Trying to find the right diaper for your baby or toddler can be such a hassle. There are dozens of brands to scroll through. Once you pick a brand, there are ten different version of diapers to try to choose from! When I was looking for diapers for my baby, I found it nearly impossible to narrow it down. Luckily, it’s a lot easier for me to pick between Pampers Swaddlers vs Cruisers, now that I know the difference between both diapers. Pampers are my go-to brand, and both Swaddlers and Cruisers are recommended by me. It really just depends on what size your baby is, and what their mobility is like! Once you know those factors, you can choose with ease.
Current Price on Amazon << Swaddlers Size 3
Current Price on Amazon << Cruisers Size 3
Swaddlers
Pampers Swaddlers are disposable diapers designed for comfort, convenience, and affordability. Read on to check out some of the features (and possible drawbacks) of using Swaddlers for your infant.
Range of Sizing
Pampers Swaddlers range from Newborn to size 6 which will cover babies between 6 and 35 pounds. Cruisers start at size 3 and go to size 7 which cover 16 to 41 pound little ones.
Newborn Notch
Swaddlers feature the lovely little newborn notch. These diapers have a small dip in the front, to accommodate your tiny baby’s umbilical stump. This feature is really special, and I loved having it with my baby. I knew that the diaper would not irritate his cord stump and cause any discomfort in that area. The notch is a feature of the Newborn and size 1 and 2 diapers.
Wet Stripe
Another unique feature of these diapers is the wetness stripe. It can be really, really difficult to tell if your newborn has a wet diaper! They don’t have a lot of urine output, so the diaper won’t actually look bulky when wet. However, with this cool wetness stripe, the line will change colors when your baby is wet. This helps to prevent unnecessary changes. It also allows you to change your baby as soon as they are wet, to help prevent diaper rash!
Channels for Wetness
Swaddlers have special grooves in their surface to keep wetness from concentrating in one area. We all know that it isn’t fun to change a diaper in the middle of the night. By having these wetness channels, the Swaddlers help to evenly distribute wetness, which keeps the diaper usable for up to 12 hours of protection. Baby is more comfortable, and you can both sleep more!
Super Soft
Sometimes disposable diapers can feel a bit scratchy against the skin. This is definitely not the case with Pampers Swaddlers. These diapers are “blankie soft” meaning no scratching around the legs and belly. The extra comfortable cloth-like feel will keep your baby happy and dry feeling. They also feature an “absorb away liner.” This liner really pulls the wetness away from the skin and into the bulk of the diaper. Just another feature to help prevent rash and discomfort!
Affordable
In the first few months, you might be using 12 diapers a day. That is a lot to go through! You will plow through bulk boxes in no time at all. Since Pampers Swaddlers are so affordable, you know you will be getting great protection at a good price. You won’t worry as much about the cost, and you can focus on your baby’s comfort and safety instead.
Possible Drawbacks
Sizing and Fit
If you look at Pampers Swaddlers vs Cruisers, you will notice that there is quite a bit of overlap in sizing. See the Diaper size chart.
Cruisers seem specially designed for more mobile babies. Swaddlers go all the way up to size 6. If you really love these diapers and they work well for your baby, you might decide to stick with them all the way to the biggest size. When they become a toddler and start walking and running more, you can do a test run with Cruisers to see if they have a better fit.
Faint Powder Smell
While I personally don’t mind the smell of baby powder, some do find the odor overwhelming. These don’t feel powdery to me, but you can sometimes notice the smell of baby powder, especially when they are wet. To some, this may be a drawback, and to others a bonus! It just depends on your own personal preference.
Swaddlers Features
- Fits 6 lbs through 35 lbs
- Centered tabs for easy fit guide
- AGM gel for absorbency
- #1 Choice in Hospitals
- Comfortable
Pampers Cruisers
Pampers Cruisers are disposable diapers designed to give your mobile baby freedom and flexibility. They help prevent leaks, especially in the legs and sides, for rolling, crawling, and walking babies. They are affordable and comfortable as well!
