Best Diapers?

Updated on March 24, 2009
D.K. asks from Homewood, IL
68 answers

Up until now, I've been using Pampers swaddlers with good results. As my daughter gets bigger though, she's rapidly growing out of them. Any advice on what to try first? I've heard only negative things about the cruisers. Does anyone use any "off" or store brands they'd recommend? Saving money is definitely at the top of my priority list!

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K.C.

answers from Chicago on

We love White Cloud diapers at Wal-Mart. They are Wal-Mart's higher private label. They have a cloth-like outside and absorb wonderfully!! They have "elastic" all the way around the waist and on the tabs. They don't emit a crystal substance after getting wet like we experienced with Huggies. I have used them with both of my boys and prefer them over all brands - even the expensive ones!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

We did cloth most of the time with both of mine, but when we were out of the house I still used disposable. Personally, I liked the Cruisers. I picked them up at www.diapers.com to save money - if you get coupons you can mail them in and still use them online too, for extra discount! It seemed to be the best way to buy them, and if I ordered wipes too I always got the free shipping.

You don't have to worry about it if you don't want to, but they do have a referral thing too, so if you do the diapers.com thing, please add me as a referral? (AmHo788
). I think we both get some money off if you do, and I still need to order pull-ups for my daughter now and again...(I've been going with Huggies on those)

1 mom found this helpful
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C.S.

answers from Chicago on

I found that the Costco diapers work good and you get the best value when compared to Pampers or Huggies.

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R.C.

answers from Peoria on

We have had good luck with the walmart brand diapers. they are parents choice, for the size 3 diapers it's $14 for 104 diapers.
I have also heard good things about costco diapers, but have not purchased them because walmart is cheaper
good luck

1 mom found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Chicago on

I have used luvs on all 4 of my kids. I had to buy pampers one time because they ran out of luvs & my husband said "why did you buy these diapers they suck".

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K.H.

answers from Chicago on

I used to always put Huggies on my children because I worried that other brands would not be as absorbent or fit well. However, I have been using Costco Kirkland diapers on my sons for a year or so and haven't had any problems. And, I have definitely saved money buying them. Kirkland diapers used to only go up to size 5, but now they go to size 6. Different brands usually have varying weight specifications for size. I think that people just have to see what works with their children's bodies. I always recommend to people that if your child starts peeing through a lot, just move up to the bigger size regardless of weight specifications. I was never really a fan of Pampers and I honestly felt that Huggies had a better fit and were more absorbent. However, as I've said, Kirkland is fine also and is cheaper.

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C.L.

answers from Chicago on

I have actually had very good luck with diapers I get from Aldi of all places! I believe they are $5.99 for a package of 35 or something. Cheap, and she wakes up dry!

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

We have a 17 mo. old daughter and LOVE Luvs. We've used them since she was about 5 months old. VERY few leaks and no gel beading when super-soaked. They have the stretchy tabs now for a comfortable fit. Way cheaper than Pampers or Huggies. I know many others have advocated for the Target brand, too. Good luck!

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C.J.

answers from Chicago on

We do cloth with our second child, but with our first we used swaddlers then went luvs. We loved luvs! They are priced well and work great!

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A.F.

answers from Chicago on

Hi! I highly HIGHLY recommend Walgreen's Premium Diapers. I've been using them exclusively on my daughter for the past 7 months and they work great. Very absorbant, have never busted, stay on perfectly, and are very less expensive. Walgreens frequently has sales on them too so you can get them for a steal! Hope this helps.

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

The first time around, I hated Luvs. My kids always woke up wet. But now I guess they have been improved becaue they are great. I like Huggies but they don't seem to cover much on the sides so I switched. Target brand is great but I have been getting really good deals on the Luvs boxes so that is what I have been using.

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N.S.

answers from Chicago on

I loved pampers cruisers. But they are expensive even when they are on sale and with coupons. For the last year I have been buying Target brand diapers. They are cheap and work great. They do not have that baby powder smell like the cruisers but they work well.

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L.P.

answers from Chicago on

Hi D.,

In my experience it varies depending on how the baby is shaped and if the baby is a boy or gir.. I have had four children (2 girls and 2 boys) and they all have been different with different diapers. Currently we are using Pampers baby dry for my 1 year old son because it seems to work better than the cruisers. But my 2 year old son was fine with the cruisers. We have spent a lot of time and money trying the gamet on diapers...huggies, luvs, walmart brand etc. We have given a lot of diapers away in search of the one that will work for our little one at the time. The other problem we have had is the diapers "exploding" with tiny beads all over the place. This has happened with all the brands. All that said, Pampers Baby Dry is currently working very well for us and is worth a try.

Good Luck!
Blessings,
L.

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J.S.

answers from Champaign on

Sam's Members Mark are great diapers and a great buy. However, they only go up to size 5.

