Diapering, like anything associated with babies, can be a controversial topic. There are those squarely in the cloth diapering camp while others are firmly settled in the disposable diapering camp. Selection of cloth versus disposable diapers is a family decision; there is not right or wrong answer. This article does not address the cloth versus disposable diaper debate. Furthermore, this article is not an endorsement of any brand; rather, this article is based on my personal experiences and opinion.
For me, bodily fluids are not my strong suit, so disposing of said bodily fluids as quickly and as efficiently as possible was critical to my decision in selecting disposable diapers for my children. Although I made my selection based on convenience and minimal amount of grossness, I applaud cloth diaper mommies.
Disposable diapers are marketed as being unisex. But, girls and boys are anatomically different - boys have a penis and girls have a vagina. So, when it comes to diapering babies, one size does not fit all. As the mother of two - a boy and a girl - I quickly figured out that Pampers were good for my son while Huggies worked best for my daughter.
Boys
At the time of my son's birth, everyone, including the hospital, swore that Pampers were the best option. As a first time mom, not knowing any better I went with the recommendation. Once I figured out how to prevent his urine from coming out of the top of the diaper, the Pampers Snugglers were a solid option. Although he would occasionally have a blow out, he never had diaper rash. As he grew and got more mobile, we switched to Pampers Cruisers. Overall, I was satisfied and he was comfortable.
However, when it came to potty training, the Pampers Easy Ups were not getting the job done. He would always wake up soaked in urine. So, I switched to Huggies Pull Ups. While the Huggies Pull Ups were a much better options, training pants, regardless of brand, are not diapers. Meaning they cannot hold as much urine. However, for me the Huggies Pull Ups could hold significantly more urine than Pampers Easy Ups.
Finally, there are swimming diapers. Our son started swimming lessons rather early. As we were on the Pampers bandwagon for traditional diapering, obviously Pampers Splashers were our first option. No complaints with the Pampers Splashers. As my son got older and was potty trained, we switched to cloth diapers for cautionary purposes only.
Girls
As I used Pampers for my son, I assumed Pampers were the gold standard for disposable diapering options. When my daughter was born, I was heavily invested in Pampers; however, the hospital where she was born (and where my son was born) had changed its preference from Pampers to Huggies. After asking the hospital staff about the rationale for the change, it was revealed that it came down to cost - Pampers were more expensive than Huggies.
Upon discharge from the hospital, I switched my daughter to the tried and true Pampers Swaddlers. Immediately, i had difficulty getting the Pamper to fit her as snuggly - there was significant gapping in the front near her naval. Additionally, the bulkiness of the diaper always poked out from underneath onesie. I tried different sizes of Pampers and even switched from Pampers Swaddlers to Pampers Dry Fit, but to no avail. So, we switched back to Huggies Little Snugglers. After the switch, I examined the Huggies Little Snugglers to determine why they fit her better. I noticed: (1) Huggies uses an elastic ban to ensure a better fit regardless of Babies shape; (2) in the back, there is a built in flap, which catches poop leading to less massive blow outs; and (3) the Huggies are simply cut different, especially around the legs.
For swimming, I am testing the waters with disposable diapers. So far, I have no complaints, but she has yet to relieve herself in the pool. Fingers crossed that never happens.
As an aside, both Pampers and Huggies have loyalty programs. I personally prefer the Pampers loyalty program as all you have to do in the app is input or take pictures of codes provided on the packaging. Huggies requires you to take a picture of the receipt, which is not practical - it's just another piece of paper to keep up with.
Happy diapering!