Diapering At Night
Nighttime diapering is considered the most challenging thing to figure out in cloth diapering. We want our babies to sleep peacefully through the night and wake up dry and happy. It is completely possible to achieve this with cloth diapers.
I. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A NIGHT TIME DIAPER
Trying to find a diaper that will hold an entire night's worth of wetness without being so bulky that it is uncomfortable is the key. Any style product (prefold, fitted, pocket) will work. The important factor is how absorbent it is. As long as the absorbency is great enough to hold the nighttime wetness, it will work fine. Bonuses are a stay-dry liner, because you will not be changing when the baby wets, and a breathable cover to keep things cooler.
1. Absorbency to hold the nighttime wetness
The fabric that will hold the most will work the best. Bamboo and hemp are popular choices for nighttime diapers because they are especially absorbent, and bamboo has been known to help wick moisture from babies’ skin. Another choice for a nighttime diaper is microfiber. Microfiber is also very absorbent and when wrapped in cotton or bamboo velour, can make for a soft and bulletproof combo. Don't forget to wrap it in a prefold or lay it under another layer of fabric so long as it doesn't touch your babies skin. Microfiber will take away the natural oils in your babies skin so you don't want to lay it directly next to them. Put the absorbency in the wet zone, the front for boys, middle for girls.
Choose hemp and bamboo diapers , inserts and doublers for enough absorbency.
You can turn any fitted or prefold diaper into a night worthy solution just by adding doublers and using a good cover. There are many types of doublers that can work. You can choose from a fleece-topped doubler to keep your baby's skin dry or a doubler made just for night use.
2. Breathable cover to keep things cooler
Wool and fleece are great for overnight not because they are more waterproof (they are not) but because they are more breathable. This means when used over adequately absorbent diapers you will have less fermentation and cooler more comfortable babies.
Wool is the best material you can give your baby. It is a wonderful night time solution and comes in many forms. Wool is breathable, comfortable and can absorb 30x it’s weight in moisture before feeling damp to the touch. Wool keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Wool is also anti-bacterial because of the properties of lanolin. Lanolin contains acidic fatty acids that react with the basic urea to create salt and water. Urea is a component of urine that would normally cause odors. Wool will need to be washed and re-lanolized every couple of weeks. It is a great idea to put a wool soaker or wool longies over any nighttime system you choose for that extra protection. Their generous sizing fits over most cloth diapers, helping keep baby dry in whatever cloth diapering system you choose.
Fleece covers are a less inexpensive option if you can't afford wool, or if your little one is allergic to wool. Although fleece is a man made fabric, it is very breathable, very durable, and can retain wetness. It is also half the price of wool covers. Fleece diaper covers are great even in the summer. Fleece does not hold as much moisture in as wool so add a little bit more absorbtion. When using fleece for diaper covers, it is important to always use a good heavy 100% polyester fleece. Otherwise it will not work well at holding the wetness in - it will just leak right through.
There is one big difference between fleece diaper covers and wool covers - most fleece covers cannot be used over and over again. If fleece gets wet it can smell like urine and will have to be washed. Really good fleece can get a little wet and after being air dried can be used again though. Cheap fleece which is pretty thin is not good for more than one use. Fleece diaper covers don't need any special laundering though - just throw them in with your cloth diapers and wash.
Use a good heavy weight wool, polar fleece cover or a 100% polyester fleece covers over night.
3. A stay-dry liner
A stay-dry liner is nice for nights. Babies don't feel wet, sleep more peacefully and you don't have to change the baby over night. However, stay dry liners and inners are not made from any natural material, so some parents choose not to use them. It is not necessary if you can change your baby in the middle of night without waking it up or your baby is not sensible to being wet. In that case choose bamboo close to baby's skin, bamboo is not exactly a stay dry material, but will wick partly moisture away from baby so it doesn't feel that wet, and it is also anti-bacterial. Pocket diapers and diapers with microfleece sewn right to leg elastic are more prone to leaks then fitted or prefold diaper because fit is critical (especially on side sleeping babes) when wetness must go through a non-absorbent layer before encountering the absorbent part. If you want to use a stay dry layer, better to lay it on top then to sew it to the leg elastic and require super good leg fit.