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A.H.

answers from Rockford on

Tried all the others... We love Luvs!!!!

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M.Q.

answers from Chicago on

I was a huge Pampers fan, but I started using the Costco brand and just love it. They are equally as good as Pampers. I have never had a leaky diaper. If you don't have a membership I'm sure you can find someone who does who would get the diapers for you.

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A.R.

answers from Peoria on

I personally don't like the walmart brand (parent's choice), but we use luvs with our little ones. (Once they grow out of swaddlers). I second staying away from huggies. I tried those with my oldest b/c it's what my mom used and loved when her kids were little, but I had nothing but leaks/problems.

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K.K.

answers from Chicago on

I love the Target diapers. I hate Huggies, leak, leak, leak. In an emgerency I tried the walgreens diapers. They were okay, I haven't bought them again. I would suggest you buy a small package of whatever brand you buy to see what works for your daughter. Everyone has different experiences with diapers.

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M.O.

answers from Chicago on

Costco just sent me a free sample of their new diapers...the Kirkland Brand. They were just like Huggies! I could not tell the difference...next time I am buying the Costco Brand.

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S.D.

answers from Chicago on

We've tried most of the off brands and the ones that worked the best were Parent's Choice at Walmart.

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C.G.

answers from Chicago on

i never bought the store brands until my second was almost out of them because i didnt want to have a problem but, when i did i realized they are worth it. they are quality and much cheaper. the kirkland/costco brand is good and luvs are okay too.

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C.M.

answers from Chicago on

I just switched to White Cloud brand sold at Wal-mart stores about a month or two ago and have been very happy with them. I was using Huggies supreme which I was also happy with and would recommend, but we needed to cut costs somewhere. Hope that helps.

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S.D.

answers from Springfield on

I prefer Pampers Cruisers. I just recently tried the Wal-Mart brand bec they were out of the size I needed of Cruisers & I was very disappointed. I am going back to the Cruisers.

R.S.

answers from Chicago on

I love BumGenius, a reusable cloth diaper. You can get them at www.nickisdiapers.com. there are also local stores that sell them. Contact me off-list if you'd like to know more.

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S.K.

answers from Chicago on

We've tried quite a few brands but have found the best luck with Walmart's Whitecloud. They fit our little girl well, didn't make her skin break out, they don't leak and are fairly inexpensive. Hope it helps.

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D.B.

answers from Chicago on

I agree with the other ladies. I had 3 BIG boys and I LOVED Luvs...
D.

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

We only use the Pampers Cruisers and we have never had a problem with them. I'm surprised you have heard negatives about them. I think all my friends use those on their kids. I'm using them on a boy and a girl. I would stay away from Huggies though - had nothing but leaks with those.

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J.I.

answers from Chicago on

I have 2 yr old boy/girl twins, and we have been using the generic Whisper Touch brand from Meijer for a long time now. I like them a lot. They are in a yellow package with a lamb. (I did just recently start using Huggies Overnights for nighttime, though.)

I think you just have to try a bunch of different ones & see which fit your baby the best.

Good luck.

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M.W.

answers from Bloomington on

I use the Target brand and have never had a problem with them. I used the swaddlers until my children grew out of them and am now using the Target brand and love them. Plus, I know that I am saving money! I feel like my kids have stayed in their respective sizes forever. My son 2 1/2, almost potty trained,is using size 5s at night and my daughter, 9 months old, is using size 3s...she would still be in 2s, but tends to leak at night in the size 2s. Good luck!

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S.H.

answers from Chicago on

I loved the swaddlers too and went right to the Cruisers with no problems. I've been using them ever since and have liked them very much. I use the Huggies Overnights for bedtime though.

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K.C.

answers from Chicago on

D., by the time my boys where this age I started using the Walmart brand diapers. They where just as good as the name brands but cheaper! Also the Aldi brand diapers are good as well, but not at night time!

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S.W.

answers from Chicago on

If Cruisers are too expensive then BabyDry is your best bet!! We used the swaddlers too for our baby and loved them! Couldn't stand huggies! Babydry are the best, they hold well! And reasonnably priced!

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L.P.

answers from Chicago on

I got Huggies as a gift- Didn't like them.
It was was store brands for me!
I have tried several store brands and didn't notice much difference. Parents Choice at Walmart and Target brand, CVS brand have worked fine for my girls- Even Aldi carries diapers sizes 3-5.
I remember not really liking Luv's.
I say- try a small package of each
(Aldi has a money back guarantee- try them when you hit size 3).
Pampers have perfume which I didn't like and didn't want to pay for.

Most of the time I buy Target brand.
Good luck

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S.S.

answers from Raleigh on

I feel huggies really suck. I tell everyone to try luvs. They are made by pampers. Also, mom's in my lll group swear by baby dry, also made by pampers.

