In this article, we will talk about Diapers vs Pull-Ups for Babies. We will have a thorough discussion that will give you a clear picture of Differences in Price and Usefulness.
When parents go into a store and look for The diaper section, it can be an intimidating place for even the most experienced parents. I have one baby boy, named Aaron. When Aaron was still a baby, I sharply recollect memories, standing in a departmental store once for several minutes working out in my brain to determine the difference between diapers vs pull-ups for babies and whether or not I needed them.
Later on, I got to know that, diapers vs pull-ups, the biggest difference is that pull-up-style diapers usually include a flexible elastic band that lets them slip on and off like any normal underwear more comfortably and easily. While Some pull-up-style diapers come with an adhesive strip on them similar to normal diapers while others can be torn away similar to a swim diaper. End of the day, they are all used when potty training.
Parents, especially new parents need to take lots of decisions when it comes to taking care of their little babies so in this article I am trying my best to help and explain things from my experience so that as new parents you don’t have to stress over every small thing regarding your little one. Let’s talk about why you might want to buy pull-ups in the first place for your baby, also some important information about them, and whether or not they will cost you more than regular diapers.
Talking About Mazor Difference: Diapers vs Pull-ups
As, I have already stated earlier in this article that, the most significant difference between regular diapers vs pull-ups is that pull-up-style diapers usually include a flexible elastic band that lets them slip on and off like any normal underwear more comfortably and easily.
They are meant to be taken on and off like regular undergarments. Just by getting rid of the adhesive strips, some smart older toddlers will not be able to take their diaper off easily, but this thing will certainly help them giving chance to practice while they are potty training.
To make things simple, we’ll just talk about the disposable style of pull-ups that you’re likely to find in the store on the diaper aisle or on Amazon. ( I use Amazon for baby products, that I need every month without any failure)
Things to Know: The term ‘pull-ups’ is first used and was branded by Huggies and technically isn’t really the name for this style of diaper, still, most parents use it for everything. On the other hand, Pampers use the term ‘easy ups’ and The Honest Company calls them ‘potty training pants’ but in spite of the different names they are all of the similar designs.
These are some common features that you’ll find on a pull-up diaper:
- Cut to look like and fit more like regular underwear (Just like panties).
- The entire waistband of the diaper is elastic which can comfortably stretch when taken on or off.
- Velcro is used on sides to assist in removal. Tear-away sides on the elastic similar to a swim diaper.
- This lets you take them off in a hurry with less mess.
- There are wetness indicators or other appearing patterns when wet.
- A cooling sensation when wet which will help alert the child and help them understand when they are going to the potty.
Which One is More Expensive? Pull-ups or Regular Diapers?
One of the biggest assumptions I had about diapers vs pull-ups is that the pull-ups would surely be more expensive than the regular version.
When I went to check the price I was right about this one, but the difference is not that huge when you actually look at the prices.
I did a little research to see exactly how the most famous brands would pile up in the event that I planned to pick between their two best options. It’s unquestionably likely to discover MUCH less expensive diapers out there other than the large name diaper brands. Comparing store brand diapers with a name brand pull-up, for example, is probably going to cause a bigger gap in cost. I’m attempting to keep in reference to a comparison regarded as valid because it concerns two things that are basically the same.
To keep the comparison close as possible, I chose to compare the size 4 regular diapers to the size 2T pull-ups because both of them are designed for toddlers with the same weight. When you get into the pull-ups department, the sizes start looking like clothing! What I did is that, I also chose the biggest, most cost-effective bulk option to make it feasible.
- Regular Huggies vs Huggies Pull-Ups – With this brand, the pull-ups are about $.08 more per diaper than their regular version.
- Regular Pampers vs Pampers Easy Ups – Pampers only showed about a $.01 difference between their offerings.
- The Honest Company diapers vs Training Pants – About a $.02 difference between the two options.
Here you can see that there is really not such a big difference in cost. Moreover, these prices are constantly changing. If you want to check out the most up-to-date pricing and reviews you can now check out the pull-ups category on Amazon to see all of the available choices and costs while we are talking about comparing diapers vs pull-ups.
Talking about myself, as a mother I’m always looking for the most reliable and most natural choice, my individual recommendation on Amazon would be the one I personally use for my baby and that is The Honest Company’s training pants. This product is made from eco-friendly materials and they always avoid using chlorine, latex, artificial scents, phthalates, PVC, and other chemically infused harsh additives usually found in conventional baby products! Click here to check out the current price on Amazon.
When is The Right Time to use Pull-up Diapers?
You can start using pull-up diapers as soon as you and your baby both are ready. I guess you can interpret why I said that you also need to be ready.
Usually, babies will be ready to use pull-up diapers when they are ready to start potty training. Most babies are ready to use pull-ups usually around the age of 18-24 months. But no need to be surprised, if your baby isn’t ready until they are almost 2-3 years old, especially if you have a baby boy!
There are some obvious signs that you need to look for to understand if your baby is ready to start potty training:
- Your baby will show some interest in utilizing the toilet and also figuring out how it works
- Your baby has already learned to pull his diaper down and pull it back up
- Your baby can tell you or give you proper signs when she has to use the bathroom before she goes
- Your baby can follow your directions and interact during the process
- Your baby can keep a diaper dry for at least two hours
- Your baby may have a dry diaper in the morning but then instantly pees when waking up
What are the Exact Pull-up Diaper Sizes?
Remember that pull-up diapers aren’t really meant for newborns so don’t expect to find smaller sizes when you look for pull-ups online.
Typically, sizes for pull-ups will start for babies aged from 12 months and go up to about 5T.
Here I have listed down the most common sizes for pull-up diapers along with the corresponding weight recommendations:
| SIZE | WEIGHT |
| 12M – 24M | 14-26 pounds/6-13 kilograms |
| 2T – 3T | 18-34 pounds/8-15 kilograms |
| 3T – 4T | 32-40 pounds/15-18 kilograms |
| 4T – 5T | 38-50 pounds/17-25 kilograms |
Some brands may offer sizes slightly outside of this limit, but watching this chart you can have a good idea of what you’ll find when you will start looking.
Which is More Absorbent? Diapers vs Pull-ups
If you listen to the Diaper companies, they will claim that pull-ups are the best absorbent.
But if you listen to my personal experience along with tons of other moms and dads on forums and feedbacks on Amazon, the answer to this question will be “No!”
The fact is that regular diapers are better absorbent than pull-ups because they are cut smaller and intended to give more feedback to the baby when they go to the potty.
Typically, regular diapers focus on absorbing wetness quickly. On the other hand, pull-ups want the baby to feel some of that wetness before it gets soaked up. If they feel their potties, the theory is, they can start to get a better hold on the whole potty training thing because they have the sensation that they’ve wet themselves.
For parents who are trying to actively potty train your babies, this probably won’t be a big of a problem, because you will possibly start potty training during the daytime and you’ll be watching your little one all the time, anyway. This makes the probability of a leak pretty low.
But if you aren’t potty training at this moment, then pull-ups are probably just going to cause you extra trouble compared to a regular diaper because they will usually leak more. Of course, not all brands create products equally and it’s possible that you’ll find some pull-ups that do an excellent job at preventing leakages. I would suggest you, research and try a few brands to see what works for you and your baby! here are some popular and reliable brands to go with.
