20 common diaper brands all new parents should know

Attention all you new moms and dads.  Guess what's in your future? Diapers. Lots and lots of diapers.  To be exact, you will go through about 3,000 diaper changes the first year of your baby's life. If you are going to purchase 3,000 diapers, you want to make sure you are getting the best ones for your baby.  How do you decide? There are so many different brands to choose from so the only way to figure out the best brands is to narrow down your options. 


First, you have to decide among disposable, cloth or organic diapers.  Once you have made that choice, you must consider quality and price.  Are you willing to pay more if you know the diaper will never leak? Are you okay with the occaional leak if the price is much lower?

Disposable diapers are wildly popular because they are super convenient.  You can easily stash a few in your purse because they are light, thin and portable or you can leave them in your car for emergencies. The key advantage is the ease of use.  They are absorbent and are virtually leak-free.  Odds are you would not have to get up in the middle of the night to change a wet diaper because they are designed with technology that traps moisture away from the baby's skin.  A soiled diaper simply gets tossed right into the trash.  There is no need to rinse or wash as you would have to do with cloth diapers.  

The disadvantage of cloth diapers is the cost.  You cannot reuse a disposable diaper.  They are designed for one-time use, so you have to pay for the convenience of using them. Here is a list of the top disposable diaper brands:

Pampers is one of the top-selling disposable diaper brands for a reason.  They don't really leak. Pampers has been awarded the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval and is often used in hospitals on all of the newborn babies.  Pampers are made without BPA, dioxins, disperse dyes, elemental chlorine, ethanol/alcohol, parabens, latex, lead and mercury in printed inks, pesticide residues, PVC and phenol. Sizes range from newborn, baby and toddler. These are always a good choice and you can often find coupons to help defray cost.

Mama Bear is a disposable diaper brand made by Amazon. Yes, that's correct. Amazon has gotten into the baby market!  Diapers are free of fragrance and elemental chlorine.  These come equipped with a wetness indicator. Sizes run from newborn to 35 pounds. The best part of the Mama Bear diaper is Amazon offers happiness guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the diaper, Amazon will refund your purchase, therefore, you have nothing to lose. Try them and if you don't like them, get your money back.

Little Toes diaper is biodegradable and made with bamboo fiber.  Bamboo is more absorbent than other materials so it protects your baby's skin from moisture. Sizes are available from newborn to 30 pounds.  Products are sold in monthly packs at a discounted price.   

Cuties diapers rate high because they offer 12-hour leak protection.  These diapers are made from soft cotton material that is free from latex and chlorine. The inner liner contains aloe and vitamin E that helps to prevent diaper rash. Sizes range from newborn up to 41 pounds.

Aiden + Anais disposable diapers are hypoallergenic and have a wetness indicator that changes color from yellow to blue so you always know when your baby needs a diaper change. Available in sizes to fit 10 to 37-pound babies. For every pack of diapers sold, one tree is planted so that can help ease your guilt about using disposable diaper products.

Luvs has re-fastenable stretch tabs to make sure the diaper fits your baby snugly. Diapers are latex and dioxin free. Sizes are newborn to 35 pounds.  Luvs offers a money back guarantee so if you are not satisfied with their disposable diapers, you will get a full refund of your purchase price. Be sure to keep your receipt and UPC from the packaging. 

Reusable cloth diapers are experiencing a resurgence in popularity because these diapers can be less expensive than disposable diapers.  The trade-off is that the cloth diaper is not as convenient as using a disposable, but it is better for the environment because the cloth diaper is not adding to the landfills.  Parents feel better about using reusable cloth diapers because they have don't have to worryy about the chemical materials contained in the disposable diapers. 


Here is a list of the most popular reusable cloth diaper brands:

bumGenius manufactures an all-in-one (AIO) cloth diaper with a one-size design. It comes equipped with snap down technology to enable the same diaper to fit small, medium and large which is between 8 and 35 pounds. The advantage of an AIO is that you do not need a separate diaper cover because the AIO has a waterproof outer cover that prevents leakage. Available in 30 different colors and patterns.

Rumparooz brand cloth diapers are manufactured by Kanga Care, and is an AIO that adjusts to fit babies between 6 and 35 pounds. Each diaper comes with absorbent microfiber, hemp or bamboo pads that will insure the diaper does not leak.  The insert pads are washable and reusable.  Rumparooz are available in 35 different colors and patterns.

FuzziBunz is a pocket diaper made with a fleece insert to absorb moisture. It was designed by a mom who was trying to find the right material and diaper to prevent her baby from getting diaper rash because the diapers on the market at the time gave him severe diaper rash.

FuzziBunz comes in two sizes. The first year size fits newborns and babies weighing between 7 and 20 pounds.  The one size fits babies weighing 10 to 40 pounds and is intended for babies aged 3 months through 36. Both have an elastic waist and adjustable leg openings.  Fuzzibunz are available in a variety of designs.

