Hormone Disruptor Alert | Not Fragrance-Free | Otherwise Fine
The reality is that many parents love Pampers. Our assumption, because this happened to us too, is that parents love Pampers because it’s what we were given in the hospital. In the hospital, things felt under control. There were capable nurses showing us new parents how to do all the parent things. And, hey, if the hospital thinks Pampers are good, they must be good, right? And then we head home with our tiny humans, and life feels pretty crazy and out of control, and we think, “what if a new brand of diaper doesn’t fit as well or work as well? What if it gives my baby a rash? I’ll just keep buying Pampers, because they worked in the hospital and that’s one less thing I’ll have to worry about.” And while they’ll work, because they’re pretty decent diapers, they are not fragrance-free, and there are definitely better options out there.
Things We Don't Love
- Not Fragrance-Free: Pampers Swaddlers include the Pampers signature Powder Fresh Scent, and as we all know, artificial fragrances are a big no-no for the endocrine system. This is the reason these diapers do not make the cut.
Pampers Swaddlers Diaper Alternatives
- If You Want Super Soft Diapers without the Nasties… Bambo Nature diapers are as soft and fit as well, especially after size 1. Aden + Anais,Pampers Pure, and Parasol diapers are super soft and come in great prints. All three options are more expensive than Pampers Swaddlers.
- If You Want a Similar Price Point Minus the Nasties… Earth's Best and 7th Generation Free and Clear diapers are both only slightly more expensive, perform similarly well, and have no added fragrances. Target Up & Up diapers have no added fragrances and are slightly cheaper than Pampers Swaddlers. None of these options are as soft.
- If Cost is a Concern… If money is tight, less expensive alternatives include Target Up & Up, or even cloth.
Total Cost of Ownership**
- $1500 – $2400/child (list)
- $1200 – $1900/child (subscription with Amazon Prime)
*Sodium polyacrylate fill is considered safe in diapers by all current measures and standards, but has been linked to toxic shock syndrome when used in tampons and feminine hygiene products. If its use concerns you, cloth diapers may be a better option for your baby.
**Total cost of ownership was calculated using a few arbitrary averages, knowing full well that no baby is average. We used approximate weights from height/weight charts to determine how many days the average baby would be in each diaper size. These are the numbers we used:
- 30ish months as the arbitrary average potty training date, though this is “early” for some and “late” for others
- Five Newborn diapers/day on the low end and fourteen Newborn diapers/day on the high end, for 40 days
- Seven Size 1 diapers/day on the low end and ten Size 1 diapers/day on the high end, for 60 days
- Seven Size 2 diapers/day on the low end and ten Size 2 diapers on the high end, for 110 days
- Five Size 3 diapers/day on the low end and eight Size 3 diapers/day on the high end, for 160 days
- Five Size 4 diapers/day on the low end and eight Size 4 diapers/day on the high end, for 180 days
- Five Size 5 diapers/day on the low end and eight Size 5 diapers/day on the high end, for 365 days.