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We put all the popular overnight diaper brands to the test to find which ones really keep babies dry all night. non alcohol wet wipes
An overnight diaper can be a lifesaver or a money-waster, depending on its quality and overall design. If it’s good, it will absorb more than the average diaper to help your child feel dry all night long and not leak into their bed, so they don’t wake you up crying for a 3 a.m. diaper change! But cost is important here, too: Regular diapers are expensive enough, and we know you don’t want to spend more money on a special type of diaper unless it’s truly saving you time and effort.
Because they absorb more liquid than daytime diapers, they keep babies comfortable for longer periods of time. Other features of overnight diapers include higher coverage in the front and back, extra-strong fasteners, and additional layers of material that wick away moisture. Amanda Stovall, M.D., a pediatrician in Illinois, says that babies should be ready for this type of coverage when they no longer need to feed during the night. That can be as early as 2–4 months old for formula-fed babies, or later for breastfed babies.
To find the best overnight diaper, we tested eight popular brands in our Parents lab to find the most leak-proof, absorbent diapers for the money. We also asked experts for their tips on comparing fit and sizing across designs, as well as selecting diapers that won’t irritate your child’s skin when left on overnight. It may take trial and error to find out what works best for your baby, but this list should be a good start.
Just one Huggies Overnites Nighttime Diaper could get your child through a full night of sleep without any leaks. They’re only slightly more expensive than regular Huggies and much cheaper than most other types of overnight diapers; plus, they held up extremely well through two and even three soaking tests, making them a clear winner.
Design: These cute Winnie-the-Pooh diapers have an extra dry lining in the gusset (or center) of the diaper meant to absorb plenty of liquid without leaving your child feeling wet. They also have contoured leg holes with extra-soft material to cut down on irritation and friction.
Absorbency and Leak Protection: We experienced zero leakage through all three parts of our testing. The gusset absorbed liquid without any pooling and stayed relatively dry both inside and out. Only on our third pour test did the gusset start to become wet to the touch, but there was still no leakage.
Value: As of this writing, Huggies Overnites are about $0.43 per diaper when you buy a box of 116 diapers in size 4.
The wetness indicator line didn’t activate during our test, even when the diaper was clearly full of liquid, so you may not be able to rely on it to gauge the diaper’s wetness.
The Honest Company Clean Conscious Overnight Diapers are super soft and absorb a ton while also reducing wetness against the skin. During our test, we were impressed by how well this diaper contained liquid and how dry it remained on the outside. Even when nearing full saturation, these diapers kept on absorbing liquid, never leaking and staying drier to the touch than competitors.
Design: You can choose between sheep on a blue background or stars on a purple background for these diapers, which are also notably softer and cushier than most other diapers. They also feature a strong Velcro-style closure for maximum security during the night.
Absorbency and Leak Protection: This diaper absorbed the liquid from all three of our pour tests without leaking at all; the only time liquid dripped out was when we squeezed it and tipped it sideways as we were disposing of it after our test. Some wetness transferred from the gusset after our second test, but the diaper itself still felt pretty dry both inside and outside. Even when it was getting heavy, it held up.
Value: On most retail sites, if you buy a pack of 54 diapers, the cost per diaper will be around $0.55-$0.68, which is more expensive than many other diaper brands on this list, but there are frequent sales and discounts available.
We noticed that the leg cuffs on the diaper came apart fairly easily, so it might not hold up to an active sleeper.
We were impressed by how much liquid this diaper could hold, especially since it looks and feels like regular cotton briefs. Big kids often need nighttime leak protection, long after they’re out of diapers during the day, and Pampers Ninjamas Nighttime Underwear provides it without causing embarrassment. The underwear-style diapers have a slim, discreet design that offers a deceptive amount of absorbency and leak protection for kids going through potty training or dealing with bedwetting.
Design: These diapers look and feel a lot like cotton underwear, with flexible waistbands and leg cuffs, and material that doesn’t crinkle like a traditional diaper. They also boast odor-masking properties to further reduce potential embarrassment.
Absorbency and Leak Protection: Liquid was immediately absorbed into the gusset of this diaper during our test, even when we reached the third pour and it was getting full. It didn’t stay dry to the touch that long, however—it felt dry for the first and second pours, but not the third. Still, it absorbed and contained liquid incredibly well; we practically had to shake the diaper upside down to get any liquid to come out at the end of testing, so even though it ended up feeling a bit soggy, it never came anywhere close to leaking.
