Disposable Diapers
Archived Q&A and Reviews
| Questions |
Have you tried Kirkland (Costco) diapers?
Nov 2005
Has anyone tried Costco's store brand (Kirkland Signature) diapers? We have generally been using name-brand disposables (Huggies, Pampers), but would eagerly give Costco a try for our next baby (arriving next month!) if they are any good. Any opinions out there? Thanks. fjd
I just bought a pack of Kirkland diapers, and I am still not sure if they are just as good or not. They definitely feel a little thinner than the other diapers. I feel like I am changing them more often and in the morning they are really full (and sometimes have leaked). This could be a coincidence that my daughter has taken more fluids, or that she is on the cusp between sizes and should go one higher. It's really hard to tell if it's the diaper or not. Anyway, Costco guarantees all Kirkland products and will return your money if you're not satisfied if you're willing to do a return. I don't know if this helps but something to think about. still not sure on Kirkland diapers
We tried the Kirkland diapers but found they didn't last as well during the night. We had more leakages and they didn't seem to be as reliable. We ended up going back to Huggies. Clare
Beware of the Kirkland diapers at Costco! I bought them a month or so ago because I thought, ''how different bad can they be?'' Well, pretty bad. They leak terribly, and not just when they are full. I don't know what the problem is, but my poor toddler is walking around with wet legs all the time now (since I bought them I decided I HAD to finish them before buying new ones.) We have tried many types of diapers and have never had this problem before. Even my nanny hates them. Without prompting from me, she pulled me aside and asked if I would please never buy these diapers again. I am definitely going back to pamper's cruisers after these are gone. Only about 10 more to go. anon
We use Kirkland diapers and like them. They're really similar to Huggies. The only problem we've had with them is that the velcro tabs sometimes come loose if you're careless putting them on. Wendy
I speak only from our own experience, but I thought Kirkland diapers were terrible. On our son (2yo, size 4s and 5s), they consistently leaked around the legs and waistband. They were so bad, I ended up donating an almost-full box to Bananas because I just couldn't face another soggy pair of pants. It could be they just didn't fit his butt well; I'm not sure. mourning the loss of cheap Pampers
For a shower gift I recieved a pack of Pampers and a pack of Huggies. It is a good idea to try out the different types before committing! Some diapers work better for particular babies. My guy leaked in Pampers (even when I remembered to point his penis down!), fine in Huggies. Then at about 6 months we tried Kirkland and loved them. I think they are cuter looking than Huggies too. I recommend them, but it may not work for you. Many babies grow out of the smallest size before runnig out of huge Costco package. You may want to post on Marketplace for leftovers to try them. Congratulations on your new baby and good luck. Looking forward to a potty trained boy
we've recently tried kirkland diapers on both our children. they work well for our youngest (7mo) we use size 4 for her 15+ pounds. they didn't work as well for our 27 month old. I think they lose their shape more with his level of activity and we get more leaks. so he's back in huggies. costco fan
The Kirkland/Costco diapers are my favorites, even without considering cost! They don't leak any more often than any other diaper, and the tabs don't rip off easily. Unlike Huggies, they stay compact when wet and don't shed gel on my son's privates. Unlike Pampers, they are not heavily scented and have pictures on the front only (maybe I'm just challenged, but I have put on way too many diapers backwards in the middle of the night!). I think they're fabulous, and they're cheap! Catherine Scholar
We use Costco (Kirkland) diapers for our two year old boy, and for the most part I like them better than some of the other diapers, since they don't tend to leave that gel behind on the skin. It really bugged me trying to wipe that stuff off, but it hasn't been an issue with these diapers. We have had a couple of leaks, and I couldn't figure out how they had happened after the fact, so they're not completely great, but overall I'm happy with them. Susan
We tried the Costco diapers after they stopped carrying Pampers a few months ago and were disappointed. They felt nice to the touch but leaked. We were able to get a refund. Stick to the name brands. anon
I generally use cloth diapers during the day and disposables at night. The only disposable diaper that I had found to not leak with my daughter was Huggies Supreme. I decided to try Costco's brand as I have been more than satisfied with all their other products. I can truly say that I have not been disappointed. They are a good bargain and worth switching to. ARA
We recently switched from Huggies to the Costco brand. They do seem to fit my daughter a little better and of course are cheaper. The only problem I have is that the velcro (or whatever it is) does not stick really well. My daughter is pretty fidgety and has actually pulled off the diaper several times. So now I am debating whether to switch back. So...if you think your child will pull on it, you may not want to get them. Not a Costco Convert
These diapers are GREAT!! I love them better than huggies DEFINITELY, pampers too. It seems to me like their sizing might be a bit more generous (for example, we were OUT of the size 3 in huggies but could still fit in the size 3 in kirklands). I believe the kirkland diapers are only made in size 3 and up, so you might have to wait to try them on the new baby! k.
