Give me a Hug Mum! - newborn nappies (Huggies)

Member Name: cmh4135

Product:	Huggies
Date:	08/08/06 (917 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Competatively priced and the softies of the bunch

Disadvantages: Get you hooked on brand loyalty

Pampers and Huggies are probably the first brand names that spring to mind when one thinks of disposable nappies. Their marketing strategies are cleverly targeted with the aim of making new parents “brand-loyal” from the off. If like me, you view marketing with some scepticism, then, also like me, you might be tempted to take all the freebies you can and then make up your own mind as to the suitability of the product based on the product itself and not the marketing.

Before having my son I did read up on various web-sites to see which nappies were recommended. I made a decision fairly early on that I did not want to start off by using reuseable nappies, although this is still something I hope to do as my child grows. That decision having been made the only one left was which disposable was best. The only way was to try.
We had samples of both Huggies and Pampers first size and I quickly decided that, of the two, Huggies were the most suitable. I found the Pampers to be rougher on the skin, particularly around the legs, and the fit was not so good. I then decided to try some own-brand nappies and tried both Tescos and Morrissons. Although soft, the Tesco fit was not good. Morrissons were just too big for my slip of a lad (6lb 11oz at birth and skinny with it!).

So, why were Huggies the best for me?

I found that the fit was the best of those tried. Newborn poo (after the first few days), particularly for a breastfed baby, is notoriously runny. Add to the pot the fact that my little one liked to “go” whilst being held horizontally to feed and you can imagine the mess… yellow goo down the legs and all over Mummy. Huggies had the lowest leak-rate through the legs.

The fit of all the nappies, however, is far from ideal, particularly during the first few weeks when the baby has yet to grow into their skin. None of the newborn nappies had cut-outs for the cord stump although Huggies, being the softest, were the easiest to turn down at the waist to protect the cord. I also found that all of the nappies had a tendency to slip down a little.

The tabs that fasten the Huggies are reliable – they can be opened and refixed a number of times without losing their stick (they are rather Velcro-like). I do find that the sides are slightly too wide for the little space between the waist and the very upwardly mobile legs of my son however.
In terms of absorption I have had no issues. The Huggies do seem to draw the moisture away from the skin quite effectively, although a full nappy will quickly leave a few moisture absorbing crystals on the skin leading to a minor panic that they are actually urate crystals (a sign of dehydration in babies). The very wet nappy should tell you that dehydration is not the problem but for a new mum rational thinking is not high on the list of characteristics!

The packaging for the nappies is adequate – perforations allow you to open the packet easily with one hand – a vital skill for any parent!

The nappies, like many brands on the market are decorated all over. Honey pots, bees and Winnie the Pooh adorn the exterior. Winnie is accompanied by one of his friends on each nappy and so there are a variety of designs – something to amuse the parents perhaps? A newborn is really not going to notice that kind of minute detail!

The newborn nappies are very competitively priced at around £3 a pack – this compares well with store brands. Huggies hope, of course, that you will be loyal – the prices of the next sizes are well in excess of store varieties. Soon the time will come for me to shop around again!

Summary: For me the best newborn nappy...