Thanks to BC reader Rebecca for this review of new Broody Chick diapers.

Broody Chick diapers are a new “100% natural” disposable diaper. The company is based in Canada, and they don’t yet have a distributor in the United States, although the company Better Baby Bums now has a US location and you can order the diaper from them. Each package is $15.99.
They come in four different sizes:

• Newborn: 3 – 6 kg (6 – 15 lbs) / 36 ct
• Infant: 4 – 9 kg (9-20 lbs)/ 32 ct
• Toddler: 7 – 16 kg (15-35 lbs) / 28 ct
• Junior: 12 – 25 kg (26-55 lbs) / 24 ct

Advertised features:

• Chlorine Free
• Breathable
• Hypo-allergenic
• Fragrance-free
• Ultra thin construction
• Natural super absorbers
• G.E.-free
• Exceptional comfort and fit
• Innovative 3-layer design helps your baby stay drier, longer.

A note on “compostable”: I e-mailed the company asking if these could be composted at home, and I was told, “You can compost in a home facility if you are able to maintain the right temperature, aeration and moisture levels. It can be difficult to do this that’s why we recommend a commercial municipal facility, and if you do compost then remove the side tabs from the diapers first as they take longer to break down.” So composting may not be realistic for most individuals, and not all commercial or municipal composting facilities will accept these diapers. Tiny Tots Diaper Service in Campbell, California has a composting diaper service that uses these diapers. I threw mine into the trash

L to R: Broody Chick (as they come folded in the box), Broody Chick, Huggies Snug n Dry

L to R: Broody Chick, Huggies Snug & Dry

First Impressions
These diapers came in a card box box, instead of a plastic bag, and the inner lining in the box is compostable plastic. My first impression upon removing the diapers from the package was, “Wow, these look old-fashioned!” The solid white diaper with a thick, rectangular absorbent panel along the entire length reminded me of the diapers my younger brother wore. The diapers were soft and smooth to the touch but still papery feeling. They were softer than the Huggies Snug & Dry I had on hand to compare with, but were not soft like Pampers.

In Use
These diapers performed very well, better than I was expecting. We used them for an entire week, day and night, and tried to put them to the test with long wear times on errands and such, and did not once have a leak. I don’t know how well they would do with liquidy exclusively breastfed baby poops, though, as my baby is a toddler. They did get puffy and squishy when wet, which definitely isn’t my preference, but overall I was impressed with the performance, especially considering that these diapers don’t contain the petroleum-based super absorbent gels that are in most diapers, but use bio-based super absorbers.

My baby is about 22lbs and we had purchased the “Toddler Sized” diapers, and they had less room to grow in the waist than I was expecting based on the weight guidelines; I think this is because there isn’t much stretch in the waist. The rise was quite a bit longer than the size 3 Huggies I was comparing it to, but there wasn’t more room in the waist than the size 3s. My baby is short and round and these fit her fine, but I think they would be a great fit on tall and thin kids.

Overall
These diapers worked well and had pretty good eco-credentials, but they are pricey, even compared to other “green” diapers. I definitely couldn’t afford to use these full time on a regular basis. However, I think that they will appeal to very eco-conscious parents who usually use cloth diapers, but want a diaper they can use overnight or on an occasional basis that is eco-friendly and free of the petroleum based gels. Maybe if they are popular enough, the price will come down and more composting facilities will accept them.

Broody Chick also makes compostable wipes (which I didn’t try), and is working on compostable/disposable bibs. I assume the compost guidelines above would apply to those as well. They also have a line of natural bath and body care products.

You can see a list of all the Baby Cheapskate diaper reviews here.

In this diaper review, BC reader Rebecca tries out the new Diapers.com brand diapers:

Diapers.com Premium diapers are only available in large boxes directly from Diapers.com. Each box costs $42.99 plus shipping, although there is an instant $.50 “e-coupon” available, and customers new to Diapers.com will be able to easily find referral codes to get $10 off an order of $49 or more. Plus, orders over $49 also get free shipping. This limit could be easily met by adding wipes or diaper cream to your order. There is a coupon code, premium5, for $5 off a case of these diapers. I’m not sure if this code can be used with a referral code, as I received it in a flier packed in the case of diapers itself.