Best Disposable Diapers for Newborns?
may 2005
We are overwhelmed at the choices of diapers for our newborn baby girl. We want to find a diaper that has the best ''no-leaks'' reputation (comfortable too) but we also want to be price-conscious. What do people recommend, and where is the best place to get a deal on them in bulk? mari
in my moms group (babes born ~Dec-March) each baby/mom swears by a particular brand/shape for keeping away leaks. It really dependson your baby's shape - some babies leak all the time in Huggies, whereas others leak in pampers and can only wear Target brand dipes. If you have other new mommy friends - try a diaper trade where each mom can try 5-10 diapers of each other's brand. You also may find that as your baby grows, the brand/shape need will change too. another new mom
well, there is no best diaper. The best diaper is the one that fits your baby's body best. I tried a few different kinds of premium brands (huggies and pampers) and went from there. BUT after about a year, I did some reading and realized that there are a lot of nasty things in those diapers (aside what your baby is putting there!) with regards to chemicals, toxins etc.... They are whitened with chorline bleach and have all kinds of petroleum derived agents in the gel part of the diaper which does get on your baby's skin. You can read all about these things in more detail if you are interested but I won't get into the nitty gritty here. Anyway, we decided that cloth diapers were just ''over the top'' for us and we eventually went with Seventh Generation brand that we bought at Whole Foods. It is a disposable diper BUT one that does not depend on all the chemicals and is not whitened with chlorine. Good for the environment, good for baby. A little pricier, but we considered it a donation to clean living. We are lucky they worked and fit our baby well. Try them and see what you think! Good luck, venus
I know they aren't the best for the environment and are not the cheapest, but after trying them ALL, including cloth, I have to say pampers Swaddlers and then after a certain size, Pampers Cruisers. They seem to be best for leaks. Especially at night. Once your baby starts sleeping through the night, you do NOT want to wake them to change a diaper. I watch for sales, but mostly I buy them by the case from Costco or BabysRUs. There might be some better deals online but I got lazy doing the research. anon
We like the Pampers Swaddlers for Newborns (up to 10 lbs)- they are soft and VERY good at preventing leaks (especially for urine). Haven't found them in bulk yet, though (our daughter is one month)- and would certainly be interested in this information ourselves! Marja
We prefer Huggies to all the others. Huggies Supreme are very best, but a bit pricey. (Pampers have a strange odor and Luv's leaked when we tried them.) Try http://www.1800diapers.com for the cheapest in bulk - with free shipping on orders over $75 (easy to do with diapers and wipes!) By the way, we like Huggies Wipes, too. Oakland mama
It's hard to say which is best for your daughter. OUr son was long and lean and he leaked out of every diaper we tried. We even tried preemie diapers. We tried HUggies, Pampers, LOngs brand, etc.. It was crazy! We usually had to chnage him and the bassinet sheet about 6X/night! Finally, he bulked up and the Huggies Supreme fit him best. Babies R Us and Costco carry diapers in bulk. I think Babies R Us has a bigger selection. Costco only carries Huggies. I'm not sure which type of Huggies. Good luck! Jodi
I went with Pampers Swaddlers with number one because she has a tinier than normal bum (she can thank me later) it seems and she is prone to diaper rash. Swaddlers kept her leak-proof and rash free (I also tried the other premium brands - huggies & the other Pampers variety) which did not work as well on the former issue. Number two gets whatever is cheapest as she fills out her diapers a little better alleviating the leak issue and doesn't ahve the diaper rash issue at all. She generally gets 'store brand' (they all seem to be made by the same manufacturer). Target and Babies R' Us seem to have the cheapest diapers in bulk. anon
They sell Huggies diapers in bulk at Costco. You will find age appropriate sizes. We started with newborn and are still in size 4 at age 2. We only had a problem with leaking when our son had the flu & pneomonia and we were flushing his body with fluids. We used 2 Huggies at a time and that did the trick. DiAnn
Diaper choices are a bit overwhelming, aren't they. Just wait until you get to choosing a bottle! Each diaper brand is a little different, each baby is a little different, you might end up going through a few different brands until you find one you really like. Or you might like the first one you try.
