Why is my diaper leaking around the legs?
- If this is a new diaper, be sure to put the diaper in the dryer for 10 minutes on medium to heat seal any small thread holes. This is a good thing to do on occasion to freshen up the pul in the diaper.
- Check the fit around you baby's legs, and make sure it is not too loose. It should be a bit snug, but not leave any red marks.
- When placing an insert inside of a pocket diaper, you must be sure that the insert covers the full width of the diaper. There should not be any space to allow the insert to shift in between the legs. Also, be sure the insert is not too wide, as this will cause it to bunch up and pull away from the sides of the diaper when baby moves or crawls.
- Absorbency is a key component in a functioning diaper. If you are taking out a soaking wet insert, then you need to increase the absorbency, by adding a doubler.
- If your baby is a super flooder when he pees, try using a micro terry towel on top of hemp or bamboo. Micro terry will absorb much quicker than hemp or other fabrics.
- Finally, if your diapers stink when they are peed in, they have build up. If your nose burns from the smell, and your baby is red on his bottom, you have build up. Try stripping your diapers to get rid of excess detergent and germs. Buildup can cause leaky diapers, rashes, etc. It is a good practice to strip diapers every so often to keep them functioning their best!
What is the best diaper for hot weather?
The best diaper for hot weather would be one that breathes. Try using a breathable fleece pocket diaper, or a wool and fitteds. Another option is to let your baby run free in a fitted without a cover. You just need to change him/her more often!
What's so great about Bamboo?
Bamboo is a highly absorbent and trim material that is more breathable than cotton or hemp. On a hot day, it can keep the body 2 degrees cooler. The fibers are softer, and stronger making it out last cotton wash after wash. It is so soft, that we can't get enough of it! We love bamboo!
What is the best insert for my baby?
This is really a matter of preference. There are many different types of inserts. Experiment to see what works for you and your baby. For each diaper you will need at least one insert of your choice, and some doublers to increase absorbency when needed. We really like to use bamboo or hemp fabrics. They seem to hold more wetness than micro terry, although microfiber absorbs more quickly. A combination of microfiber and hemp or bamboo could be used for heavy wetters.
What is the best stay dry fabric next to baby's skin?
We really love micro fleece. Although there are other great selections that work quite well. Some babies have a reaction to suede cloth. It really is a matter of what works for your baby. Each baby is different. Minky is nice if your baby is not a really fast peeing baby. The minky will have a stay dry feel, but not as dry as fleece. Minky does not stain very easily if at all, so the diapers will look great all time! Fleece will stain more easily.
How many diapers do I need for full time cloth diapering?
If you are going to cloth diaper full time, I would recommend 7-10 diapers a day. 10 diapers a day for a newer baby or a baby that is not eating solids, yet. So if you are going to do wash every other day (and let them hang dry, you would need 21-30 diapers. This way you could go almost 2 full days, until you are down to 7-10 diapers, then wash, let them air dry, and when you are almost out of diapers your clean ones will be dry! Of course, you could always wash more often if you have less diapers and use the dryer! Whatever your preference. But I would not recommend going more than 3 days without washing your diapers. They could get pretty stinky!
My diapers were fine before, but now they leak! Why?
There are many different things that can cause a pocket diaper to leak. The top reasons for a leaky diaper are:
- The fit may not be tight enough around the legs, causing some gaps while baby moves about since your baby has thinned out. You may not notice the gap at first, but it may happen when your child sits indian style or is in a weird position. Even disposables will do this at times, causing leaks, etc. So... be sure to check the fit of your diaper so that it is snug without leaving red marks on the thighs and waist. Your child may have slimmed down and now the same diaper that he/she was fitting so nicely may be too big in the thighs. This might happen if you are in a large or skinny large and now your child is walking and running. You may need to size down to a medium long.
- The insert that you are using may not be absorbent enough or may not be the right size. If your inserts are totally wet when you pull them out...from front to back, you may need an additional booster to increase absorbency. If the insert is too wide, it will stretch the seams of the diaper and may cause wicking. Be sure to have the proper sized insert for your diaper.
- Your diapers have build up in them. This can happen over time, with repeated use of a detergent without enzymes in it. All natural detergents or real soap detergents can cause more buildup in your diapers. Some well known offenders are Allen's Naturally, Free and Clear detergents, or detergents that have brighteners or whiteners in them. All of these can leave a residue on your diapers, and that will affect the waterproof layer in your pocket diapers by leaving a coating or film on the fabric. What can you do about the build up?? I would recommend that you soak your diapers in OxyClean with the maximum amount of detergent recommended for about 6 hours. After you soak your diapers, wash them on hot, again, and rinse. Repeat this cycle until you don't see any suds in the water. Additionally you may want to bleach your inserts. I do not recommend bleaching your diapers, though. This affects the waterproof layer, and will deteriorate the material or discolor it.
- Your inserts are not soaked, you don't have build up, your diapers have a good fit, but they still leak! In this case, you may have yourself a super soaker child, who pees with tremendous force. The fast peeing can not be contained by the diaper, because your child is peeing faster than the diaper/insert can absorb. This happens a lot with older babies, or babies that are ready to potty learn. They hold in their pee for hours, and when they finally pee, it is with such force, that is leaks out of the legs before it soaks into the insert. What can you do?? I would recommend a hemp insert with a microfiber towel wrapped around it. The microfiber absorbs quickly and the hemp holds it in better to prevent leaking. Or...it might be time to potty train if your child is near 2 years old or more!
- You may need to heat your diapers in the dryer. After repeated use of the same diaper and hard washings, you may try to save your diapers by hanging them to dry. This is great, and will save you electric, as well as keep your diapers looking new longer. But...eventually you will need to refresh the waterproof layer inside of the diaper and around the seams. You can do this by simply running them in the dryer on medium heat for about 15 minutes.
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