Cloth Diaper ABCs: Nighttime Solutions

In the third installment of the Cloth Diaper ABCs (see the other posts here and here), we will explore your nighttime cloth diapering solutions.

There are three common concerns when it comes to nighttime cloth diapering:

• How absorbent is my nighttime system?
• Will my baby feel wetness against his skin?
• How can I make my nighttime system leak-proof?

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How absorbent are my diapers?
As a general rule of thumb, your daytime diapers aren’t going to cut it at night without some modifications. If you are looking to pinch pennies while cloth diapering, these don’t have to be expensive modifications. You can invest in a few doublers, repurposed wool sweaters, or a few super absorbent fitted diapers.

Will my baby feel wetness against her skin?
Depends on the diaper you choose. If you pick a diaper with a cotton or cotton blend interior, your baby will feel the moisture. For some babies, this isn’t a big deal. For others, it’s the end of the world. If you select a fleece, suede cloth, or other synthetic fiber, your baby will feel drier longer. You could also cut out your own liners from a fleece blanket or purchase fleece from a fabric store. This will keep moisture away from your baby’s skin and possibly help you avoid the expense of purchasing different diapers.

How can I make my nighttime system leak-proof?

• Before putting baby to bed, make sure there aren’t any gaps around the legs or waist.
• Double up! Add a doubler to your nighttime diaper. This will increase the absorbency. You can do this with a pocket (easiest), fitted, prefold, or AIO. Keep in mind that you want to keep microfiber (a common material for doublers/inserts) away from baby’s skin.
• Have you thought about wool? Wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight. This makes for a trim, breathable, and naturally absorbent system.

Nighttime Option #1
2-3 pocket diapers, AIOs, AI2s, or other hybrid
1-2 doublers
Optional: 2-3 fleece liners. These may not be necessary if the interior fabric is a “stay dry” fabric like polyester/suede cloth, microfleece/fleece, or other synthetic material.
Instructions: Stuff the pocket with an insert and doubler or two inserts. For AIOs, AI2s, and other hybrids, you can lay the doubler on top. Remember to keep microfleece away from baby’s skin as it will draw moisture out of their skin and could cause a rash.

Nighttime Option #2
2-3 fitted diapers
1-2 diaper covers OR wool soakers OR fleece soakers
2-4 doublers
Optional: 2-3 fleece liners
Instructions: Lay the doubler inside the fitted and top with a fleece liner (if desired). Pull on a wool or fleece soaker or cover with a diaper cover.

Nighttime Option #3
2-3 prefolds
2-4 doublers (or 2 pocket inserts)
1-2 diaper covers
Optional: 2-3 fleece liners
Instructions: Lay a doubler, two doublers, or pocket insert in the center of the prefold and fold the two sides over to cover. If desired, lay a fleece liner on top. Lay inside a diaper cover and you’re good to go! Bonus points if you can rig it so you can pin/Snappi the prefold and pull on a wool/fleece soaker.

Nighttime Notes:

• The number of diapers listed assumes you wash every 48 hours or so.
• If your baby doesn’t poo at night or in the early morning, you may be able to get away with one wool soaker since they dry out so quickly and don’t require frequent washing.
• If your baby is not a heavy wetter, you may not need doublers at all.
• For newborns, you may not need a doubler because the fitted diaper can probably handle their volume. For older babies, we highly recommend adding a doubler. For the heavy wetter, you may need to add another doubler, or opt for a wool soaker instead of your typical diaper cover.

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Good Nighttime Choices:
This is not a comprehensive list…just a starting place for you!
Pockets:
~bumGenius 4.0
~FuzziBunz Perfect Fit
~Lollidoo Overnight Eco-Pocket
~Thirsties Duo Diaper

Soakers:
~Aristocrat Wool Soaker
~Loveybums Wool Cover
~Sustainablebabyish Wool Soaker

Fitteds:
~Bumboo Bamboo Fitted (requires a cover)
~Mother-ease Sandy’s (fitted diaper; requires a cover)
~Sustainablebabyish Overnight Bamboo Fitted (requires a cover)

Inserts/Doublers:
~bumGenius One Size inserts & bumGenius Doublers
~Joey Bunz / Joey Bunz Premium inserts & BabyKicks Doublers
~Knickernappies SuperDo inserts, LoopyDo inserts, and hemp doublers

Questions? Feel free to drop us a line at naturalbabybulletin [at] gmail [dot] com

Next up: Cloth Diaper Washing Basics