If you're cost concious, start with the private label brands (like Target or Safeway) on sale. We found the Safeway Newborn diapers worked fine for us, and at the time they were on sale 2- for-1, which made them much cheaper than a bulk purchase at Costco.
Looking for Nature Boy & Girl Diapers
Aug 2004
HELP!!!! I just stopped using cloth diapers for my daughter, but I can't find my favorite disposables anywhere!!! From what the guy at Elephant said, the company is changing something about them, but he doesn't know when they'll be back. I've tried all the other diapers that are less harmful to the environment than Huggies, etc, but none of them come close to Nature boy and Girl! I searched the internet for info but found nothing. Does anyone know what's going on? Dawn
We are a retailer of Nature Boy & Girl Diapers, and yes, they went out of business a couple of months ago. However, we just got a letter stating that a group of investors have bought the business, and that the diapers will be back on store shelves in late September/early October. Sherry, Nurture Center
We also used the Nature Boy and Girl diapers and loved them, and have not been able to find anything else that is nearly as good. Sadly, we think the company is out of business. They let their website lapse on Feb 03 2004 (see the Internet Way Back Machine to see their old website): http://web.archive.org/web/20040203111355/http://www.natureboyandgirl.com/index.html
Also searching for a good diaper
I haven't looked for the Nature Boy & Girl brand of diapers in probably over a year, but when I did last find them, they were at Whole Foods. If you haven't already, try there. I also bought them online from drugstore.com (if I recall correctly.) Good luck. And if you can't find them, I really recommend the Tushies brand, which I buy at El Cerrito Natural Grocery (prob also at Berkeley Nat'l Grocery & Whole Foods, too.) paula
Fewer rashes with disposables - thinking of switching from cloth
March 2004
My two year old son has been in cloth diapers since birth and has suffered from countless diaper rashes which always improve when we temporarily use disposable diapers. My six week old son is just getting over his first yeast rash with the help of a temporary switch from cloth to disposable diapers. We're now considering a permanent switch to disposables because our sons are so diaper rash prone and, I have to admit, disposables are so convenient. The switch could mean less Nystatin, cortisone, Balmex, vaseline, etc but would mean exposing my boys to all the chemicals in disposables. Has anyone seen a study that followed disposable-wearing babies for several years to see if they had more disease? Amanda
There are disposables out there without the gels, bleaches, etc... we use them on out of town trips. The brand we like best is Tushies TenderCare. They work just fine (although, in our case, our son gets more diaper rashes when he's in disposables than when he's in cloth - I don't know if that's the brand of disposables, or just his skin). Another note - I would steer clear of Nature Boy and Girl diapers - they are really plasticky-feeling and not very absorbent at all. anon
I looked for clinical studies on disposable diapers on medline. I couldn't find any that looked at long term outcomes of children wearing cloth diapers vs. children wearing disposables in terms of diseases after a few years. There were several documenting that children in disposable diapers had a much lower incidence of diaper rash than those in cloth diapers, as you have observed in your own kids.
I also checked the FDA website and couldn't find much either, so they probably don't have specific requirements for disposable diapers.
I'd suggest not worrying about it too much. We're exposed to all sorts of chemicals (natural and human-made) and our bodies are pretty good at detoxifying a lot of that stuff. I'd be surprised if your kids' exposure from plastics and chemicals in diapers was as significant as their exposure to smog. Also, if their skin isn't messed up from diaper rash, it's a better barrier against chemical exposure anyway. Erica
sorry to ask this, but . . . could the problem be that you're not changing him often or well enough? Diaper rash is caused by the mixture of urine and feces on the skin. The reason rash creams/ointments work is that they keep the mixture off the skin. If you don't wipe the bottom completely free of poop, or let urine-soaked diapers hang out on the baby until he poops, rash will appear.
