Many cloth diapering mothers use disposables at night because of heavy wetters. I can understand. For the longest time we were having leaks at night until I asked around and got some good advice from other cloth diapering mothers. I’ve actually tried several different diapering options and all of them have helped my babies to stay dry all night. Here they are:
Hemp Prefolds: Pair a Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold and a Thirsties Hemp doubler in the cover of your choice (you can find Thirsties products at Kelly’s Closet, Nicki’s, Sweetbottoms Baby and Diaper Junction). Geffen’s hemp jersey prefolds and inserts can also be used alone or as boosters in your current system.
Best Bottom: Not only are the Best Bottom PUL covers very sturdy and thick, but when you pair the overnight insert with a regular insert (especially the hemp or bamboo), the combo is very absorbent. Nicki’s sells the Best Bottom line. They have TONS of prints and colors!
Diaper Rite AIO: Another budget-friendly option is the new Diaper Rite bamboo All-in-One. Reasonably priced at just $15.95, it contains 10 absorbent layers of bamboo terry.
Fitteds: Every part of a fitted diaper (front, back, wings, center) is absorbent, which is why they are a natural choice for heavy wetters. The Nicki’s Overnight Bamboo Fitted is a good choice for smaller budgets, butdon’t overlook the “miracle diapers” from Sustainablebabyish. They are well-known in the cloth diapering world for their overnight soaking power. You can get them with or without snaps. Pair a fitted diaper with your favorite PUL or wool cover. Another of my favorite nighttime fitteds is the Tots Bots Bamboozle Stretch Fitted. It is the softest, silkiest diaper in my stash. You can find a very diverse selection of fitted diapers at Nicki’s and Kelly’s Closet.
Pockets: If you have a pocket diaper with a generous opening, stuff it with two microfiber inserts, or 1 microfiber and 1 hemp. Make sure the hemp is under the microfiber. Microfiber will pull the moisture in quickly and the slow and steady hemp will lock it away.
One of the cheapest night time diapers on the market (about $12) is the Kawaii GoodNight Heavy Wetter, which has worked great for us.
Wool Works: Actually, it’s probably superior to PUL when it comes to overnight diapering. It’s super absorbent and breathable and doesn’t have to be washed very often. One good wool cover is equal to several cheaper PUL covers. Kelly’s Closet has a good selection, including EcoPosh and Sustainablebabyish. Nicki’s has also added its own branded affordable line of wool covers. Not sure about wool or worried it’s too complicated? Read my Wool 101 post!
Some more helpful tips:
Rashes: If using natural fabrics to get your baby through the night, you might want to consider adding a stay-dry liner because your child’s skin is going to be pressed up against that wetness for possibly 12 hours or more. For many babies this can be irritating and they’ll wake up with a rash in the morning. Alternately, you can apply a thick layer of cloth-diaper safe cream if your child seems sensitive to excessive wetness.
Too Much Bulk: Be careful about doubling up prefolds (or even tripling!) because too much bulk can cause your cover to “gape open” at the legs or waist, thereby letting leaks slip out. If you want to double up prefolds try pairing an infant prefold with a preemie prefold instead.
Placement: How and where you place or fold your diaper can make a lot of difference, especially for boys. As a mother, you’ll learn over time where they wet the most by looking at the diaper each time you change them. Make sure your doubler or your thickest layers are in that spot for night time. As a general rule, boys need more absorbency up front and girls need more in the back. Little boys also tend to wet towards one side or the other, which you’ll discover by finding leaks out of just one leg opening. Make sure he’s always pointed straight before fastening the diaper.
Here’s to a good night and a DRY morning! Please share your night time diapering solutions below in a comment.
