Ensure a Successful Night's Sleep with Cloth Diapers
Posted by Jason Rector on
Comfort, convenience, and low environmental impact.
These are the three main reasons parents prefer using cloth diapers. The best cloth diapers are made of all-natural fibers and offer several adjustable options. Your baby can use the same diapers over and over until they’re potty trained.
Unfortunately, most parents struggle with overnight diapering issues such as leaks and rashes. The solution, however, is simpler than you think. Let’s understand what may be causing your baby’s overnight diaper issues and how to fix them for a good night’s sleep!
Are Cloth Diapers Good for Overnight Sleep?
Cloth diapers that are crafted with all-natural materials such as cotton, hemp, or bamboo are perfect for overnight sleep. They flaunt high absorbency levels and are often free of latex and other harmful chemicals. When using cloth diapers throughout the night, make sure you get the entire mechanism right. This includes managing the diaper type, fitting, and diaper-insert materials.
How to Ensure Your Baby Sleeps Well in a Cloth Diaper
Two of the most common diaper issues that interfere with your baby’s sleep include a faulty diaper fit and inadequate absorption levels. These issues not only disrupt a good night’s sleep but also lead to inconvenient leaks and painful rashes. Here’s how you to ensure your baby sleeps well in a cloth diaper.
Set Absorbency to the Max
Leaks occur when a cloth diaper faces fitting or repellency problems. A well-fitted diaper won’t leak until gets fully saturated.
The cloth diaper absorbency equation is simple: Higher absorbency = no leaks.
The best way to boost diaper absorbency levels involves the use of extra inserts or doublers. When taking the diaper insert road, it’s best to address two pressing challenges first:
- The weight of the insert
- The possibility of leaks if the elastic doesn’t fit the baby’s legs perfectly.
Consider “sizing up” if weight is an issue with adding additional inserts to pocket diapers. Regardless of how much extra absorbency you add, the diaper will leak if the weight pulls the elastic away from your little one’s legs.
In addition to the weight, make sure you…
Find the Right Insert Material
Hemp, organic cotton, and bamboo work great for diaper inserts. They are super absorbent because they are tightly knit. These materials contain zero synthetic fibers and are 100% biodegradable. With these inserts, you’ll face no issues with shrinkage or toxic chemicals.
They are also highly absorbent, lightweight, and breathable. Thanks to their high absorbency, organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo diaper inserts can retain moisture while feeling dry. This makes them the perfect option for heavy wetters and overnight usage.
You can add layers of diaper inserts behind or on top of the cotton prefold. If you’re using microfiber, make sure you don’t let it come in contact with your baby’s skin.
Use Prefold Diapers During Sleep-Time
Prefold cloth diapers come with additional layers around the wet zone (i.e. in the middle area). Since a prefold diaper system includes several layers of cotton, it allows the diaper to be highly absorbent. Prefolds, however, are not water-resistant. But this problem can be solved by adding a wool cover. A wool cover will not only contain leaks but it will also prevent rashes and ensure high breathability.
Get the Fitting Right
Leaks are inevitable when you don’t get your baby’s diaper fitting right. For overnight usage, make sure the diaper fits your baby snuggly while ensuring maximum comfort.
If you notice leaks, you can tighten the setting around the sides. To double check if the fit is, in fact, right, make sure:
- No more than two finger fit between your baby’s belly and the top of the diaper
- No more than one finger fits between your baby’s thigh and the diaper.
Invest In Mattress Pad Protectors
If you want to go the extra mile to foolproof diaper disasters during overnight usage, make sure you invest in a quality baby mattress pad. This will make those middle-of-the-night cleanups an absolute breeze.
How to Manage Cloth Diaper Repellence
Do leaks occur even after you add additional inserts and double-check the fit? When residue builds up on the diapers, the result causes them to repel and leak.
A great way to resolve this issue is by performing an absorbency test. Lay the diapers and the inserts flat and pour some water on them. Then, apply a little pressure. If the inserts fail to absorb the moisture, your cloth diaper is likely dealing with a build-up issue.
To manage repelling due to build-up, make sure you strip and restore your cloth diapers or switch to all-natural and high-quality inserts instead.
How to Shield Your Baby from Diaper Rash?
If your baby’s skin is sensitive to moisture, you might need to take additional steps to avoid the occurrence of diaper rashes. When your baby is experiencing diaper rash, you’ll notice their bum turning pink when they wear diapers overnight.
Wool liners and covers can be a great remedy for this issue. Wool is packed with natural antimicrobial properties. It is also naturally wicking. wool can absorb its weight in moisture that is as high as 30%. It can feel dry despite a high moisture content and still manage to remain breathable. This promotes increased air circulation around your little one’s bum.
To avoid irritation, you can also apply coconut oil to your baby’s skin. Coconut oil doesn’t lead to diaper staining or damage. It is also safe to use with cloth diapers.
Remember, if your baby is experiencing a rash, it is critical to fully address the issue before allowing them to wear the same diaper overnight.
Goodnight, Sleep Tight!
So, there you have it, your guide to perfecting the art of cloth diapering to ensure a good night’s sleep for your little one.
When it comes to investing in a cloth diaper system, it’s critical to go for organic material. All-natural fabrics such as cotton, wool, and hemp offer the power combination of comfort and efficiency. Whether you’re looking for organic diapers, diaper covers, liners, and other accessories – BabeeGreens is here to put an end to all your middle-of-the-night diaper disaster woes. Find the best organic diaper system for your baby today!