable diapers have hypoallergenic materials, so diaper rash is rarely a problem. And, if it is, you simply change brands and see what happens. 

However, one disposable diaper stood out from the rest. The Natural Blossom Diapers that are hypoallergenic seemed to be the best of the bunch. These were high priced and made of a cloud-soft cloth-like material. Parents loved how soft the diapers were and no babies in our test groups developed diaper rashes while wearing them. 

While many diapers ended up developing big lumps when children urinated in them, the Natural Blossom diapers did not. They stayed thin, which made them comfortable for babies, especially those who can already walk or crawl. 

We also liked the way the diapers stayed closed. They have a stretchy band in the back to prevent blowouts, and the stretchy band actually worked. They also have refastenable tabs that use a hook and loop system that did not scratch the baby. 

Babies with sensitive skin did not react to anything in the diapers. European testing agencies found them to be hypoallergenic. The CSPS in the US also certified them hypoallergenic. Other testing agencies found them to be free of dangerous VOCs. 

Parents like using disposable diapers because they require no maintenance. However, they are terrible for the environment, which is why we also tested a few reusable diapers. Not all of our test parents used them, simply because they did not want to use them. The parents who did found the two brands to be quite similar, but they liked the Mama Koala brand the best. 

The Mama Koala brand had the cutest designs, and the waterproof exterior is easy to keep clean. The liners absorb wetness and keep it away from baby’s sensitive skin. Despite the absorbent liners, with reusable diapers, they need to be changed immediately, or they start to smell bad. 

Mama Koala diapers fit snuggly, which is essential with reusable diapers because they are more likely to leak than disposable diapers. These fit a bit smaller than the other brand we tested, so waste stayed in the diapers longer. 

The best part of reusable diapers is that you only have to buy one set. You might have to pay a little extra upfront for a set of six diapers, but you do not have to buy new ones every week or month. However, parents did not like cleaning diapers, especially when they were full. They are not easy to take on vacation or bring to daycare, especially if daycare workers do not clean them after each use. 

After removing solid waste, Mama Koala diapers are machine washable and most parents washed diapers in their own cycles. It is possible to buy extra liners, since those are what get used the most. Reusable diapers have soft material on the inside, so they are comfortable for baby. But, if you cannot change them immediately, comfort ends. 

When it comes to choosing the best baby diapers, the decision rests in the lifestyle of the family using them. With disposable diapers, the diapers fit into the family’s lifestyle. But, with reusable diapers, the family’s lifestyle has to match the diapers. Parents usually have a favorite, and they stick with it. 

However, if you are looking for the most comfortable, the absolute best diapers were the Natural Blossom brand.