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The best diaper for your child that you can buy today – and a particularly great choice for toddlers – is the Huggies Little Movers. They have an excellent liner for wetness, a well-designed waistband for a great fit, and they are totally free of things like lotions, rubber latex, and other materials that may cause diaper rash. The right diaper for your child is critical to their health and wellness, and we made sure to provide a comprehensive list to help you with your search.
We have tested out a multitude of diapers in order to ascertain the best diaper for your child. The top diapers have comfortable fits, prevent leaks, are durable enough to avoid blow-out problems, and try to minimize diaper rash as much as possible. We also preferred diapers with additional features, such as wetness indicators, and those that were made from all-natural materials. Take a look at our full list of diapers for all kinds of growth stages and preferences.
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: The perfect disposable diaper for toddlers, these will keep your child dry and let you check them easily with wetness indicators. This is an excellent choice for babies entering fast-growing phases.
These are the best diapers for toddlers that we’ve found, as they are a great choice when your child starts moving around. The “DryTouch” liner is designed to absorb moisture in all positions, while the SnugFit waistband and grip strips make it easy to keep the diaper properly in place. There’s also a welcome wetness indicator and even an extra indicator for when it’s time to size up to a new diaper.
We also really like that these diapers discourage rashes by avoiding all fragrances, lotions, parabens, chlorine, and latex. These Huggies diapers are the perfect option for parents dealing with a fast-growing baby that needs the best diaper protectant. You might also want to use the best baby humidifier to keep your kids bedroom a safe place.
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The best diapers for your newborn, these diapers are extra soft and extra-breathable for great results, even if you need frequent changes. There’s even extra protection for sore umbilical cord areas.
These newborn-oriented diapers are designed for infants eight to 14 pounds, and Pampers has data that says they’re one of the top choices of hospitals and nurses. They’re made to be extra soft with built-in channels for breathability so your baby’s skin doesn’t suffer any discomfort. If your post-pregnancy weight has been causing you discomfort, you can start shedding those pounds with the best thermogenic supplements.
Wetness indicators are included for all potential sizes, and there’s even a handy notch that gives extra protection to newborn belly buttons (which may still be sore from the umbilical cord). These Pampers diapers are an ideal choice for frequent changes for your new child, though they are only designed for newborns. With the best baby diapers, you’ll also need the best baby wipes.
Award: BEST FOR LARGE BLADDERS
WHY WE LIKE IT: The best diaper we’ve found for guarding against wetness and leaks, these have three different zones for absorbing moisture. They can also protect sensitive skin for 12 hours, making them ideal overnight diapers.
As your baby grows, the messes can get bigger, too. These diapers are designed for that phase, and feature some of the best wetness protection we’ve ever seen. They offer three absorption areas for maximum coverage, and “nightlock” absorbency that’s designed to prevent leaks and irritation overnight, up to 12 hours.
There’s also the welcome wetness indicator, and refastenable tabs that make fitting the diaper properly much easier – a great benefit for particularly wiggly babies. We must note, however, these diapers are not designed to be hypoallergenic. If you’re worried about germs, it will help to have the best hand sanitizer on hand too.
Award: MOST COMFORTABLE
WHY WE LIKE IT: These bamboo diapers are super soft and very hypoallergenic to help babies with sensitive skin issues. But they still have a wetness indicator and durable design to make your life easier.
Bamboo makes for an incredibly durable, incredibly soft diaper. These diapers back up the natural materials by being totally free of any harsh chemicals or preservatives. If your baby has had trouble with sensitive skin issues in the past, we recommend trying these diapers to see if they can help. Given the pandemic, we know that face masks have wreaked havoc on parents with sensitive skin, so protect yourself, your baby, and your skin with the best dust mask.
Bamboo has some other advantages too if you like eco-friendly diapers. Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and naturally odor-resistant. It also deals well with temperature changes from hot to cold while keeping your baby comfortable. Plus, there’s still a wetness indicator you can keep an eye on for changes, which we appreciated. You may want to add to your necessary baby supplies with the best infrared thermometer.
Award: EASIEST TO SIZE UP
WHY WE LIKE IT: These extra-stretchy diapers have good absorbency while still allowing movement – and they’re super easy to re-order. This is another great option for fast-growing toddlers, thanks to 12-hour leak protection.
