Two decades ago diapers were just… well diapers! When it came to disposables you had a choice between a couple of brands at the grocery store, or if you were a “crunchy granola” mom, you could always go for the traditional pre-folds and vinyl covers. Fast forward to 2011 and you have a trend that looks like it is here to stay – The Designer Diaper.

Parents are now shopping for pre-folds with cute covers, hybrids, all-in-ones and pocket diapers in adorable prints and luxurious fabrics. It’s like clothes shopping but for diapers!

Cloth
My favorite is the all-in-one, one-size diaper. This is a newer concept that will take your baby from infancy to toddler hood with lots of different color and fabric options.

The bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper is a tried and true favorite for many parents. They originally debuted with solids and pastels but with growing demand for more stylish diapers, the brand recently introduced the gorgeous Chelsea Perry Tiny Socialite Collection (left) for their Elemental Artist line.

Blueberry Diapers’ Minky One Size (right) are luxuriously soft on the outside, come in the most adorable designs and withstand wash upon wash. I’ve used them for all three of my kids and they still look new.

Charlie Banana is another brand who is jumping on the designer band wagon. Their new Designer Collection features fun playful prints designed by Matthew Langille.

Many parents still prefer the traditional pre-fold or a hybrid system like Bambino Mio (left), because they wash up beautifully and don’t require any special care. Just be sure to pick up a few covers like Bambino Mio’s own white covers (which are a fashion must because the lack of pattern means they won’t compete with your baby’s outfit) or a solid cover from the popular Thirsties brand. If wool is more your style (when treated with lanolin, they’re truly waterproof), you can find covers made from upcycled sweaters!

Disposables
Naturally with the large selection of cute prints available in cloth, it was only a matter of time before disposable diaper giants began following suit.

In 2010, Huggies introduced the first disposable “designer diaper” when they debuted their Denim Diapers. The limited edition collection sold out so quickly that Huggies decided to bring them back in 2011.

Pampers had the same sort of idea but instead of taking matters into their own hands they teamed up with Cynthia Rowley to create their very own line of designer diapers featuring prints such as Argyle and Stripes for the boys to floral girly designs for the girls. They also released a limited edition collection designed by maternity designer Rosie Pope earlier this summer.

Regardless of whether you choose cloth diapers or disposables there are plenty of different options for dressing your babies tush.

Nadia’s Tips For Designer Diapering

• Go for the liners! - You can get the convenience of a disposable diaper when using a liner like these biodegradable flushable Mio Liners.
• Pick up an airtight pail. – Keep the odors at bay with a diaper pail. The stylish compact VIPP pail is cute, sanitary and a favorite in the medical industry. It is also a preferred because of the stainless steel construction (plastic absorbs odors).
• Choose a cloth-friendly diaper rash cream. – Many diaper creams leave a greasy residue making cloth diapers a nightmare to clean. Luckily there are companies like ErbaOrganics offering formulas that won’t leave any residue on your nappies.