Pampers has a well-established reputation for providing a quality diaper to cater to a baby’s needs. Swaddlers and Baby Dry are two of its most preferred types due to the excellent protection they offer. Both provide great comfort and absorbency, which are essential factors to consider when choosing the right diaper for a baby.
The specific need of the baby will determine which is better between the two. Pampers Baby Dry is a better choice for overnight protection due to its greater absorbent capacity. However, Pampers Swaddlers is more delicate on a baby’s sensitive skin; thus, it is a better pick for small babies who need to get frequent change in diapers.
This article will compare and contrast these two in terms of their absorbency, fit, comfort, availability, cost, and other features that can help parents make a better decision when choosing the right diaper to get for their babies. It will also discuss the components and ingredients of both Swaddlers and Baby Dry to explain further their differences and the advantage of one over the other.
Pampers Swaddlers vs. Pampers Baby Dry
Overview
Pampers Swaddlers is mainly known for its superior softness. It is specially designed to be soft against the baby’s skin to avoid irritation and possible rashes. It is an excellent starter as a diaper for babies because of the maximum comfort and security it provides.
Pampers Baby Dry is another great starter diaper for babies. In addition to it being soft, it also provides an added absorbency to the diaper. It consists of three absorbent layers; thus, it gives the baby an extended period of protection.
Absorbency
Pampers Swaddlers has a unique “Absorb Away Liner” feature. Its main function is to keep the baby’s skin dry by pulling moisture caused by pee (or poo) from the skin. The baby’s skin will remain dry to the touch, even when the diaper is wet. Reviews of this product also showed that this unique feature helps prevent rashes, which is a common problem encountered when the baby’s skin is soaked in pee or poo for a long time.
Pampers Baby Dry, on the other hand, consists of three absorbent layers, compared to the usual two layers of regular diapers. This feature provides better protection against wetness for an extended period of time. Due to the added absorbent layer, Baby Dry is guaranteed to last overnight (or around 12 hours). Having a diaper that can last this long reduces the chances of the baby waking up because of a leaking diaper. As a result, babies are able to have a better quality of sleep, and so can the parents.
In terms of capacity, Swaddlers can absorb around 4.25 cups of water, whereas the Baby Dry can take in about 5.25 cups of water – that is, a cup more or 23.5% greater capacity.
Fit
The sides of both Swaddlers and Baby Dry are soft and stretchy, which provides flexibility and customized fit with each diaper. They both allow maximum movement, similar to underwear.
Aside from the stretch film that keeps the diaper secure, Swaddlers also has velcro-like fasteners that allow easier adjustment and refastening when necessary. It is a better and more efficient substitute for the traditional sticky tapes that were used before.
Comfort
Swaddlers features Heart Quilt liner, which makes it twice as soft as other diapers. It is ideal for the delicate skin of newborn babies. Baby dry, on the other hand, has Air-dry channels, which makes it more breathable and comfortable to wear for extended periods. Baby Dry is also less stiff compared to Swaddlers.
The softness of a diaper is essential to give the baby a comfortable experience during sleep. It is ideal for babies who have very sensitive skin and who are more prone to rashes. Likewise, breathability is important to ensure proper airflow inside the diaper. It is necessary to avoid any feeling of suffocation and irritation that the baby may experience.
Generally, Swaddler is designed to be soft and stretchy, while Baby Dry is designed to be breathable and stretchy. Thus, each is comfortable in their own ways.
Wetness Indicator
The wetness indicator is the yellow line on the front of the diaper. It changes color once wet: for Swaddlers, it turns blue, while for Baby Dry, it turns green. The line is actually a pH-sensitive strip, similar to those used in science classes. It indicates when the baby’s urine hits the diaper. This feature allows for easier monitoring of the baby’s diaper. Just by looking at it, the parent can discern whether the diaper is full or not.
Swaddlers has a wetness indicator on all its sizes, whereas Baby Dry only has this feature on its Newborn (N), 1, and 2 sizes.
Umbilical Cord Notch
The umbilical cord notch is essentially a cutout on the front of the diaper to take into account the umbilical cord of newborn babies. This feature is not available in Baby Dry, but it is present in Pampers Swaddlers in sizes newborn(N), 1, and 2.
Odor Leak
In terms of masking away bad odors, Pampers Swaddlers does a better job than Pampers Baby Dry. Swaddlers is more effective in keeping the pee and poop smell to a minimum. This is especially important when there is a need to travel with the baby to a crowded place so that the smell won’t turn people off.
Baby Dry is generally good for keeping the smell of pee, but it is not as effective when it comes to poop. This is an essential feature to take note of in order to avoid creating inconvenience for others in public.
Available Sizes
When it comes to size, Swaddlers offers a greater range than Baby Dry. Swaddlers comes in sizes from newborn (N), for babies less than 10 pounds, to 7, which is for babies around 41 pounds. Baby Dry comes in sizes from newborn (N), which is suitable for babies less than 10 pounds, to size 6, which is for babies weighing up to 35 pounds.
Most parents tend to prefer Pampers Swaddlers for their babies when considering the available sizes. Due to its size range, babies can use it from birth until it’s time to potty train. This lessens the risk of irritating the baby’s delicate skin due to the frequent shifts in diaper brand and type.