My SIL changed from cloth to disposables for the same reasons as you're presenting, but I often noticed that when she was changing the baby's diapers that she'd wipe casually after a poop, and not go back for complete cleanliness, although she was adament in groups that she cleaned ''really well''. After you wipe the solids off, try wiping again until the wipe no longer comes away yellowish. You might be surprised by how much is still there but not noticably visible! Obviously, since the disposables hold the urine away from the skin, there's a lot less rash . . . but then you run into the landfill and chemical issues. I think the extra wipes in the landfill totally offset the prospect of the disposables! Worth a try . . . anonymous
There are some natural disposbable diapers which can be purchased at any health food store which are made from unbleached cotton which may be a good alternative to other types of diapers. I have found with these however that you need to be really good about changing your baby regularly- no waiting till you get home kind of stuff. For myself I use the Safeway brand diapers as I had bad luck with Huggies and can't stand the ''baby fresh'' smell of Pampers but that's just one girls opinion and lots of folks I know swear by their brand. I also have found that Calendula lotion works very well on diaper rashes if you get it on right away, while not a moisture block it does seem to help the skin heal itself and of course a little ''free willy'' time is good too, where they aren't wearing a diaper at all- of course you have to be careful you don't wind up with puddles everywhere but my son just loves the times he gets to run around without a diaper at all - an exhibitionist in the making perhaps?! Juliette
I hadn't heard of a baby having more diaper rashes because of cloth diapers. I have a 2 year old who wears cloth and when I put him in a disposable (even for one day) he gets a really bad rash! I know this is the total opposite experience! My first instinct is that your two children are allergic to something the diapers are washed in. You might want to talk to your diaper service and see if they have advice OR maybe even switch to another diaper service and see if there is any changes. Maybe another diaper service will use a different laundering of the diapers. Of course, the one thing to remember with cloth diapers is that you should change the child pretty frequently. The saying goes... a clean baby is! a happy baby (not a DRY baby is a happy baby as disposables will lead you to believe). From my experience the best way to get over any diaper rash is NO diaper! Just let the baby have some free time and I bet you will see some changes really quickly!
I am not sure of all the diseases associated with disposable diapers I have heard of asthma and there is the idea that it could be harmful for boys as the excess heat can cause a low sperm count. For more info on this and other diaper health check out: http://www.tinytots.com/featured_info/diapering_health.html As you know there are so many benefits to using a cloth diapers over disposable! All the best of luck! DvS
''Has anyone seen a study that followed disposable-wearing babies for several years to see if they had more disease?'' I haven't seen any such studies (which, of course, doesn't mean there haven't been any), but I would question any study in which the parents chose whether to use cloth or disposable, since families who choose cloth undoubtedly differ in many ways from families who choose disposables.
Anyway, it seems like you've answered your own question: your boys get fewer infections, and require fewer antibiotics, when they wear disposables. Sounds like a definite win for disposables for your family. A Berkeley Parent
I have not seen any specific studies following disosable diapered babies vs. cloth diapered ones, but there are lots of speculations about increases in male infertility and testicular cancer being tied to the increased temperature in disposable diapers.
I would look into what in the cloth diapers you are using is causing the rash, because I've had the opposite experience -- my son was in disposables until he was six months old, and had tons of diaper rashes, but since switching to cloth (we still use disposables at night), he's had pretty much none other than a time when he had the runs, and it went away almost immediately with treatment with Burt's Bees diaper rash ointment.
Do you use nylon diaper pants? You might want to switch to wool. How to you wash your diapers? You might consider adding tea tree oil to the wash. Also, try posting your concerns on the mothering.com discussion board about diapering. Those moms have a ton of info, although they are highly biased towards cloth. cloth diaper convert
I read something about research showing that the lower sperm counts today may have something to do with baby boys being overheated in plastic diapers. There was a study in Sweden showing in disposables, the testes get too hot. It's funny you've gotten rashes with cloth diapers: for us it was always the reverse....when on trips and using disposables is when we got the rashes, although once when we washed our own for a few weeks we also got diaper rash. Are you using a diaper service? They wash them in super hot water and should be cheaper than buying disposables. Karen
Have you tried Tushies? These are all natural gel-free diapers. There are also Seventh Generation diapers which are chlorine- free but still have the gel. (Which they say is not harmful, but you never know). We use Seventh Generation because of the gel, they are more absorbant and don't leak overnight. Tushies were fine when the kids were littler but as toddlers it seems they need more absorbancy. Jess
After doing the following things, we never saw any bit of rush anymore,! and no dried out skin either (the latter can be caused by disposables). Perfect baby skin everywhere, no difference between diaper area and anywhere else, looks very healthy.
- We found that woolen covers are much better than plastic covers (the latter promis to be breathable, too, but we saw a realy difference).