Value: A typical price for these is $0.64 per diaper in the small/medium size. You can subscribe to save a bit over time, but we would mainly recommend these for older kids who may need them for a short period of time rather than for babies who’ll still need to wear overnight diapers for the next few years. They are surprisingly effective, so if your big kid needs discreet protection, they’re worth the cost.
If your child pees a lot overnight, it will get soggy inside rather than feeling dry to the touch (but it won’t leak!).
These Pampers Swaddlers Overnight Diapers have a breathable mesh gusset inside the lining to wick moisture away from the skin and ensure dryness, reducing the chance of diaper rash. That makes them a great choice for young infants since they are more prone to diaper rash than older babies and toddlers. Although these diapers didn’t perform as well as others on this list during our tests, it’s reasonable to assume you may need to change your younger infant’s diaper at least once during the night since they drink more milk. With extra dryness protection and an affordable per-diaper cost, we still think these are a worthwhile option.
Design: These diapers are designed with young babies in mind—they’re hypoallergenic, free of parabens and latex, and gentle on infants’ skin. The inner gusset is dual-layered and reminded us of the moisture-wicking fabric used for maxi pads. When combined with higher leg holes to provide additional coverage, we think these diapers will likely keep babies comfortable during the night.
Absorbency and Leak Protection: The Swaddlers absorbed liquid well on our first pour test, but showed some pooling and got pretty wet to the touch on our second and third pours. For the most part, the diaper contained the liquid pretty well, but by the end of our testing, we did observe some leakage when we slightly rocked the diaper from side to side to simulate natural movement.
Value: If you buy a box of 104 size 4 Swaddler Overnight Diapers, it comes to about $0.43 per diaper from major retailers. This makes it the cheapest diaper on our list. However, if your baby pees a lot during the night, you’re probably going to use more than one of these, so your overall spending on overnight diapers may be higher than with some other brands.
This diaper didn’t pass the leak test as well as others on this list. We recommend it for younger babies still needing at least one diaper change during the night, since it’s more absorbent than many regular diapers but can’t last through the entire night.
There are a lot of overnight diapers on the market, so to help you determine which ones are worth using, we tested eight popular brands in the Parents lab. Using sizes 2 and 4 diapers, we assessed each brand for three attributes.
For insights on selecting diapers that won’t irritate your child’s skin when left on overnight, as well as tips on fit and sizing across designs, we consulted multiple experts.
Overnight diapers have some benefits compared to regular diapers, such as added absorbency, higher back and belly coverage, and extra security to prevent leakage. But a lot of that depends on your child, too: babies who move around a lot at night can end up with more leaks, even in overnight diapers. Unless you’re especially concerned about urine leakage at night, regular diapers are usually fine.
Overnight diapers aren’t a necessity, but many parents turn to them when they find their child is waking up at night only for a diaper change. In other words, your baby doesn’t need to be fed, but they’ve soaked through their onesie and are crying to let you know they’re uncomfortable. It might also be helpful to use an overnight diaper when you’re potty training since it typically takes longer for kids to potty train during the night than during the day.
Sure, it’s “just” a diaper, but there are still safety tips and best practices you may want to be aware of before you use overnight diapers with your child. That’s because overnight diapers do a great job of catching and keeping moisture in their material, says Dr. Svitek, which means the skin in the diaper area is likely always moist, too—a perfect environment for diaper rash to flourish.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests changing diapers frequently, gently cleansing the skin at each diaper change, and choosing absorbent diapers that keep the skin dry. It also says to avoid diapering too tightly, especially overnight, to reduce friction.
It’s actually not great to use an overnight diaper during the day except in a pinch. According to Dr. Stovall, the wetness-blocking properties of overnight diapers can make it hard for older kids to recognize signs of potty training readiness, and their extra absorbency can also lead to your child moving around in a very heavy diaper.
Sarah Bradley is a freelance health and parenting writer from Connecticut, where she lives with her husband and three sons. As a homeschooling mom who works part-time, she understands the value of shopping for parenting products that are not only safe and affordable but make family life easier. Plus, she’s probably changed about 10,000 diapers in the last 13 years, so she knows why it’s so important to find a brand and style that works.
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