Baby gear & diapers
Every product in this category we have reviewed, and where each one stands with us. We don’t sell anything: add the ones you want to a list, then send them all to your Amazon cart or buy each one where it’s sold. In a hurry? The cheat sheet below is the short list.
- Reviewed
- 22
- On a cheat sheet
- 10
- Brands
- 18
Safer diaper rash cream, on one page
A winner for each way people buy it, then what to skip. Zinc oxide is the FDA-recognized active ingredient for diaper rash, approved from about 1% up to 40% in ointment form, and every pick here uses it.
4 winners1 thing to skip4 of these products are on it
- Best overall
Badger Baby Diaper Rash Cream10% zinc oxide in an organic sunflower oil and beeswax base with calendula. Badger has a full SafeMama brand review. - Heavier barrier (25%)
Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Fragrance-Free Diaper Cr…25% zinc oxide, on the higher end of the FDA's approved range, for a rash that needs a heavier barrier than a 10% to 14% cream. Save it for a rash that is not responding to a lower-concentration cream. - Fragrance-freeBabo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Fragrance-Free Diaper Cr…Fragrance-free base with shea and cocoa butter; fragrance is the most common avoidable irritant on skin that is already inflamed. At 25% zinc oxide it is a heavy paste, so see the heavier-barrier note above.
- Everyday use, mild rash (12%)
BOTAO Baby's Natural Diaper Cream12% zinc oxide with aloe, a lower concentration than the 14% and 25% creams, for a mild or occasional rash. Its current FDA-filed label lists lavender oil and oregano extract, so it is not the pick if you are avoiding essential oils on a rash.
SkipNo stated zinc oxide percentage
What to know about baby gear & diapers
The full guide →Gear is genuinely harder than the rest of this site, because there is no ingredient panel. Manufacturers are not required to declare materials, suppliers change between production runs, and the same model name can come out of a different factory a year later. So the useful question shifts from chemistry to companies: who will actually tell you what their product is made of.
Common risks
- "Meets all applicable standards" as if it were a distinction
- PVC — coated and wipe-clean fabrics, and glossy printed decoration
- Assuming a model name means a stable product across production runs
What to look for
- A brand that names the chemical families it excludes
- Testing the company commissioned and will describe
- Plain untreated fabric over coated, wipe-clean or glossy printed surfaces
The free change
Ask a brand what it excludes — "meets all standards" is only the legal floor.
"Meets all applicable standards" is a legal floor every children's product sold in the US already has to clear. It tells you nothing. Naming excluded chemical families and commissioned testing tells you a great deal.
Brands in this category
18 brands. The ones with a product on a cheat sheet come first.Every brand, A–Z →
22 reviewed safer baby gear & diapering products
Cheat sheet winners first- Badger Baby Diaper Rash Cream★ Best overall10% zinc oxide in an organic sunflower oil and beeswax base with calendula. Badger has a full SafeMama brand review.Why it won, on the cheat sheet →Amazon Badger site
- Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Fragrance-Free Diaper Cream★ Heavier barrier (25%)25% zinc oxide, on the higher end of the FDA's approved range, for a rash that needs a heavier barrier than a 10% to 14% cream. Save it for a rash that is not responding to a lower-concentration cream.Why it won, on the cheat sheet →Amazon
- BOTAO Baby's Natural Diaper Cream★ Everyday use, mild rash (12%)12% zinc oxide with aloe, a lower concentration than the 14% and 25% creams, for a mild or occasional rash. Its current FDA-filed label lists lavender oil and oregano extract, so it is not the pick if you are avoiding essential oils on a rash.Why it won, on the cheat sheet →Amazon
ALVABABY Baby Cloth Diaper 6 Pack with 12 Inserts One Size Cloth Diaper Covers…On a cheat sheetSafer diaperingAmazon 
CHICLIST Kids Splash Pool Inflatable 74" RectangularOn a cheat sheetSafer Baby & Kiddie PoolsAmazon 
INTEX 57114EP Mushroom Baby Pool: Built-In Mushroom ShadeOn a cheat sheetSafer Baby & Kiddie PoolsAmazon 
Mama Koala 3.0 Pocket Cloth Diapers for Babies with AWJ LiningOn a cheat sheetSafer diaperingAmazon 
Step2 Play & Shade PoolOn a cheat sheetSafer Baby & Kiddie PoolsAmazon - Cheat sheetSafer Baby & Kiddie PoolsBuilt-in shade for a baby: INTEX 57114EP Mushroom Baby Pool: Built-In Mushroom Sha…Open the sheet →
The Honest Company Diaper Rash CreamOn a cheat sheetSafer diaper rash creamAmazon 
wegreeco Cloth Diapers 6 Pack with 6 Inserts & 1 Wet BagOn a cheat sheetSafer diaperingAmazon 
Hatley Kids Rain PantsA pick in our guideApril showers bring PVC-free rain gearAmazon 
Hatley Kids Zip-Up Rain JacketA pick in our guideApril showers bring PVC-free rain gearAmazon 
Hatley Unisex Kids Rain BootsA pick in our guideApril showers bring PVC-free rain gearAmazon 
Infantino Flip Luxe 4-in-1 Baby Carrier Ergonomic 7-35 lbsA pick in our guideBaby carrier round-upAmazon 
Jan & Jul Waterproof Puddle-Dry Rain Jacket for KidsA pick in our guideApril showers bring PVC-free rain gearAmazon 
Mabē Monarch Ergonomic Baby CarrierA pick in our guideBaby carrier round-upAmazon 
Momcozy PureHug Baby CarrierA pick in our guideBaby carrier round-upAmazon 
OAKI Rain and Trail SuitsA pick in our guideApril showers bring PVC-free rain gearAmazon 
ALVABABY 6pcs Cloth Diaper Covers &1 Wet Dry BagReviewedWe looked at it; it is not one of our current picks.Amazon 
Oxford Baby Nolan 4-in-1 Convertible Baby CribReviewedWe looked at it; it is not one of our current picks.
Oxford Baby North Bay 4-in-1 Convertible CribReviewedWe looked at it; it is not one of our current picks.Amazon 
Ten Little Kids BackpackReviewedWe looked at it; it is not one of our current picks.Amazon
Baby gear & diapers: common questions
Why are your gear pages more hedged than the rest of the site?
Because there is no ingredient panel for gear, manufacturers are not required to declare materials, and suppliers change between runs. The hedging is the accurate state of the information, not a lack of effort.
Where does PVC actually turn up on kids' gear?
Coated and wipe-clean fabrics, and glossy printed decoration. On a backpack it is usually the shiny character print rather than the fabric behind it.
How do I judge a brand here?
By what it will tell you. "Meets all applicable standards" is a legal floor everything already clears. Naming excluded chemical families and describing commissioned testing is a company that has actually looked.