We were getting to the end of our monthly Amazon shipment of diapers when I ran over to CVS to grab a pack to get us through until the next one arrived. The shelves were fairly picked over, but I grabbed two packs (on sale) of Pampers Baby Dry with cute Sesame Street characters featured on them. They were bound to be a hit with my Elmo obsessed two-year-old.
I’ve been a real Seventh Generation mom since the birth of my third baby two years ago. I like their climate-friendly message and low chemical content for sensitive skin. My kids are all sensitive and have a tendency for irritation, so products for sensitive skin are always a priority for me.
I was highly dismayed when I opened the Pampers package and smelled a perfumy chemical fragrance. Additionally, the fit was not as good, and I’m fairly certain they irritated her tender bottom. I used Pampers Sensitive diapers with the first two kids, but these were far from that.
Don’t all babies deserve low chemical diapers? Is perfume really necessary? I took my gripe to the other contributor moms from Fairfield County Moms for some answers.
I asked: What is your favorite brand of diapers and why?
Moms came out in force for 7th Generation for daytime and Target Up and Up for overnights. Other diapers with high marks were Huggies (for overnight especially), Amazon Mama Bear, and Honest Diapers. A few moms went down the cloth diaper road with mixed success. G Diapers and Bum Genius were both mentioned brands with good hybrid and easy use options.
Several moms advised to “size up,” especially at night if you have any leak issues. For me, Huggies never worked well for very tiny babies and almost always led to a poopsplosion. Pampers Sensitive Swaddlers were good for the newborn stage in my experience.
In the end, it seems that trial and error are necessary for all parents journeying through the diaper minefield. Luckily there are new diapers on the market all the time, and with plenty of brands to choose from, we can count on many more options to come.
One bit of related advice that I have for families with sensitive skinned wee ones; use raw coconut oil all over their body to help preserve moisture. I’ve found that this helps prevent rashy bottoms as well. And as for diaper cream, that’s another post entirely, but I thought I would add that diaper creams with zinc oxide and calendula are my go-to for tender, sensitive bottoms.
Additionally, we haven’t reviewed wipes in this article, but I discovered Water Wipes with my third baby, and I’ve been thrilled with their low chemical content and excellent cleaning power. I highly recommend them for all your baby wiping needs!
In summary, less is best in my opinion when it comes to caring for baby bums; less chemicals and less perfume.