Sizes and number of diapers per case:

• 1-2 12-18 lbs 252 diapers
• 3 16-28 lbs 200 diapers
• 4 22-37 lbs 176 diapers
• 5 27+ lbs 156 diapers

Advertised features: Contoured stretch side panels and a stretch waistband, hypoallergenic liner contains organic botanicals, vitamin E and aloe and is gentle to baby’s skin, excellent leakage protection.

First Impressions
This diaper is soft! I was expecting a diaper that would be the quality of the better store brands, but this diaper was softer than the store brands that I have tried in the past. It was softer than Huggies, even Huggies Supreme, and is probably as soft as Pamper Baby Dry. The stretch side panels remind me of the stretchy sides on Pampers, and I was very happy to see this feature on a diaper without fragrances, since I cannot use perfumed diapers. The tabs themselves are quite a bit wider than those on Pampers. The diaper did seem thin and I was worried about how absorbent it really was.

In Use
I loved the fit of these diapers! They were soft and comfortable and I could get a great fit without leaving any red marks on my daughter’s skin. The elastic in the legs seemed effective yet gentle. These ran bigger than the size 3 Huggies I had to compare them to, I believe they may even run slightly bigger than Pampers. During the day, the diapers performed fine. We had a few leaks while we were dealing with a bout of the stomach flu, but it was bad enough that even the name brands couldn’t handle it.

However, I was very disappointed by the overnight performance. The first night we tried it, the diaper leaked right through the outer covering onto my daughter’s pajamas. In the past, we’ve only had this happen with the very cheapest store brands, we haven’t had to use special overnight diapers. These diapers seemed less absorbent than average to me. I was enough upset about this that I called Diapers.com to complain and got a partial refund.

Left: Diapers.com Premium. Right, Huggies Little Movers

In Summary
This is a nice soft diaper that works well for daily use, but it is not “premium quality” as advertised and I don’t believe that it is worth the price. One can find store brands that are much less expensive and that perform just as well or better, and if you use coupons and shop sales you can even get truly premium brands for a better price. IF the absorbency were increased and the price were lowered I’d consider buying them again. I will say that the Diapers.com customer service was top-notch.

This comparison of the old Pampers Cruisers and the New Pampers Cruisers is from Steph, who blogs about her problem solvin’ approach to parenting and life at Problem Solvin Mom.

The diaper on the left is a Swaddler, the diaper on the right is the new Cruiser design that we upsized to this past month. Previously the inner designs of the diapers were quite similar. Click to see larger image.

Have you heard rumblings about the new Pampers cruisers design? I had no idea what was going on until I opened up a value box one day and was surprised by the new design. These diapers are being phased in across the country and will be fully available by March of this year. Between now and then there is no way to tell which design is in a particular package. In my opinion, this is definitely a “buyer beware” situation – if the new review below doesn’t sound like something you would like, definitely don’t stock up.

The new diaper design has a different inner absorptive material and no separate honeycomb layer. The inner layer used to cover ~90% of the old design, but is reduced to 60% in the new design. P&G claims the new material is 20% more absorbent than the old Baby Dry brand material (the mid grade diaper brand) – given the reduction in coverage it makes sense that the overall absorbency has been reduced. In addition, there is a difference between absorbency and dryness to the touch – the old style cruisers kept my baby’s skin dry (even overnight!) and that was the most important feature to me as a customer.

There has been a spike in customer complaints, a rise in 1 star ratings on the Pampers site, and a Facebook fan page created calling for P&G to bring back the old style design. In my experience, we went from no leaks to 2-3 leaks a day and a big red diaper rash. I’ve since switched brands and we been leak free for several weeks now. My baby’s bottom is much happier as well. I still miss the old cruisers design, and would likely go back if only I could. Have you tried the new cruisers design? If so, what did you think? Any suggestions for alternate brands, now that we are in the market?

After trying all of the national brands of diapers over the past two years and settling on my favorite, Huggies, it has become increasingly difficult to buy them at the best possible price. I have three in diapers right now and the expense of buying diapers, even with coupons, has become out of control for a very frugal family. So I set aside any misconceptions and decided to try a store brand. Weis had sent me a coupon in the mail good for a free pack of their Jumbo size Bear Essentials diapers so it seemed like the perfect time. Normally the Jumbo size is $8.69, but on the date of my visit they were on sale for $6.99. I chose size 2 for my 3-month-old who weighs 12 pounds.

