DEALING WITH THE END RESULTS of a baby’s plumbing system is unlike any other experience on earth. There are no timeouts. Impromptu messes of unimaginable proportions are a recurring theme. And everything and anything within shouting distance is fair game.

Patience, understanding and the knowledge that this, too, will pass are key survival tools. It’s also imperative to use quality-constructed and properly fitting diapers, which for almost 90 percent of U.S. purchasers translates into disposables.

However, not all disposable diapers are made according to the same definition of quality, which is why Costco recently began manufacturing Kirkland Signature™ Premium Diapers.

Costco's Greg Shavey and Andrea Padilla report, "Our diapers are protected by many patents that push us years ahead of other private-label brands for fit and performance. These patents make Kirkland Signature a quality choice compared to other national brands—at an exceptional price."

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Knowing that I’m quite the curious type, Greg and Andrea graciously invited me to do a little dissection experiment on today’s premium diapers. It didn’t take long to discover what makes the Kirkland Signature diaper so darn good.

I first caress the diapers.Costco’s outer cover feels very soft and clothlike. Some of the others are rough on my hand and cheek. I know which one my grandchildren will prefer!

Next stop, waistbands.Waistbands that stretch provide a snug, comfortable fit, offer great overnight protection and help prevent red marks on tender skin. The Kirkland Signature diaper has wide front and back stretch waistbands. The rest either don’t have this feature or have added a small, skimpy strip only in center areas.

Laying the diapers out flat is also very telling. Kirkland Signature’s patented, breathable dual leak guards of gathered material run the entire interior length of the diaper. This provides double insurance that incidents are kept within the diaper. Other brands I examine have only single containment flaps. And then there are the diapers’ silhouettes. The most common baby diaper cut is a straight-sided rectangle. Costco’s is shaped like an hourglass and enhanced with curved leg elastic. Hourglass construction is more expensive to manufacture but offers a trimmer, less bulky fit and works like a gasket to help prevent leaks.

The mention of leaks brings me back to containment. Costco’s diaper is constructed in layers so that fluid is rapidly pulled away from skin and locked into a super-absorbent core. This core is a blend of fluff fibers and a polymer that gels when it gets wet. It has an absorption factor of 100 times its weight in water.

To test absorption, I pour equal amounts of warm water into each sample diaper. I’m dumbfounded by how much water the Kirkland Signature diaper holds and how poorly some of the others perform.

I also appreciate the straightforward sizing approach used by Costco. Some brands confuse the heck out of you with a whole slew of different diaper options for boys and girls, day and night and/or levels of activity—and all at different prices.

The Kirkland Signature diaper sizes are based on baby weight. There’s medium for the 16- to 28- pound baby (Step 3, with baby cheetahs and blue graphics), large for 22 to 37 pounds (Step 4, with zebras and yellow graphics) and extra-large for 27 pounds plus (Step 5, with elephants and green graphics). And the large, stretchy, adjustable, refastenable tabs not only make it a cinch to put the diapers on and take them off, but also allow for a perfect fit, no matter the baby’s actions, body shape or hunger level. (Full tummies expand more.)

Costco sells all cases of Step 3 (184 per case), Step 4 (160 per case) and Step 5 (140 per case) diapers for $29.99. The Kirkland Signature savings over other premium diapers can be as much as 21 percent. And, of course, satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Baby wipes go hand in hand with diapers."Thanks to the addition of cotton, our Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes are significantly stronger, more tear resistant and smoother than top national brands," notes Greg.

Cotton,while more costly, makes for a stronger,more usable wipe with a feel similar to a gentle washcloth.Wanting to check out strength for myself, I did a baby-wipe stretch test. The number-one national brand in the country tore apart almost instantly, just like a cheap,wet paper towel. I really had to tug hard to pull the Costco wipe apart.

The Kirkland Signature wipe is still the same extra-large size at about 8 inches by 7 inches. They have been upgraded to an eight-pack of 88 wipes each, and embossed graphics have been added for better “cleanup” power.

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I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Costco’s Kirkland Signature Infant Formula with iron. Experts say that breast milk is the ideal food for babies. Kirkland Signature formula, with DHA and ARA, lipids found naturally in breast milk, is closer than ever to the real thing. The price was just reduced by 20 percent and the product repackaged into a 51.4-ounce twin-pack while keeping the gentle, easy-to-digest formulation the same.

Why change the container size? Andrea says the dual cans offer greater convenience (e.g., one can for home, the other for day care or babysitter).And they can help keep the infant formula fresher than a single large container.

This new twin-pack retails for $19.99. National brands sell for more than $28 per 38-ounce can. The bottom line on Costco’s private-label,madein- the-USA baby products couldn’t be simpler: Kirkland Signature offers quality and value plus one immeasurable attribute—caring.Hugs to all.