Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Sounds like an excellent way to push prices up!

    I know that this is sort of off the subject, but in regards to the
    change in sizing of Pampers, I have found it to be to our advantage.  I
    have a 4 month old who is approximately 13 pounds, but the "old small"
    diapers were getting too small, yet the "old medium" diapers are a bit
    too big.  The "old medium" diapers come in 40 to a pack, however, the
    "new medium" (I forget the new size they call it) come 44 in a pack and
    fit him much better.  There seems to be a better overlap in sizes with
    the new sizing scheme.  I guess it all depends on how you look at it.
    
    Julie  (who has yet to register and will do so soon (1st time mom))

    re: -1
    
    I forgot to mention that the "new medium" that we are using actually
    contains 4 more diapers per pack than the "old mediums".
    
    Julie

    Julie, 
    	I totally agree with your assessment of the new Pamper's!!!

    
    Perhaps I don't understand the logic (math) here ...
    
    If Juli does comfortably fit into "mediums" ... 44/bag ... and then
    they change the sizing and she now fits into "new larges" ...
    32/bag ... and the manufacturer gives me 4 extra diapers ... am I
    not still SHORT diapers?!!  (eg. 4/bag)
    
    Now what's 4 diapers you ask?  Well, it's not 4 diapers per lifetime,
    but 4-8 diapers per week (depending on how many bags she uses -- at
    32/bag, I'd guess a minimum of 2 bags a week).
    
    Still a consumer rip-off in my book!
    
    Dottie

    Re: .8
    
    What I was trying to say with regards to the new sizing of Pampers is
    that it depends on what your child is currently using.  For me, the new
    sizing is working to my advantage because Nathan no longer fits
    comfortably in the "old small" diapers which came 54 to a bag.  I
    bought some "old medium" diapers and they come 40 to a bag.  But now
    with the new sizing, I just bought the "new medium" which fit Nathan
    better and come 44 to a bag.  So, for me, because Nathan is just
    growing into the "old mediums", the "new mediums" are working out to my
    advantage because of the number per bag and the size fits more
    comfortably than the "old mediums".  I'm not saying that it's going to
    get me in the long run, but for now, I'm pretty happy about the new
    "Phases".
    
    Julie :-)

Although we seem to have 2 notes going here..

On the diaper trail, my source at Child World told me last night that Luvs 
will  be going away, as a result of the new pampers.

W-

    Dottie,
    
    I just purchased the old Pampers size medium at Lincoln Drugs in 
    Milford Ma. This store had a TON of the old styled Pampers.  Maybe the
    Lincoln Drugs in Westboro, Ma. still has them too, then you could
    stock up with the old style? I didn't notice any Pampers at the Milford
    store with the new packaging.  (IMO - Certainly sounds like the P&G
    company is trying to implement a price increase without calling it that.)
    
    Michael, my 4 month old, been in the meduims since he was two months
    old.  It can get quite expensive having a newborn in the larger
    sizes so soon.
    
    Boy do I miss my boys, Michael and Kevin. This is my first week back to
    work and hubby on a westcoast business trip and me with the flu.
    :(
                                     
    Hangin in,
    
    Pat K.
     

    
    I personally love the new Pampers/Walker size 2. They are thinner
    through the legs so they don't hang. And Danielle is just starting to
    walk and walks much better without that big bulge hanging down! 
    We have never used anything other than Luvs untill this week, because 
    Pampers never had the elastic waist it now has. And Huggies were too 
    thick and padded. So as long as these new ones are around, we'll be 
    using em'.
    
    I also noticed less leaks, they are supposed to be special designed for
    heavier wetters. So far everything that has changed on the Pampers has
    been worth the switch.
    
    Sandy
    

    
    Another vote for new Pampers.  I got a sample in the mail, and loved
    it.  I just bought (with a 1.50 coupon off) the new Walker 1 Pampers. 
    Like previous noter said, legs cut trimmer for my 13 mos old who's
    walking, and they are less bulky.  No leaks so far, and they do fit
    much better than the 'old' mediums.
    
    elizabeth
    

    I also like the new pampers.  I brought the walker size 2 for Alexander
    who is 22 months old  and with the narrower legs he seems to run and
    walk alot smoother than before.   I am wondering though if they will
    still be making the convience pack (you know the ones with 60 large
    size diapers)  I used to by these all the time, they would last me alot
    longer than buying a 30 pack.  Well I guess I will just hve to wait and
    see.
    