- Another really helpful thing is to have the baby bare bottom for some time each day. Half an hour should be enough, but it can be as long as you wish. Use a waterproof blanked, spread one or two diapers on it and place baby on top (maybe a diaper on top for boys). Put a warm pullover, hat and socks, or cover baby with a towel or diaper, if you worry about baby getting too cold. Urin is sterile, in case your toddler ever touches it, there's not reason to worry. Poop is a different matter, so you want to have an eye at your toddler while your baby is naked.
Babies really enjoy moving their legs freely with no diaper at all, so this is much more than just rush prevention.
- Works at night, too. Babies don't poop while sleeping. (Actually, they even don't pee while sleeping deeply, but during light sleep or right after waking up.)
- Things become obviously more tricky when baby starts moving around. You can extend the area covered with diapers, but eventually, baby will crawl out of it. You can just use a cloth diaper without cover part of the day (at home). Attach it with pins, or, much easier, an elastic around baby's waist (0.5 to 1 inch wide and sawn together according to baby's waist width). Julia
My son is exactly the opposite. No rash unless I use a disposable. But there are several companies that make a non gel disposable diaper. I've seen them at Wild Oats and a couple of co- op markets here in Berkely. The studies I've seen show an increase in Asthma due to disposable use and some Europian studies show that boys could have trouble reproducing due to the disposables. http://www.mothering.com/ has a huge section on disposables and the research that has been done to date. Just a thought, have you tried changing the type of cloth diapers you use or your detergent both could be causing the rashes. Amy
Here is my 2 cents on the topic. I haven't seen any studies on disposable diaper implications, but couln't help not posting after seeing the post which implied you might not be keeping the baby clean enough... My son, when in cloth, had very stuborn yeast rash for long months despite my changing often and washing him under running water w/every change. Then I switched to disposables when the pediatrician suggested it. It took several weeks for the rash to clear, but it has not reccured since. I am still very serious about cleaning him and air drying the diaper area. I use Seventh generation diapers (gel but no chlorine bleaching), found Tushies (no gel) to get too soggy and not that different from cloth in that respect. To sum it up - every kid is different, and if the disposables keep yours rash free, if I was in your shoes, I'd do it. We are all exposed to so much stuff anyway, that I doubt the diapers will be making any significant difference for the worse... switched to disposables, too
Hi-- After reading the first set of responses, I just wanted to add that we had a similar experience to yours-- though nowhere near as severe-- when we tried to use cloth diapers on our daughter. We switched to disposables very quickly, since we were not particularly concerned with the chemical issues you asked about, and she hasn't had a single rash since (and she is now -- knock on wood-- on her way to being potty trained). I found it extremely annoying when acquaintances and relatives would comment on this choice. We had so many people remark in disbelief that it is disposable diapers, rather than cloth, that cause rashes. Well, this may or may not be true in general-- but in my daughter's case it was the opposite! I felt a lot of judgment about our choice to switch and felt several people clearly did not believe that my daughter had rashes caused by the cloth diapers, or they felt that my choice to switch to disposables was somehow caused by extreme laziness (desire to allow my child to wallow in her own filth) rather than a concern for her health. We always changed her promptly and thoroughly-- yes, until the wipes came away clean-- and it didn't help. Anyway, I think that the posters here were just trying to help you come up with a solution you can be comfortable with since you expressed reluctance to use disposables, but I wanted to assure you that you are not the only parent in the world to find it impossible to keep your child healthy and rash-free in cloth diapers. In our case, we feel it was definitely the right choice to switch, but we'll probably try cloth again with the next one. -Using disposables and rash-free
Tushies or other non-gel disposables
Sept 2003
Does anybody know the cheapest place to buy Tushies diapers. We use cloth, but my toddler's new day care doesn't do cloth. We're choosing to use a gel free diaper even though we know they are way more than Pampers. Half Environmentally Conscious
if you go to their website (www.tushies.com) you can sign up either online or by phone to be in their 'tushies club' to buy diapers by the case (4 bags) at a discount that comes out to be less than buying them at the stores around here. And you can even have them send regular shipments so you don't have to remember to call in an order! amy