Alvababy makes modern cloth diapers (MCNs).  The outside layer is made of waterproof polyester.  The inside layer consists of an absorbent pad insert.  The inserts are washable and reusable. Diapers can fit babies weighing between 6 and 33 pounds. The diaper is adjustable and can go from small, medium to large depending on where you snap the buttons on the diaper. Elastic legs help to prevent diaper leaks.  This product comes with a one year guarantee.  You can get a replacement product or a refund of your money, so Alvababy may be worth taking a chance on.

Anmababy cloth washable diapers is an AIO that has three rows of adjustable snaps, so this diaper can fit newborn babies to toddlers. Absorbent inserts are made of microfiber and are reusable and washable. The outer cover is made of cotton and is lined with plastic to help prevent leaks. Diapers come with a wet bag that you store your wet diapers in until you can get home to wash them.

Nora's Nursery makes cloth pocket diapers with absorbent polyester bamboo inserts to keep your baby dry.  The inside of the diaper is made from suede cloth and the outside of the diaper has a waterproof cover. The adjustable snaps mean that the diaper grows with your baby and fits 10 to 33 pounds.  They are not recommended for newborns unless you have a big baby that weighed 10 pounds at birth. Comes with a wet bag.

Organic diapers are trending upwards these days.  Moms and dads want to surround their precious babies with nothing but the best, and organic is the best that you can get. Organic means the diapers are going to be made without chemicals or harmful materials, so why wouldn't you want organic?  The main drawback to using organic diapers is they are more expensive than using the traditional types.  The other drawback is they may not protect against leaks as well as regular disposable diapers because the natural materials are not as absorbent.  Despite this, there is an increased interest knowing which are the top organic diaper brands.

Earth + Eden manufactures a diaper without latex, chlorine bleach, lotion and fragrance that offers 12-hour diapers. No leaks for 12 hours!  Inks are water-based and non-toxic. Sizes come in newborn, overnight and up to 28 pounds. 

Gerber organic diapers are the least expensive cloth organic diapers on the market.  They are made with 100% organic cotton.  The diapers only come in white and can be machine washed in your washer and dried in your dryer. Gerber is a name you can trust when it comes to baby food, so why not give them a try when it comes to organic diapers? Available in packs of 5.

Flip makes a one size cloth diaper and sells organic absorbent pad inserts for the diapers. By adjusting the fold direction of the diaper; Flip can fit babies between 8 and 35 pounds. You have to use a cover to go over these diapers to prevent leaks, but the inserts are made with organic cotton. 

Bambo Nature manufactures diapers free from latex, chlorine, and allergens.  Bambo diapers come with a wetness indicator that changes color so you always know when your baby's diaper needs to be changed. Sizes range from newborn up to 66 pounds.  The wood used to make the pulp used in the diapers are made from sustainable forestry, and this means that more trees are plants then harvested. Diapers are made in Denmark.

Seventh generation manufactures household environmentally friendly products, including organic diapers.  Diapers are not bleached and are chlorine, latex, petroleum, frangrance and lotion free.  Seventh generation diapers are available in newborn, overnight and sizes up to 35 pounds. The diaper designs are made with ink that is free from heavey metals and lead. 

GroVia is another brand that offers a hybrid diaper system.  It consists of a shell (cover) and you insert a reusable soaker pad that snaps into the shell.  The pads are washable and come in certified organic cotton or microfiber terry cloth. There are 20 different patterns to choose from and there are two options for closures: hook and loop or snap style.  

Earth's Best has been making non-GMO baby foods for 30 years and they manufacture a brand of TenderCare diapers that are made without chlorine, latex, dye and fragrance, so they are great for babies with sensitive skin. The diapers are made with stretch panels to adjust to fit snugly.  Carries sizes to fit babies that weigh between 8 and 36 pounds. 

Babyganics are high on parent's lists of top disposable diaper brands because the diapers are manufactured without chlorine, latex, or petroleum based lotions and fragrances. Babyganics makes a whole line of skin care products for babies and their diapers are formulated with NeoNourish® which is a blend of plant based oils in the diaper core to enhance your baby's skin. The diaper sides are soft stretch to prevent leaks, and have a wetness indicator. 

When it comes to diapers, you have a myriad of options.  You will find that if you ask other parents, you will get conflicting responses to which are the "best" diaper brands.  You need to test drive them on your baby to see what works for yours.  Some babies are more active or wiggly than others, so you will need a snug diaper for them.  

Whether you choose cloth, disposable or organic, remember that you are never locked in. You can opt for cloth diapers during the day and disposables for night time.  It gives you some peace of mind that you aren't contributing to the landfills too much since you are using cloth diapers most of the time, and yet you can be sure you and your baby get a good night's sleep since the night time disposable means no leaks in the middle of the night.