    I also think that the way they make the newborn ones with the cutout
    for the umbilicul cord is great.  I wish they had these when Alex was
    born.  I can remember the old ones used to rub on his umbilicul cord
    before it fell off.  I used to fold the top down below it so it
    wouldn't rub on the cord.
    
    
    Liz

    I just bought the new pampers phases, they are okay.  I'm hoping to
    have my son trained shortly so we can stop spending money on diapers. 
    
    Anyway, thought I'd let the rest of you know that in my local newspaper
    (The Union Leader) last week there was a rebate coupon for $4.00 off 1
    package of the new pampers phases!  So, be on the look out in your
    local newspaper.
    
    Donna  

    Re:.11
    
    I just bought a large package (60 count) of the walker-2 pampers at
    Shaws.  It just might take awhile for the stores to sell out the old
    stuff, or to find shelf space now that they have to find room for all
    the phases.
    
    FWIW: The walker 2 fit Russell better as well and since he was at the
    lower end of large anyway, I get the same number of diapers.
    
    marianne

    	Not only do the new Pampers fit Shayne better, but since I have
    been using them I no longer have (so far) had problems with night time 
    leaking.
    	Shayne (23 months) is wearing the Size 1 (old mediums) and I bought 
    the huge bag.  Only thing I didn't like was the bag I got didn't have 
    the easy tear away opening. 

    What I worry about is how the stores can possibly stock all these
    styles/sizes.  Think of the shelf space required!!  All thoses
    different sizes and for both sexes!  I worry you won't be able to get the 
    ones you need.     (Kind of like the old and new Coke, decaf classic,
    decaf new, diet, diet decaf.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

FYI for all you diaper fans...

I just completed a 2.5 yr. MAILbus project at Protor & Gamble's Miami Valley
Labs here in Cincinnati where they do all of the R&D for their Health Care
products including Pampers. 

P&G has about a 30 person project team working on Pampers, comprised of mostly
Ph.D's. You would not believe the amount of market research and hard science
that goes into products like Pampers. The P&G team has been working on the new
sizes and design for close to 2 yrs. now. It is a continuous effort, so look
for more improvements on the way.

Also, P&G makes both Luvs and Pampers. P&G likes to set up internal competition
to try to make a better product. Usually one wins out over another (although I
hadn't heard about Luvs being phsed out).

It is pretty humorous to read some the research papers and listen to
conversations when they are trying to be polite when discussing absorbency,
ability prevent gross blow-outs, etc in diapers and see it all couched in
scientific terms.

Bruce

    re: 16
    
    Golly did I need a good laugh (your last paragraph)!!!!
    
    Have you NOTERS seen the last Pampers commercial?  Where they elude
    to their "save-the-environment" contribution ... COMPOST!
    
    Then they state a soft, quick, quiet disclaimer:  "but this effort
    is not available in all areas ... AND PLEASE DO NOT misinterrupt this
    to mean you can create YOUR VERY OWN COMPOST pile ...".
    
    Yuck!!
    Dottie

    re: .14
    
    FYI - Pampers has moved the 'easy tear away opening' to the side of the
    bag, which actually makes it easier to get the diapers out.
    
    Julie

    My daughter is 5 months old and weighs 18lbs.  Which one of these would
    I buy for her?  She is currently sitting in her walker and trying to
    crawl.
    
    Thanks
    

                    <<< Note 1134.15 by NUGGET::BRADSHAW >>>
                          -< The poor supermarkets! >-

>>    What I worry about is how the stores can possibly stock all these
>>    styles/sizes.  Think of the shelf space required!!  All thoses
>>    different sizes and for both sexes!  I worry you won't be able to get the 
>>    ones you need.     (Kind of like the old and new Coke, decaf classic,
>>    decaf new, diet, diet decaf.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Sandy, this is exactly how they will take care of it - by removing Coke from
the shelves!

Liz :-).

    Re:19
    
    When you go into the store, they have a chart on the shelf in the
    diaper section. It shows what stage and size to buy to meet your baby's
    needs. I went to Shaws and they had a chart but they were out of the
    size I needed. I went to Toys R Us and they had the size I needed but
    no chart. It tells you right on the package what you need to know.
    
    
    Sandy
    
    

    Every Sunday while going through the coupon section of the paper, my
    husband and I thank our lucky stars that our youngest is out of
    diapers.  In fact, he's been out of them for a full year, but we still
    are grateful!  I hated having to deal with the high cost, bulky
    storage and disposal. 
    