Different Range of Sizing
There isn’t a great deal of difference between Pampers Swaddlers and Cruisers. Swaddlers go up to size 6 and Cruisers have a size 7 and a higher weight limit to go with that additional size. Your baby and toddler can wear Cruisers starting at about 16 pounds, and up to about 41.
3-Way Fit
These diapers have a really smart design to help with leak protection. Once babies start to crawl and walk, diapers can tend to gap in the thighs. This leads to unwanted and unnecessary leak issues. However, Pampers Cruisers prevent this by having a three-way-fit. The diapers adjust not only at the waist, but also the legs and bottom. So as your child moves and bends, the diaper moves with them! Anything to prevent leaks is a great feature in my opinion.
Soft Stretchy Sides
Just like the Swaddlers, Cruisers are meant to be soft and feel almost like a cloth diaper. Cruisers also have extra soft sides that help to flex and shift with your little one. They are super stretchy, but they don’t cause sagging! No one wants to see a saggy diaper on their baby, and Cruisers really perform well enough to prevent unsightly sag issues.
12 Hour Help
If your baby is big enough for these diapers, they are likely older as well. They might even be sleeping through the night! If your baby is able to sleep on their own through the night, you want to help that along any way that you can. A lot of diapers will start to leak after a while. However, Cruisers are designed to hold more fluid. They also have the same channels as Swaddlers, made to pull moisture away from one area and distribute it evenly throughout the diaper. This way, you won’t wake your baby with middle of the night diaper changes, and everyone will get a better nights sleep!
Gel Absorbancy
Now that your little one is likely on the move, you may notice that they occasionally have diaper gel on their bottom of legs. Since your baby is bending and twisting so much, this is a common occurrence. Cruisers feature a contoured fit, perfect for your mobile baby. This snug fit will likely prevent that gel from leaking out. However, if you do notice it once in a while, it isn’t a big deal. It commonly happens when a diaper is supersaturated.
Well Priced
Pricing is almost everything when it comes to diapers! We go through so many of them, who can afford to spend a small fortune on just one box? Luckily, when it comes to Pampers Swaddlers vs Cruisers, both diapers cost about the same. Cruisers are just as affordable. Also, by the time your baby gets to this weight, you will likely use fewer diapers each day as they gain better bladder control. So in the long run, Cruisers will likely cost you even less.
Possible Drawbacks
Different Limited Sizing
Like the Swaddlers above, Pampers Cruisers are not available in every diaper size. You can only buy these in sizes 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. So your newborn won’t be able to go straight into Cruisers, and you will likely have to switch between the diapers once they are a few months old. If you are brand loyal and love Pampers like I do, then this won’t be a big deal to you and your family at all.
Cruisers Features
- Fits 16 lbs through 41 lbs
- Great for mobile babies
- AGM Gel for absorbency
- Won’t Sag or leak even when heavy
Bottom Line
Here’s the thing. If you like Swaddlers, you will most likely love Cruisers just as much.
The only big difference is how they are designed to fit. The smaller sized diapers are designed for babies who aren’t mobile. These Swaddlers have features for newborns and infants, and they work great for the tiniest babies! The larger sized diapers are more flexible. This makes them great for babies on the move.
Since the Cruisers move with your child’s body, you won’t get as many leaks. Cruisers have features made for older and bigger kids. Most families start off with Swaddlers from day one, since they are commonly used in hospitals.
Overall, if you start off in Pampers Swaddlers when your baby is a newborn, chances are you will continue with Swaddlers and test Cruisers once they hit size 3. You will probably love the newborn features for your young baby, and the mobility features will be a true lifesaver once that infant starts walking!
When it comes to Pampers Swaddlers vs Cruisers, you can’t go wrong with either version. Find out which one (or maybe both!?) made our Best Diapers list!