Use a fleece-topped doubler
or
a fleece liner on the top of the doubler
or
a pocket diaper with fleece inner
that will wick moisture away from baby's skin, which leaves baby feeling more dry.
II. TYPES OF NIGHT TIME DIAPERS
Fitted diapers
Fitted Diapers are a great nighttime option because of their absorbent materials, the ability to add doublers, and their breathability. There are many fitted diapers designed specifically to meet your night time needs. These fitteds are made with more absorbent layers than usual. Successful nighttime fitteds usually contain hemp and/or velour for their ability to soak up large amounts of liquid. These fitteds allow you to lay a doubler under the snap insert and still have the soft material touching your baby’s skin. Where as pocket diapers contain a water-proof layer of PUL (polyurethane laminate), fitted diapers do not have this and require a cover. The lack of PUL is what allows a fitted diaper to “breathe”. To breathe means air is allowed to circulate to baby’s skin. A fitted diaper, though, is only as good as the cover you choose.
Pocket fitteds are another great choice for nights. You can have the breath-ability of fitted diapers with the ability to add as much absorbency as you need. Pocket fitteds usually have a fleece inner which will keep your baby's skin dry all night long. These hybrid fitted diapers are quick drying and can be a great option for your heavy wetter.
You can cover fitteds with wool or fleece covers and have leak free nights.
Use Bamboo or Hemp Fitteds with fleece topped insert and wool or fleece cover.
Prefolds
Prefolds are just as good as fitted diapers as long as you have a diaper made from a highly absorbent material like hemp or bamboo (sewn in layers to avoid stink and laundry problems). What is important is how much material is present to provide absorbency, not how much sewing is involved. Fitted diapers are just more convenient to use. Prefold hemp diapers are the Ferrari of prefold diapers. There are many great hemp diapers on the market.
Double diapering. Double diapering is exactly what it sounds like. You simply place one prefold diaper inside another to help absorb moisture. Yes, it is bulkier, but it works effectively as an economic approach for night time diapering. You simply fold one diaper and place it inside another in the area baby needs it most (boys need extra absorbency in the front and girls need it in the middle.) Then secure the diaper on baby with diaper pins, a snappi fastener, or with a wrap-style diaper cover as usual.
Use 55% hemp and 45% cotton Premium Prefolds.
or
Double two cotton Prefolds: trifold one inside another.
Pocket Diapers
Pocket diapers are a popular choice for cloth diapering at night because you can add as much extra absorbency as needed for your baby. You can use 2-3 microfiber inserts that come with the pocket diaper, or possibly hemp inserts, to help boost absorbency even more. Some companies make special night time inserts or doublers to add to pockets. You can also use prefolds or flats as inserts if you choose. Prefolds are highly absorbent and are perfect for trifolding and inserting into a pocket. A prefold can be wrapped around a hemp, microfiber or bamboo insert or two prefolds can be wrapped together.
Pocket diapers come with either fleece or suede cloth inners. The interior lining of pocket diapers is great at helping wick moisture away from baby's skin for better sleep and to distribute the wetness overall for more uniform absorption. This will keep your baby dry and comfy all night long. More you add, the bulkier the diaper will be. As long as your child can move comfortably about, then don't worry about the size of their fluffy butt.
Fleece pocket diapers are another option for cloth diapering at night. Use polar fleece or a 100% polyester fleece, it will help to keep the moisture inside the diaper. This way you have a breathable pocket diaper. Don't forget to add a little extra absorption to this kind of pocket diaper, because fleece isn't waterproof like PUL.
Use fleece or PUL pocket diapers with 2-3 doublers, any hemp, microfiber combination will do.
Getting enough sleep at night is enough to worry about. Don’t add to it by also worrying about wet sheets. It can be hard to find something that works for your little one and you may have to experiment with a couple of different diapers, but it will be well worth the effort! Disposable diapers leak, bulge, excrete crystals, transfer dioxins and don’t allow the skin to breathe. They are not the “easy answer”.