• Size 1 (56 in a Jumbo)
• Size 2 (48 in a Jumbo)
• Size 3 (40 in a Jumbo, 60 in a Mega Pack, 104 in Club Box)
• Size 4 (34 in a Jumbo, 52 in a Mega Pack, 92 in a Club Box)
• Size 5 (30 in a Jumbo, 80 in a Club Box)
• Size 6 (26 in a Jumbo)

I would definitely purchase these diapers again, but would only do so when able to “stock up” at the $6.99 price. I am normally able to do well by getting Huggies on sale so I would lean toward buying them and accruing Enjoy the Ride points rather than paying for Bear Essentials at their normal price of $8.99.

Today’s review of Earth’s Best Tendercare Chlorine Free diapers is from BC Reader Lindsey:

These retail for $11.99 per Jumbo Pack, but were on sale for $8.99 at our local store, so I figured I’d try a more eco-friendly diaper.

Size: Number per pack, weight limits

• N: 40, Up to 10 lbs.
• 1: 44, 8-14 lbs.
• 2: 40, 12-18 lbs.
• 3: 35, 16-28 lbs.
• 4: 30, 22-37 lbs.
• 5: 25, 27+ lbs.
• 6: 22, 35+ lbs.

Advertised features: Non-Chlorine bleached materials, natural absorbent material such as corn and wheat, super absorbency, comfy stretchy refastenable tabs, latex-free, dye-free, perfume-free, moisture barrier cuff, breathable sides.

First Impressions
When I took the diapers out from the package, I was disappointed that they felt pretty papery. The outside cover not really soft. I was surprised to find that there was back elastic, which is a plus for me. It is easy to tell front from back. The tabs and elastic elsewhere in the diaper seemed adequate at first glance.

In Use
I expected these diapers to fail, and I was pleasantly surpised when they didn’t. I found them to be very absorbent, and we had no problems with leaks of any kind. They even worked well overnight!

There was some urine smell with these diapers, more so than any other brand we’ve tried. I was disappointed at how un-cute they were, but they worked very well. They did bulk up quite a bit and look saggy when soaked, but I think that most diapers do. After looking around online, I found a few other reviews of eco-friendly diapers, and the Earth’s Best ones scored well from what I found. The biggest drawback about these to me was their papery feel, but they didn’t seem to bother my daughter.

In Summary
I don’t intend to make a switch and make these my normal diaper, mostly because of their price. At 11.99 for a jumbo, they’re considerably more than most other brands. If they were on sale and cheaper than others, I would consider it. I think that if you were more eco-minded than I am, they may be a great choice, though. We have no real complaints about them other than the normal price.

You’ll find a coupon for $1.50 off a pack of these diapers at the Earth’s Best website.

Read more diaper reviews.

Today’s review of Fisher Price Happy Days Diapers is from BC reader Lindsey. Thanks, Lindsey!

Cost: $9.99/Jumbo Pack.
Available at: Babies R Us and Toys R Us

• Size Newborn: Up to 10 lbs./4-5 kg (36 ct.)
• Size 1: 8-14 lbs./4-6 kg (50 ct.)
• Size 2: 12-18 lbs./5-8 kg (42 ct.)
• Size 3: 16-28 lbs./7-13 kg (36 ct.)
• Size 4: 22-37 lbs./10-17 kg (31 ct.)
• Size 5: 27+ lbs./12+ kg (27 ct.)
• Size 6: 35+ lbs./16+ kg (23 ct.)

Features listed on the package: • Total Stretch™ waistband, • SizeRight™ fit indicator, • Flexible leg cuffs, • Ultra-soft, • Hypoallergenic, • Fragrance free, • Umbilical cord cut-out on newborn size,• Cute animal graphics.