Others prefer Pampers Baby Dry. Although it is one size lesser than Swaddlers, it can still pass as a reliable and consistent diaper that can be used from newborn to potty train age. Its added absorbent layer is excellent in taking in more liquid from older babies, who tend to pee more often.
Amount per package
Swaddlers has 216 diapers in one pack, making it an ideal choice for babies who need a frequent change in diapers. It is also good for parents who have more than two kids due to its bigger pack. On the other hand, Baby Dry has only 180 diapers per pack, which is good enough for babies with average changing schedules.
Buying in packs or bulks saves money and time in the long run compared to availing in smaller amounts. This is especially true with diapers since babies use a lot of these.
Price
In terms of price, Pampers Swaddlers tend to be less expensive than Pampers Baby Dry. Although both are commercially available in the same price range, Swaddlers seems to be cheaper for around 1 to 2 dollars compared to Baby Dry. The extra absorbent layer in the latter makes it a bit more costly than the former. Both of these are intended for newborns and those who are a little older, so they are relatively expensive.
Ingredients and Components
All ingredients of Pampers diapers undergo several clinical trials and tests to ensure that they meet necessary health standards and that they are safe for the baby’s delicate skin. Generally, the components of Pampers diapers are similar regardless of their types. However, there are added features that give each diaper type advantage over the others.
Absorbent Topsheet
Topsheet is the part that directly comes in contact with the baby’s skin. Both Swaddlers and Baby Dry use polypropylene nonwoven topsheet. Specifically, they use hydrophilic polypropylene nonwoven that allows the urine to pass through it and reach the absorbent core.
Pampers Swaddlers has an additional “Absorb Away Liner” that pulls away pee and poo from the baby’s skin, keeping it dry and free from moisture.
Acquisition Layer
This layer is located directly underneath the topsheet. It acts as a filter to ensure seamless transport of liquid away from the baby’s skin to the absorbent core. Swaddlers and Baby Dry both use a polyester acquisition layer that traps the baby’s waste while letting the liquid to pass through.
Absorbent Core
All Pampers diapers, including Swaddlers and Baby Dry, use elemental chlorine-free pulp and super absorbent polymer (SAP) as their absorbent core. Pampers advertises the elemental chlorine-free pulp to be sustainably sourced, meaning it is environmentally friendly. It acts as the initial absorbent of the diaper, and it has a capacity of up to 10mL of water per gram of pulp.
Upon reaching the chlorine-free pulp’s limit, the SAP will continue absorbing liquids. SAP are fine granules of sodium polyacrylate, which are very effective polymers when it comes to absorbing wetness and keeping the baby’s skin dry.
Pampers Swaddlers and other diapers only have two absorbent layers (SAP layers). In contrast, Pampers Baby Dry consists of 3 absorbent layers, making it superior in terms of capacity. The added layer makes the Baby Dry diaper more effective for overnight protection.
Leg Cuffs
Both Swaddlers and Baby Dry use hydrophobic polypropylene nonwoven for the leg cuffs. Unlike the hydrophilic polypropylene nonwoven, hydrophobic polypropylene nonwoven does not allow water to come in contact with it (similar to how oil rejects water). It is used for the leg cuffs to prevent any leakage from the diaper.
Fastening System
Pampers Baby Dry uses polypropylene and stretch film to hold the diaper in place and to fit the baby properly. Polypropylene is a durable, high-performance fiber that is used in almost all disposable diapers and many medical devices; therefore, its safety for the baby’s skin is guaranteed.
On the other hand, Pampers Swaddlers uses a velcro-like tape in combination with the polypropylene and stretch film. It provides added security and keeps the diaper in place.
Seams and Joints
Swaddlers and Baby Dry diapers use thermoplastic polymers to keep the diaper in one piece. Pampers guarantees the safety of the adhesives used for their products. They are evaluated to ensure that they are solvent-free and non-sensitizing. Also, they are tucked away from the baby’s delicate skin to prevent irritation.
Soft Outer Cover
Swaddlers and Baby Dry both use polypropylene and polyethylene for the outer cover. These are the same materials used in hospital garments and other fabrics. According to Pampers, these two are combined in perfect ratio to provide softness, breathability, and protection.
Inks
The inks used by Pampers for its diaper prints, including those in Swaddlers and Baby Dry, are made without disperse dyes. It is similar to the inks used in a wide range of products, including food packaging, baby toys, textiles, and colored contact lenses. Like all other ingredients, the inks are also evaluated to ensure that they are safe and non-sensitizing.
Skin Protecting Lotion
The topsheets of Pampers Swaddlers and Pampers Baby Dry are coated with a skin-protecting lotion that helps maintain healthy skin and avoid irritation. The lotion consists of petrolatum, stearyl alcohol, and aloe barbadensis leaf extract, designed in a perfect ratio to cater to the baby’s sensitive skin.
Final Thoughts
Both Pamper Swaddlers and Pampers Baby Dry are great diapers for newborns and babies who are a bit older. Swaddlers is a good choice due to the superior softness that the added Heart Quilt liner provides. It is ideal for babies who need frequent changes in diapers. Similarly, Baby Dry is a great pick due to the extra absorbency offered by the third absorbent layer. It is excellent in keeping a baby dry overnight or for longer periods. These two are both good choices, so the better pick will depend entirely on the baby’s specific needs.