Mama Bear diapers have many of the qualities we like to see in our top picks: These include wetness indicators, hypoallergenic qualities, and 12-hour leak protection. However, there are a couple more unique features that we really appreciate here. We appreciated the stretchy sides, which still help with leak control while allowing more freedom of movement.
This is also Amazon’s own diaper brand, which means it’s probably always going to be in stock and easy to re-order. This makes it particularly easy to size up when your baby is outgrowing your current order and you need to plan ahead.
Award: BEST FOR PREVENTING RASHES
WHY WE LIKE IT: These diapers sport an excellent hypoallergenic design with very soft liners and secure attachment to prevent rashes and abrasions. Pick them up to provide your child with some extra comfort and rash resistance.
Does your baby tend to get diaper rashes even with hypoallergenic diapers – especially around the liners where diapers can be tight? These diapers are specifically made to avoid these problems, with a core made from plant-derived materials and layers designed to immediately absorb as much liquid as possible.
The design for these diapers is also very secure, including that super-soft liner, plus leg cuffs, and an elastic waistband to make sure the diaper stays on properly and helps prevent leaks more effectively. Overall they are best diapers for diaper rashes that just aren’t going away.
Award: BEST ECO FRIENDLY
WHY WE LIKE IT: These breathable diapers are made from renewable plant-based pulp materials. They also have a great absorbent core and easy fastening system that busy parents will love.
If you’re a bit bothered about all the waste that disposable diapers create, this option will help you – and your baby – sleep more soundly. These hypoallergenic diapers are made from FSC certified plant-based pulp, which are plant materials that are specifically easy to regrow and harvested sustainably to lower the energy footprint involved.
Of course, it also helps that they’re great diapers. They have a highly absorbent core and a breathable layer to help keep things dry, especially in high humidity. As an added plus, the inks used in the diapers are also free from any lead or heavy metals!
Comfort and absorbency are paramount for the best diapers for your child. Disposable diapers need to feel comfortable and secure while preventing blow-outs, leaks, and messes. Not all diapers are good at this, especially cheap, off-brand versions. So we focused on these quality features above all, looking for durable designs that include great absorbency pads and features that channel moisture away from your baby’s skin (a.k.a., breathability). Of course, diaper comfort needs change as your child ages, so we also looked for options that have plentiful size options available when babies are ready to size up.
We also liked to see hypoallergenic diapers, to help prevent rashes and sores. We avoided diapers that contained chlorine, lotions, fragrances, latex, and other unnecessary additions that may do more harm than good. Special materials like recycled fibers or bamboo were also preferred.
Finally, we awarded extra points for specific benefits that some diapers bring to the table. Wetness indicators are great for easy checking, and large fastening tabs are great for switching out diapers faster. We also liked to see “locking” features that are made to take care of wetness overnight or for long periods of time.
Both popular brands offer a wide variety of diaper sizes and types for you to choose from, and both can be quite affordable. The best brand depends on what is most comfortable for your child, so feel free to try them both out before deciding. However, we will note that some tests have shown that Pampers is a bit better at absorbing liquid than Huggies, so if that’s your primary concern then Pampers should be your first stop for baby diapers.
Obviously you will need diapers that are easy to size up. Looser, more flexible diapers will allow your toddler more freedom of movement, while advanced leak protection will help prevent accidents. Diapers usually feature a name like “little movers” or similar to denote that they are made for active toddlers, so you can watch for that, too.
Soft, hypoallergenic diapers are generally the best for preventing diaper rash. Look for diapers that avoid as many chemicals as possible and use the most natural materials. Bamboo diapers may be a good choice if your child suffers from frequent rashes. Diapers that are free from fragrances, lotions, chlorine, any type of latex, and parabens are a bare minimum for preventing rashes.
Children develop at different rates, so this can vary. Encourage your toddler to start learning how to use the toilet when you think the time is right, usually between 2 and 3 years old, at which time they can switch out of diapers. Teaching toilet skills can take time, but children should master it between 3 and 4 years old at the latest. If it looks like it’s taking some time, it’s important to consult an expert that can offer potty training advice or recommend other steps to take.