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C.S.

answers from Chicago on

We used target for a long while, but they are now leaking terribly(at night, fine during the day). We prefer Aldi brand. They have been great. Also know that Walgreens has two store brand ones. One of them worked well and one didn't. I'm sorry I don't know which is which, we only use them in a bind and have my husband pick them up. Really if you can get to an aldi easily, it is the best (price/quality) we've found. I have three in diapers (although the oldest is only in at night). That said mine are smaller babies, so maybe the build would be different and you'd get different results.

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K.N.

answers from Rockford on

I have been using Aldi's diapers since my son turned 12 mos. They seem to work just as good as Huggies which is what I was using before. Once in a while he will leak during the night but I had that happen with Huggies too. The diapers are called Nannies and I pay $6.00, for size 4 and there are 30 in a pack. All the sizes cost the same but you get more per pack ithe smaller the size. Give them a try.
K.

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K.F.

answers from Chicago on

Personally, we were using cruisers, then someone gave us a bunch of Huggies so we started using them...big mistake. Leaks all over and diaper rash. Have gone back to cruisers and we really like them.

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J.M.

answers from Chicago on

I too loved Swaddlers when my daughter was smaller and was disappointed when she outgrew them. The only other brands I've tried and did NOT like are the ones from Dominick's and Walmart(White Cloud). Huggies didn't fit our little girl well either. We currently are using Cruisers, but will not buy them again. They are too expensive and seem too "bunchy" at the legs for her. I really like Pampers Baby Dry; they fit well and are not as expensive as the Cruisers. I get them at Sam's Club or Toys R Us when there is a coupon.

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M.K.

answers from Chicago on

We have been using Target diapers since Connor was about 6 months old and they are great!

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S.K.

answers from Chicago on

hello! We used swaddlers for our little guy and loved them. We now us cruisers and are just as happy! We have had very few leaks and his sensitive skin has not been bothered by them at all. We also still use their sensitive wipes. Our theory that a happy guy with a healthy booty is worth the money of the namebrand diapers.

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D.I.

answers from Chicago on

I was very pleased with the Kirkland brand from Costco.

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M.K.

answers from Chicago on

Without a doubt, Kirkland brand from Costco, are the best diapers on the market. If you have a Costco membership, give them a try. They are excellent quality.

L.H.

answers from Chicago on

After pampers I used huggies until my daughter was a little over a year. I have tried Luvs, which I didn't like, tried walmarts brand, they were ok, but leaked way too much. Then I tried Targets. Love them, just as good if not better then huggies. I may even try the baby ones for my new born when she comes.

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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

Parents Choice from Walmart. They work great for girl and boy.

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S.A.

answers from Chicago on

I am on child number three and I've always used the Walmart brand...except for the first few months with my oldest when she would explode out of all diapers because she had runny poops all the time....I tried every brand on the market and nothing worked much better than the others. At that point I decided it was just a matter of whether I felt my child was comfortable and whether I thought the diapers stayed in place.

So I decided the Walmart brand was for me. They are cheap, they stay in place just as well as any diaper and they don't leave nasty red marks around my little ones legs like the Huggies did. I didn't like the Luvs very much because they were hard like cardboard.

I think diapers are really a personal preference because I didn't find any to work much better than the others.

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M.B.

answers from Chicago on

Sorry if this is a repeat, I did not read through all the posts.

We use CVS pull up type diapers. I know this is not the regular diaper, but we are very happy with them. Our son soaks through all other brands of diapers.

He has refused diaper changes since 9 months old so we put him in 2t CVS training pants.

CVS has a sale on thier brand products often. You can pick the diapers up for buy 1 get 1/2 off the 2nd and Buy 1 get 1 free - quite often.

M.

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E.H.

answers from Chicago on

Kirkland brand from Costco work great. They are better than Huggies. We use them for both our 26 mo. old son and 8 mo. old daughter. We love 'em!
P.S. Sam's brand is NOT the same. We didn't like those.

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J.D.

answers from Chicago on

Costco's Kirkland diapers are perfectly fine and cost effective, if you have a Costco membership...

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A.F.

answers from Chicago on

We're in the same boat when it comes to diapers and saving money! I like the Aldi brand of diapers. They're called Nanny's. They're soft and only $5.99 for the size 4. I also like the Wal-Mart brand, Parent's Choice. I have yet to try the Jewel brand. I find that Luvs are better for when the baby is older. I've just started using those on occasion too. As a side note, I will only buy the Target brand of sensitive wipes. I'm a Pampers mom and they are most like them. Good luck!!

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H.B.

answers from Chicago on

We LOVE the Kirkland brand from Costco. They have been great for both of my girls.

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E.W.

answers from Chicago on

My two cents' worth: I'm all about the Target diapers! For the most part they work overnight, too (the only time they tend to leak is when my daughter sleeps for more than 13 hours!).

