I have been meaning to write this post for awhile, because I know people are always asking for diaper recommendations, especially new parents. We have tried a few different brands and styles (including cloth diapers now – which I will write about in a future post!) and I wanted to share our experiences with each and talk about why we use (and love) the subscription service, Hello Bello, now.

This is not in anyway a sponsored post – I am giving my honest reviews of all these diapers and my true recommendations as I always do on here. I am however, an Amazon Associate and as such, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn from qualifying Rewardstyle links.

Our First Diapers: Huggies Special Delivery (and a few words on Little Snugglers)

We were very lucky that we received a ton of free diaper samples when I was pregnant. I guess it wasn’t totally luck – I googled “baby free samples” at some point and applied for everything I could get for free including diapers and even formula (most of which, except the 2 small bottles we used of one type, I ended up donating to a local shelter).

This is the same website I used – just the updated version for 2021. This is for Canadian mothers! I am sure there is something comparable for the US though. I also got some free diapers from attending events – sadly, this is not an option right now so I recommend looking into free samples!

Huggies Special Delivery were one of the types we received a few packages of. At this point, I was still pregnant and I had no idea what kind of diapers I wanted to use (which I think is NORMAL). I knew Huggies and Pampers were popular brands, but I also knew that Kirkland made diapers that were comparable (and often a better price). I figured we’d work our way through the freebie newborn diapers we got and make a decision after that.

I also knew cloth diapering was an option – but honestly, as a new parent I felt that I didn’t want to put the pressure on myself to do that right off the hop. I also knew that newborns require many diaper changes so I figured, at least to start, disposable was probably easier and less stressful for our sleep deprived selves. That is not to say that you cannot use cloth diapers right away – many people do and successfully too! I just think it’s also ok to NOT if you think it might cause you more stress or confusion than you will already probably have with your first baby.

Well once we finally got to use diapers: I loved these ones! They were soft and had a subtle design. For a newborn’s skin they were perfect – Maggie never had any irritation from them. In the early days, I don’t remember having any issues with leaking with these ones (it’s hard to remember – I don’t think we had leaking except with Pampers, and it may have been related to incorrect sizing). I really liked the way these diapers fit around Maggie’s legs too – it looked comfortable and never left any marks.

A bonus that some people might love about these: they are environmentally friendly since they are plant-based diapers. I think that is also why they are so soft. They also now come in a variety of different designs which is nice – not everyone cares about that, but it’s something I like.Finally, they are fragrance free. You can read more about additional features and perks here.

The sizing is from Newborn to Size 6 which is great. But what about the price? They’re actually surprisingly affordable – I mean, they aren’t as good of a deal as Kirkland diapers at Costco, but a pack of diapers (# in pack depends on size) is around 26.97$ on Amazon CA.

I should also note: we did use little snugglers for a bit when Maggie was in bigger sizes – before these were available on Amazon they were hard to find in the midst of a pandemic. Those were alright too, no issues but I didn’t like the feel of them as much as these ones.

Wasn’t a Huge Fan Of: Pampers Swaddlers

We also received a ton of free Pampers for Maggie from events and free sample services. Plus, people purchased Pampers for us at our baby shower.

I have to admit – I am not a huge fan. I think diapers are a very personal decision – which I honestly feel like I say about everything but it’s true! Just because someone doesn’t like something doesn’t mean that you won’t too. You might love Pampers. So read through but also keep an open mind.

The issues I had with them were:

1. The chemical smell – I don’t know what causes this but apparently it is a common phenomena with these diapers. It really bothered me – maybe because I was still experiencing some sensitivity to smells postpartum, I don’t know.
2. Leaks/explosions – for whatever reason, Maggie had more leaks with the pampers and poo-splosions. I mentioned above – it may have been sizing? But she didn’t really have this issue with any of the other brands we used before or since, so I have to assume it was the diapers.

That was really it – I didn’t notice any irritation on Maggie’s skin with these ones either, and they are a bit more affordable than Huggies on Amazon.

One thing I can say that I like about Huggies and Pampers: wetness indicator. Especially in the early newborn days. But I’ll talk about that a bit more later.

Kirkland Diapers for Daycare

From a price point perspective, Kirkland diapers outshine the others because you can get a huge box of diapers for a very good price. Some people don’t love these, some people do. Maybe it’s the price? I don’t know.

I can tell you one thing – they don’t seem to come in newborn sizes. M wasn’t in newborn sizing for very long at all, so we did ok with the samples then transitioning to a bigger size – but some babies may need NB sizing for longer so just something to consider.

I never actually bought these diapers until Maggie was Sz 4 and heading to daycare. At this point, we were full Hello Bello subscribers and I did not want to send our HB diapers to daycare – only because they don’t send you a ton at once and I wanted to leave a good supply at daycare (while also having some at home). So I got these – she has no issues with leaks or irritation with these at daycare. However – she doesn’t wear them to sleep other than at naps (so not overnight), and I always find overnight is the true “leak test” time.

As we don’t use these full time, I’d recommend reading more reviews on them if you’re interested. As a daycare diaper – they seem to work great, we haven’t had any issues reported as of yet and she has been going to daycare for months now.