    Jodi-

    While cruising the isles of the supermarked the other day I decided to
    buy a pack of diapers in anticipation of my new baby due in 7 wks. 
    I was shocked at the new array of diapers.  I noticed the new newborn
    diapers but I refuse to pay $6.00 for 26 diapers.  When my daugher was
    born 3 and half years ago I could get 66 diapers for $7.00. Now I have
    to buy 26 or $6.00.  What an increase.  I thought about buying the new
    small size but since I don't know the sex what good is that?  I am
    starting to seriously think about cloth.
    
    Angie

    
    Unless you have a thing about making sure the girl wears pink and the
    boy blue, I found no difference in the diapers in terms of absorpbancy.
    I have a little girl and someone gave me a bunch of boy diapers that
    their son had outgrown. When they are really little I found I changed
    the diaper much more often than I do now (Anna is 4 months). I also
    used the cloth diapers for the first 10 weeks and they were okay for
    during the day, but I ended up using disposables at night unless I
    wanted to change the sheets everytime she woke up to be fed.
    
    What kind of diapers are $6.00 for 26??? I paid $9.99 for 54 or
    whatever it was.
    
    Patty

    
    Has anyone tried the new Toy R US diapers.?  I will having
    my baby in 2 months and I have received alot of coupons
    in the mail and some were for these?
    
    Let me know - I want to use the coupons before they 
    expire in OCt.
    
    

    I usually buy the Toys R Us diapers for the sitters house and
    use the Pampers at home.  My reasoning is that the Toys brand 
    dosen't seem to be quite as absorbant and I perfer the Pampers 
    for overnight when that matters most.  I have no complaints 
    about the Toys brand which run about $14.99 for the jumbo pack
    before coupons.  
    
    I only started doing this since about the time Alex turned 1 
    (he is about 17 months now).  When I have another child I know 
    I will probably start right away (less expensive brand during 
    daytime and more absorbant at nite).
    
    There are probably going to be a million things I won't do or
    won't be as fussy about the next time.  ;-)
    
    Mary 

    I buy my diapers at Pace Membership Wareshouse in Nashua, NH.
    
    The Pace store brand cost $14 for 88 (yes!), are unisex, white, and
    don't have the extra ruffles inside.  In other words, they are ye olde
    plain ones.
    
    I find they work well unless she has a huge b.m.  They are somewhat
    less absorbent, but I prefer to change her more often, anyway, at 
    least every 2 hours during the day.  That's about 40/week.
    
    I used cloth diapers (diaper service) for the first 9 months, with
    disposables at night and for her long morning nap.  When pricing cloth
    vs. disposables (environmental issues asside) I would estimate a 3:1
    ratio in frequency of changing.  That is, the disposables are MUCH more
    absorbent and keep the wet away from the skin, so you change them less
    frequently.  
    
    For another child, I would similarly use cloth again for 2
    reasons:  1.  Environment.  2.  I like to frequently change a very
    young baby.  But I would transition to disposables earlier, at the time
    when baby's diet becomes primarly food rather than milk, because of the
    odor in the stored dirty cloth diapers.  
    
    FWIW,
    Laura  

We use disposables for daycare and cloth diapers at home, but we use a diaper
service.

The cost of a diaper service varies from town to town, even with the same
company.  We pay about $12 per week for 4 dozen diapers.  We don't usually
need 4 doz, but every once in a while, I'm happy we've built up a stockpile,
because we need it.

I've observed that disposables leak less, are smaller so clothes fit better,
and can be moved off to the garbage pail as often as desired.  (I don't find 
it convenient to carry dirty cloth diapers off to the garage, for example.)

But, Elise has less diaper rash on weekends - when we use cloth.  We have less
trash to cart to the dump, with cloth, and it has been suggested to me that
Elise will toilet train faster with cloth because she'll be more uncomfortable
and so notice that she's wet or messy.

    Re: 24
    
    While shopping last night I discovered that I was wrong with the
    pricing for Pampers newborn diapers.  They are not 6.00 for 26. They
    are 9.49 for 28.  I like the idea of the imbilical cord opening but not
    for that price.
    
    Angie

    I saw the little back of Pampers newborn diapers (28 ct.) at Lincoln
    Discount Drug store last night for $5.47.  That seems more reasonable
    to me.
    
    Lori B.

    My husband works at a grocery store a couple nights a week.  He said it
    was amazing how many returns they are getting on the new "Phases". 
    There are just so many choices that people aren't quite sure what to
    choose.  I agree with the noter who claimed it was just like new coke.
    