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J.W.

answers from Chicago on

I have heard from multiple people that Huggies are better for boys and Pampers for girls. I use Luvs for my son and they work really well (they are a lot like Pampers, but I think they smell better). Sometimes you can even get coupons for them in the newspaper. I also use to use the Aldi brand when our son was younger, but now they don't work as well. We use Huggies at night. They are more absorbant than Luvs, so they work better at night. but Luvs work great during the day. Good luck.

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E.B.

answers from Chicago on

Hi D.,

My daughter is nearly 11 months old and we have stayed with pampers from the beginning. Both Baby dry and the cruisers have worked well for her.
I usually buy diapers online. I found a website that accepts manufacturer coupons and offers free UPS shipping when you spend $50. I get there through a shopping portal, so I also make a little money everytime I order. If you are interested in referrals to either site, let me know and I will send them to you offline.
We tried Huggies and they leaked around her legs. Several friends of mine have said the same thing. Hope this helps!

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J.N.

answers from Peoria on

I had very good luck with Luvs. I didn't want to like them because everyone told me I wouldn't but I used them and still do on occasion (we are trying to potty train and are using pull-ups most days.) Luvs run significantly cheaper then the other brands and I bought them @ Target most of the time and they run them on sale quite a bit. The target brand aren't bad if you are using them thru the day when you are sure to change them often. My son goes to daycare so I would buy bargain basement diapers to take there because @ daycare he is sure to be changed every 2 hours or so -- I'm not always that good about it! Good luck.

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B.C.

answers from Champaign on

I loved Luvs with all three of my girls. Good luck!

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K.T.

answers from Chicago on

With my first child I always used Pampers. Now they just seem too expensive so with my second I've experimented a bit more. Plus I've had two kids in diapers so I really didn't want to pay anymore than I had to. I've tried store brands but they don't seem to have the stretchy tabs that I like. My kids have chunky thighs so I need something that will fit around them. However, out of all the store brands I have tried (Walmart, Target, Meijer) I prefer the Target brand. I also found that Luvs are fairly resonably priced and fit my daughter well. Good luck!

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J.K.

answers from Chicago on

I've loved Huggies. I buy them bulk at Sams. Do NOT try the Sams brand; the "velcro" on them is terrible and doesn't keep the diaper closed.

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J.M.

answers from Chicago on

Luvs........Cheap and strong..And If there are any complaints..they'll send you a coupon for more free ones..

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Y.D.

answers from Chicago on

I love the Walmart diapers Parents Choice. They are the cheapest too. I tried the Target and Aldi diapers but wasnt happy with them - they leaked

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K.V.

answers from Chicago on

I love Cruisers!!! I used Swaddlers with my daughter until she grew out of them. I tried Huggies, but I'm not a fan. To me they seem to run small. You should definitely try the Cruisers. I have not had a problem with them at all!

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B.A.

answers from Chicago on

Kirkland from Costco.

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L.B.

answers from Bloomington on

Luvs. Cheap but great!

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E.J.

answers from Chicago on

Hi, D.!

Didn't have good luck with Luvs (4 year ago though). We use Target brand for the daytime, have ahd very few problems!

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K.K.

answers from Chicago on

I have found that every kid is different. My first, we used huggies and they were great...we bought them at costco. Then my 2nd leaked every time with huggies and we got pampers from Sams. My son uses pampers too..the only time he has ever leaked is at night a few times from being soooooooooo full.

I have 2 friends that ried the generic brands. They both found that they leaked and could not be used at night. I guess I believe that if you have good diapers you save money b/c doing laundry costs money too. Also your time is valuable...I do not have time to be changing sheets and clothing due to leaks

Good luck

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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

I am all about Luvs but I have a boy so not sure how they are for girls. My friend has a girl and was all about Target brand. Maybe pick up a small pack of a few different ones till you find the ones you like.

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A.A.

answers from Chicago on

Get the luvs. I have a girl and run a daycare with boys and girls. They leak way less than the huggies or pampers. Plus they have a leak garauntee!

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N.S.

answers from Chicago on

When both of mine grew out of the swaddlers, I used Pampers Baby Dry with good results. When they began crawling, I have used the Cruisers and never had any complaints. I would not suggest Huggies because I tried them, and everytime she would leak through and require a complete outfit change. Luvs was also good too, I have used them also without complaints and they are cheaper than Pampers.

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L.B.

answers from Chicago on

D. K,
I used with all 3 children (boy, girl, boy) the off brand from Toys R Us and had no problem! Plus, they also had cute designs on them, so they weren't just white (if that matters). They were the Especially Yours or somethign like that.

Also, they have them on sale quite a lot - I could get a box for 15/126 diapers. They were wonderful for all the kids and saved us some $$.

Good luck with this!

L.

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