I always found Tushies to be like diapering with the Sunday Times--bluky and soggy. There are other gel-free diapers. You can find Nature Boy & Girl in Elephant Pharmacy, and on-line at Drugstore.com. Just as my son out-grew them, another wonderful brand appeared at the Andronico's. Check out the Mother Nature diapers, too. Carolyn
i don't know if it's the cheapest prices, but i know that you can go to their website at http://www.tushies.com and join the 'tushies club' where they will ship to your door at discount prices. may be worth the convenience. Chi-An
I found Tushies wipes online at drugstore.com for cheaper than you can find them in stores. They may also have the diapers. If you buy a certain quantity you can get free shipping, but if your child will wear the same size for a while, it's worth the small savings. anon
ABC Diaper Service in Berkeley delivers Tushies as well as cloth diapers...good price too. Michael
Just had to comment on the comment I saw - Nature Boy & Girl are NOT gel-free, but contain the same 'super-absorbent polymer' as mainstream diapers. I bought them because they sounded really environmentally friendly, and they are, but since they still have the gel in them, I went back to Tushies. amy
I just wanted to make a correction to a post that I just read. Someone incorrectly stated that Nature's Boy and Girl do not use the absorbent gel. Nature's Boy and Girl use the same type of absorbent gel that Pampers, Huggies and most disposable diapers use. Nature's uses a different type of plastic outer layer that biodegrades faster than other diapers. This makes Nature's a more ecologically sound diaper than most other disposable diapers. However, if you were trying to avoid using the absorbent gel for safety and health reasons, I would definitely not use Nature's Boy and Girl. I've also just seen diapers made by Seventh Generation. I haven't done any research about what type of absorbent material they use. Catherine
I agree about Tushies having low absorbency potential. My son's pee would just seep through after one wetting. Seventh Generation (Alameda Marketplace, and probably whole foods, etc.) is unbleached, no gels, biodegradable, very absorbent, and fairly affordable. Nature boy and girl is wonderful too, but wherever I've found it, it's been 4 or 5 dollars more for pckg., compared to others. queetonians
Tushies are $10.99 at the Food Mill, a great little natural foods store off of 35th Ave. on MacArthur. It's a great store. Susan
In regards to Seventh Generation diapers, their environmental advantage is that they are cholorine free, but note that they do contain gel. Tushies is the only brand on the market that I know of which don't contain gel. kim
Disposable diaper got in the wash!
Jan 2003
I just washed a disposible diaper with the laundry by accident, and all those little gel beads (millions of them, it seems) got all over the clothes in a gummy mess. I rewashed the load of gummy laundry 3 times, and it still did not all come out. Does anyone know how to get that stuff off clothes? I did not dry the load, as it was very obvious something was wrong with the clothes, so it is not baked on. Thanks for any help- Lisa
You know, I did that once too, and I also left one on when he was brought into a swimming pool [oops!]. The one that went through the wash made that awful mess, so I cleaned as much up as I could then threw all the clothes into the dryer. I ran a rinse cycle to get the stuff out of the washer that I may have missed during wiping, and then cleaned out most of the DRY remainder from the lint trap in the dryer. Most of it clumped there, and I've noticed no lasting effects on the clothes or the machines. On the other hand, cleaning up the wet goop from the poolside experience was horrible and frustrating. -Jean
Ewww! That happened to me once and it all came right out the next time I washed everything, and I had even put it all in ther dryer first. That probably won't help you very much, maybe you need a stronger detergent, at least for this mess? Jill
I did this once too and what a pain! I ended up air drying all the clothes and then vigourously shaking them out on the back lawn. After that I rewashed everything. This did the trick! Good Luck. Vivienne
Eco-Friendly Disposable Diapers
2001
Long before the birth of my newborn, when I was washing my own toddler's cloth diapers, someone mentioned some expensive, Swedish(?), disposable diapers. Is there really such a thing? Could someone kindly repost the info. regarding them, and where to get them? Thanks so much. Morna
You're thinking of Nature Boy/Nature Girl diapers by Norsea. The website is: http://www.norseanatural.com/ However, be warned. They are low-gel but not gel-free, so though they are biodegradable if composted, they do not protect your baby from chemical gels entirely. Judith
We have been quite happy with the Tushies brand of diapers. They are completely gel-free and 100% cotton. I don't know how eco-friendly they are in terms of being bio-degradable or dioxin-free, but they certainly don't give my daughter a rash like the gel-containing diapers do. I have had a couple of friends had problems with them leaking, but we've never had that problem. You can get them at most of the health food stores around the area, but you can also order them from their website, which I believe is www.tushies.com. Hannah