    I asked my Pedi, (just for Laughs!) if the new Phases helped the child
    walk,run or even skip better.  His response was, What do you think?
    I think I'm sticking with Luvs....and hopefully they'll stick with the
    small, medium and large.
    

    Re: .31
    
    Little chance of that - Luvs and Pampers are both made by Procter and
    Gamble.  I'd expect them to switch the Luvs as well if they think
    the change was successful for Pampers.
    
    				Steve

    
    You know, if you want to, you can let Proctor and Gamble know what you
    think of the diapers.  They have an 800 number on their packages.  I've
    called them in the past and felt that they listened.  Several years ago
    when they went from "neuter" Luvs to "gender-specific" Luvs, I called
    to make a suggestion concerning the packaging.  Since all the packages
    were now either blue or pink, the sizing label got lost and it was
    difficult to know what size each package was.  All diapers used to be
    coded by color, green for small, red for medium, etc; you could grab a bag 
    of diapers just by the color of the package and run for checkout!  
    I told them they should keep the old logo (the little paper-doll shape
    baby wearing a diaper) with the appropriate color for easy size
    identification.  Many people must have suggested this because they did
    it!  
    
    Personally, I hope they don't get rid of Luvs.
    
    -dorothy
                                                    

    Has anyone used the new Pampers yet?  I'm on my way today to pick some
    up, but I don't know what size to get.  Since we'll be down to one
    diaper by the time I get home, I can't afford the time to run back if
    they don't fit and by more!  My son fits fine in the Pampers Large. The
    weight notation doesn't help.  Would Walker 2 fit? I'm assuming Walker
    3 would correspond roughly to the old X-Large.
    Sarah

    I just have to comment on this....
    
    What in the blazes is wrong with plain old small, medium or large
    *Generic* store brand diapers?
    
    It's beginning to sound like you need an engineering degree to decide
    what diaper to buy!  I think we can safely say that most people here
    are of average or higher intelligence.  Pitty the poor mom who's got
    several little ones in diapers, and hasn't quite got it all together,
    and then someone throws in all the "diaper specific" things.
    
    It sounds like sooner or later, you're going to need a *flow chart* to
    take to the store to buy diapers!!
    
    Good grief, am I ever glad AJ is out of diapers!
    
    Lyn

    HAHAHA  Lyn --- no pun intended "a flow chart" for diaper sizing!!!
    
    They will have the packages looking like the pantyhose packages
    If you are 2' 4" and weight 17 pounds, these diapers are for you.....
    
    -sandy
    

This is just following a trend - toward encouraging consumers to believe that
they NEED products that are specifically tailored to some particular
combination of needs.  This is why there are so many different kinds of
sneakers (oops, excuse me, "athletic pedal support systems") for different
kinds of activities, when really one or two kinds would do for most people.
You're asked to believe that these "improvements" to Pampers somehow make
the diaper better for your child, and thus you feel better about yourself.

If you really don't like the changes, then switch brands, or start buying
generics.

					Steve

    I agree! I'd love for them to stick with the S_M_L types.  I've tried
    the generic store brands, but they just don't cut it for DAvid.  They
    don't seem to have that stay-dry liner in them, and they seem to get
    hard instead of squishy when wet.  I've tried all kinds.  I just can't
    seem to find one that has a high enough waistband, doesn't cut into his
    thighs, holds a huge amount of moisture (David is the original
    "racehorse"), and keeps his skin dry at the same time except, of
    course, Pampers : (  Not enough absorbing power means more diaper
    changes, means more money, means it all evens out in my house : )
    Even though Luvs is made by P&G, I notice a terrible ammonia smell 
    with them.  Does any of this affect David? Probably not, except for 
    the liner issue (diaper rash). The only other diaper that comes close 
    to my needs is Huggies.  But I have to buy a bigger size.  Go figure...
    Sarah

    Someone made a comment about a flowchart on the diaper package, well I
    received a same of the new pampers in the mail and it had a round
    movable flowchart in the package.
    
    I had a coupon for them, so I tried the walker 1 size which is in
    Stephen's weight range and they were a bit small.  I did notice
    though that there wasn't as much extra diaper hanging in the back and
    his clothes fit better.  I then tired the walker 2 size which he is at
    the bottom of the weight range and they are hugh on him.  I think I am
    going to go back to Huggies.  I have always liked them the best.
    
    This whole thing is too time consuming and expensive to bother with.  I
    just may call the 800 number and tell them too.
    
    Kathy