First Impressions:
When I opened the package I was surprised at how soft the diapers were. I would say that they’re at least as soft if not softer than Huggies. Perhaps not as soft as Pampers, though. The elastic on the tabs seemed very good, and stretchier than most. There is elastic on the back of the diaper, although I’m not sure how their “total stretch” system differs from your basic back elastic. The graphics are very cute, and are the “Precious Planet” type of animals. They do have the size listed on both the front and the back. There are also graphics on the back, but it’s very easy to tell the front from the bac
k. They also have the “SizeRight” fit indicator that confused me at first. It’s a band of different colors on the top of the front that allows you to visually ensure that the tabs are at the same place on both sides. Not so much of a need for me, but my husband (who doesn’t change a lot of diapers) likes it a lot. They are unscented.

In Use:
I’ve found that these diapers do a pretty good job of containing all sorts of baby messes.
They’re great for wet diapers. They do get a little bit bulky when really wet. They’re fine for overnights for my baby, although Fisher Price does sell “Happy Nights” diapers specifically for nighttime use. We didn’t have any messes leak out of the diaper, although a couple were pretty close. My daughter even had a soaked wet diaper with poo on top of that, and there was no leakage, which is a major plus to me. They are unscented, which I think is a plus, but there is some odor when the diapers get really wet, but I don’t believe that’s unique to these. The tabs are very stretchy, and worked fine after readjustment more than once. There were a couple of diapers in our package that seemed to have the “gel” or whatever the absorbent element is in the diaper sort of form into a hard “cake”. I folded the diaper a couple times and broke it up, and it was fine. The outside covering is very soft. I think that these may be a hair longer than Huggies Diapers, which work well for babies with long torsos. There are also a few more diapers per jumbo pack than most brands, which I always appreciate!

In Summary:
We just don’t shop that much at Babies R Us or Toys R Us, so I don’t know that I’d make these my go-to diaper. They are offering a $2 coupon on the website which would drop the price of a jumbo to $7.99. Sadly, I didn’t find that until after I’d made my purchase. I intend to print a coupon or two and go pick up a couple more packages next time I’m at Babies R Us. These diapers performed well for us, and we will for sure use them again!

Today’s review is from BC reader Lindsey. She’s reviewing Harris Teeter’s Your Baby diapers. Thanks, Lindsey!

Price: $7.97 per Jumbo Pack.

Size 1: 44 diapers per pack
Size 2: 40 diapers per pack
Size 3: 35 diapers per pack
Size 4: 30 diapers per pack
Size 5: 26 diapers per pack
Size 6: I believe that they do make size 6 diapers, but our particular store doesn’t carry them.

First Impressions
We love Harris Teeter, and have had great luck with all of their store brand products, so I assumed that I’d be just as pleased with their store brand diapers.

They have designs from Shrek the Third on them, which I noticed that other store brands had as well. I figured that they were the same, but I know that I’ve been told that some designs may used on different diapers. They felt more papery than the usual Huggies Little Snugglers that we’ve been using. The outside cover was fairly soft, though. There is no elastic on the back of the diaper. The tabs are on elastic that looks better than it is. I thought it would be very stretchy, but I was disappointed. The elastic around the legs was sufficient, and I didn’t notice a lot of change from the usual leg elastic. There was no scent to the diapers that some other brands have.

In Use
We used our entire pack of diapers since we didn’t want to be wasteful. I had to be a little more vigilant about changing them a little more often than I normally would. My daughter was on some antibiotics that really tested her digestive system, so the diapers definitely were “challenged”. My baby who’d only had a couple blow-outs before this had four in a week. I think that the lack of elastic in the back was what these diapers were missing. For just wet diapers, they were fine. I used them for two nights in a row, but baby woke up with wet pajamas, so we used them as daytime diapers. My daughter has a long sort of thin body, though, so they may be just fine for a baby who’s a little “rounder”.

Pros:

• Sort of cute designs
• Tabs stayed closed very well
• Soft Cover
• Work well during the day and for wet diapers
• No baby powder smell

Cons:

• Did not hold up well overnight
• Couldn’t keep loose poo in very well
• No back elastic
• Side tabs were not very stretchy

In Summary
I think that the diapers were overall not too bad. Will I buy them regularly for my daughter? Probably not. Will I buy them if they happen to be on sale? Sure. They’re fine daytime diapers, and would probably be better for poo diapers once she starts eating more solids. I think I’ll stick to my Huggies for now, but if I find a better–or just as good–option for less money, I will make a switch then.