Absorbent article which includes superabsorbent material located in discrete elongated pockets placed in selected patterns

An absorbent article comprises a first, liquid-permeable carrier layer and at least a second carrier layer. A carrier attaching mechanism secures together the carrier layers to provide substantially attached zones and a multiplicity of substantially unattached zones thereof. The substantially unattached zones provide a plurality of pocket regions, and high-absorbency material is located within the pocket regions to provide an absorbent laminate having a laminate length and a laminate width. A selected plurality of the pocket regions can, for example, be configured with an elongate shape having a major axis length and a relatively shorter minor axis width. The selected plurality of elongate pocket regions is included within a dispersed pocket array having a non-contiguous, labyrinth configuration of pockets. For example the pocket array can include a plurality of regular or irregular rows of pocket regions, and immediately adjacent rows portions of the array can have pocket regions which are arranged in a non-contiguous and staggered configuration. In particular aspects of the invention, the carrier attaching mechanism can be water-sensitive.