Why I Love & Use Hello Bello:

So a few months ago, we switched over to Hello Bello. Basically when we ran out of all the diapers we had got gifted to us (and once I finally realized it was available in Canada).

Before we got there – I did try Rascal & Friends and Honest Company diapers but not for long so I don’t feel I can give a good, true review of them. From trying them both for a short time I found I liked R&F a lot but found them a bit pricey (which I realize doesn’t make sense since I now pay quite a bit more for HB – but I also didn’t love them). Honest I was “honestly” (hehe) not a huge fan of, and I genuinely like all their other products. We used their bath soap and creams – they are excellent. Just wasn’t a fan of the feel of the diapers and I did notice M had leaks with them. If you’re looking at these brands – try and find a friend who has tried them long term, because I don’t want to give a review when only used 1-2 packs of each.

So let’s talk about the switch to Hello Bello. The subscription idea was what really drew me to it but there are definitely other great perks…

Subscription service takes guess work out & no last minute rushing to the store

This was the biggest selling point for me. Although we generally bought diapers in quite large boxes, sometimes time/awareness slips away from you and you look at your stash and you only have a few left. When this is even more problematic is during a pandemic or a lock down – when finding things like diapers and wipes was sometimes extremely challenging.

I started to get frustrated with having to either wait in large line ups just to get diapers, or having to search for them when you are supposed to be staying home and reducing your risk. Cue: Hello Bello.

I had no idea they were available in Canada and as soon as I found out I looked more into it. Was it financially possible for us? I was getting closer to the end of my mat leave so my husband and I agreed that we would try it out and if we didn’t like it, we would cancel the subscription. Well, no need because we loved it.

Pick your bundles (and extras if you desire) in the size you need, put in your shipping details and pay. You also get to pick your shipping frequency every 3-5 weeks. Now you can even split your bundles into two sizes too (this previously wasn’t available in Canada)!

The shipping is so fast – you get a notification that it’s coming and for us it always comes within 1-2 days. I have heard that this is not always the case in the US but I find the Canadian one very efficient! The box gets dropped off at your doorstep and you just bring it inside – so much easier. Especially during a pandemic.

Re: the amount they send. I would do every 4 weeks if you’re using these diapers full-time. Part-time we do every 5 weeks and honestly we would be fine with every 6-7 weeks if that was an option haha!! But using them full-time I sometimes found I would be close to running out at 4 weeks (depending on baby’s age). So test it out and see what works for you.

Free wipes!

You get 4 packs of free wipes with every order. Forever.

Now, a lot of people do not like these wipes. I have had multiple friends say they dislike them – personally, I like them. I don’t have any issues with them. We were previously using the Pampers Pure ones which are alright (I found them very wet) and we send the Huggies Natural Care wipes to daycare (and keep some at home because 4 packs of wipes isn’t enough to stock the change table and the diaper bags). I prefer the Huggies wipes when it comes down to a comparison with all 3, but still four free packs of wipes is nice regardless and we use them!

Soft diapers, good for sensitive skin

You can probably tell from my blurbs above about the other diapers that I prefer a softer-to-the-touch diaper. This is because I, of course, equate this in my mind with how gentle it will be on my baby’s skin!

Maggie has only recently shown signs of having eczema but prior never had any skin issues and she has never really had a true diaper rash, just irritations a few times in the past. I still want her to wear whatever diaper is going to be nicest to her skin and Hello Bello works well for that purpose. We have never had any type of reaction with these diapers.

Night time diapers hold pee SO well!

One of my favourite things about Hello Bello is the night diapers. OMG they are amazing! I can’t believe I was surviving without them before. We never really bought night-time diapers before, but as Maggie grew I became super thankful for them.

We have had ONE leak from this diaper and it was because mommy failed to do it up properly at bedtime. Whoops. Since then – no issues.

The designs!!!

If you like diaper designs like I do, you will love Hello Bello. Not only do they have a huge selection of designs to choose from the designs change with the seasons and holidays! We are still working our way through the end of our Christmas diapers now in February, and I just edited my bundle to add some Valentine’s diapers next time! So fun.

The box – fun for the whole family (and cats if you have them)

Sometimes Hello Bello comes in a regular box, but they often do themed boxes too! We have had a space ship, a lemonade stand, and a gingerbread house in the past. You pop out the cardboard pieces to build them and it makes for a fun play place for your little or your cats. After Maggie becomes bored of the box, I give it to the cats for a bit. They especially liked the gingerbread house.

Perks – extras and gifts!

There are also tons of extras you get a 15% off discount with through Hello Bello. We love their bath soap and bubble bath and both those items are available as an “add on” to your order at a discounted price.

They also occasionally send you gifts! Last shipment my husband got a new beanie! And it has a flash light on it. Perfect for those late night dog walks.

Moral of the story with diapers: it may take some trial and error and it is totally a personal decision. What works for one baby or one person, might not work for you or your baby. Or you might love a diaper someone else hates. That’s ok – find what is financially sustainable for you, convenient, and most importantly: comfortable for your babe! Xo