I'm a Toddler Mom, and Kudos Diapers Has Me Ditching Synthetic Liners

• Absorbency: 18/20
• Leakproofness: 20/20
• Materials: 20/20
• Fit: 18/20
• Value: 18/20

Total: 94/100

As a toddler mom, I've gone through tons of diapers. From the newborn days to the horrible blowout phase, some days it feels like I can't keep enough in stock. At the rate I've reached for them, I've tried my fair share—and that's when Kudos flew onto my radar. Their 100 percent cotton and plastic-free topsheet was a big draw, because my daughter has eczema and we're always fighting a rash. I wanted to see how they held up compared to the Huggies Skin Essentials (which was our top choice after a year-long testing period) and the Coterie diapers (which we loved, but are a bit outside our budget). Here's my honest review of the Kudos cotton-lined diapers.

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Kudos is a diaper brand founded by Amrita Saigal, a material scientist, engineer—and mom. Its mission: Make diapers as plastic-free as possible. Kudos's diapers have a 100 percent cotton topsheet, so that babies' skin doesn't come into contact with plastic. They're also free of latex, parabens, phthalates and chlorine, making them hypoallergenic and more eco-friendly.

Fast Facts

• Size range: 1 (7 to 12lbs) to 6 (32+lbs)
• Absorbency: 12 hours

I spent a year trying out almost every brand of disposable diaper you could think of: Huggies Skin Essentials, Pampers Cruisers, Huggies Little Movers, Huggies Overnights, Coterie, Baby Bello, Honest, Pampers Swaddlers, Kirkland Signature, Kudos...you name it, I was there, testing sizes newborn to size 4. Every week, I chose a different brand to see how they'd stack up against each other. While conducting my research, I considered the following factors: Leakproofness, ability to withstand blowouts (IYKYK), absorbency, value, comfortand the smell (yes, really).

Due to the 100 percent cotton topsheet, the material is a bit more stiff than your average diaper. This means that the tabs don't stretch as much across the waist. If your child is on the higher end of a size bracket, I would size up.

I personally found the lack of stretch a positive thing because the waist remained snug, helping to ensure nothing splashed out. With other diapers I've tested, I've had to really stretch the material across the waist to get a good fit. However, if your baby has a wide waist, I could see the lack of tab stretch being an issue.

What I really like about these diapers is the materials. While they are not fully biodegradable (the cotton is, but not the tabs), I appreciate that Kudos is trying hard to make diapers with more natural materials. My daughter has sensitive skin and deals with eczema. These diapers kept her skin smooth, and she had no adverse reactions. While other diapers use a topsheet that's made of plastic, Kudos's 100 percent cotton topsheet stands out among its competitors. You will notice that there are brown specks in the diaper, which is due to the 70 percent unbleached cotton materials.

Kudos diapers are great for parents who want to limit their children's plastic exposure, and/or are dealing with sensitive skin. After a year of testing all manner of diapers, I think that Kudos's earns their premium pricing thanks to the 100 percent cotton topsheet, snug fit and absorbency. And for that, it gets my toddler mom stamp of approval.