S.N. asks from Scarborough, ME on April 06, 2009
Cloth Diapers Overnight Help
We are having trouble with our 11 week old daughter waking up wet in her cloth diapers. Right now we use 2 cloth diapers in a wool cover at night. She still wakes up, soaking. What are some tips to help her stay in cloth and not go soaking? Do other cloth diaper users switch to disposables at night? Thanks for your tips and advice!
So What Happened?™
I can't thank everyone enough for the tips on cloth diapers. The funny thing is that we kind of ended up staying with what we are doing and realized - it is working. As one mom said -- who is bothered by the wetness, me or her? And I realized it seems to be me. She is now 13 weeks old. We use a bigger wool diaper at night, and 2 (still infant) pre-folds folded in thirds on top of one another. Occasionally I used a hand made fleece liner on top, but I really dont' think that does much. She wakes up wet, but is sleeping great and it does not seem to be wetness waking her up. So, we'll stick with that until I write another post :). Thanks again!
Featured Answers
S.R. answers from Hartford on April 07, 2009
You have so many helpful responses. How wonderful! I tried many, but not all, of these suggestions. However, we still had to go to disposables when my son was before a year old. I found that even if I managed to get the diaper to not leak he was so wet that he would wake or have irritated skin. I hated using disposables but felt like I was doing the best I could. Good luck. I hope you find something that works for you.
More Answers
S.R. answers from Hartford on April 07, 2009
You have so many helpful responses. How wonderful! I tried many, but not all, of these suggestions. However, we still had to go to disposables when my son was before a year old. I found that even if I managed to get the diaper to not leak he was so wet that he would wake or have irritated skin. I hated using disposables but felt like I was doing the best I could. Good luck. I hope you find something that works for you.
V.B. answers from Bangor on April 07, 2009
K.H. answers from Boston on April 07, 2009
Our daughter was not such a heavy wetter but she would wake up wet with one diaper. She wasn't bothered by it, no diaper rash either, so we let it be. I didn't see the point in waking her up to change her diaper. I'm not sure who is bothered by her wetness more - you, or your daughter. At two, my daughter is still waking up with a wet diaper. It's normal from what I know. I didn't want disposable bc. I don't think they hold more than a double diaper, & I didn't want those chemicals on her body for a full 12 hours. If you have questions, I recommend calling "The Diaper Lab" or going there if you are close. It is a fabulous, & the only, cloth diaper store in MA, & it is in Somerville MA. on Highland Ave. Hop this helps.
K.
E.O. answers from Boston on April 07, 2009
I use Fuzzy Buns cloth diapers with my daughter. I decided to use cloth to lessen my impact on the enviroment AND more importantly for me to lessen the cost of disposables. I also had problems with the cloth diapers leaking thru at night (lets face it, they can't absorb as much) so when my daughter was about 8 weeks old I started putting her in a disposable diaper for bedtime only. As soon as she wakes up in the morning she goes right back into her nice cozy cloth. My daughter will be 6 months old this week.
R.K. answers from Springfield on April 07, 2009
I have a heavy night wetter and I found that the pocket diapers work the best because you can stuff stuff stuff stuff those I like fuzzibunz and bumgenius I have rarely had a leak w/ them.
M.D. answers from Boston on April 07, 2009
I use G-diapers, either with the flushable inserts or with a flat cloth diaper folded to the right size, during the day, and a disposable at night, to avoid night time wet-through.
Also, cloth diapers are meant to be changed more often than disposable, because they don't have the super absorbency of disposable. So you just might need to change her a couple times per night. She should be waking a few times a night to nurse anyway, right? So you may need to change her then.
K.C. answers from Boston on April 07, 2009
I've heard that wool covers are great but compression will let the wet through.
As others have said, we use overstuffed pockets at night. I've used Happy Heiney's and Fuzzi Bunz, and put two hemp inserts and one microfiber, and most of the time that catches it all. The happy Heiney's have an insert system so it's not two full, but one with a little oval you tuck into a pocket of the main insert.
You could try hemp diapers, or put a layer of microfiber between the cotton layers? I got microfiber towels from the automotive section of Wal-Mart. It's just important not to put the microfiber right next to baby's skin, and never dry them on high heat.
A.K. answers from Burlington on April 07, 2009
I make & sell my own cloth diapers. I came up with an AIO system where extra absorbency layers snap in. I have a very heavy wetter and she's not managed to soak through my overnight diapers yet.
My suggestion would be to try a few different types of cloth diapers for night time. Many people like pockets, but I don't like them (do not like to stuff them... and I have small hands). The materials used in the diapers make a difference too. Some absorb well but after absorbing aren't capable of holding it in.
I'm guessing you are using 2 prefolds at night... or two fitteds. Another suggestion I'd have is to lanolize your wool cover and wash your diapers a few times (maybe even strip them using dawn dish soap to help them be more absorbant). If you are using any type of fabric softener it will make your fabric less absorbant too.
If you have any more questions I can help you with please feel free to contact me.
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