Having trouble with the diapers?  See below for possible solutions......

 

 

If the diapers are leaking, check the following:

 

• Have you pre-washed the diapers and/or inserts?  The Snap or Aplix pocket diapers need to be pre-washed once to remove the oils involved in manufacturing the fabrics.   Hemp inserts and doublers need to be pre-washed on hot 3-4 times and dried in between to remove the natural oils of the fabric.  Organic cotton and regular cotton diapers just needs to be pre-washed once.  These diapers and inserts will shrink and fluff up becoming more absorbent after the first few washes.

 

• Does the insert come out saturated or barely wet?  If the insert is soaking wet, you might want to try adding more inserts as it is a sign that you need more absorbency.  When the insert is full, wetness will normally wick/leak to the outside of the diaper.  If the insert is barely wet, it could be a sign that you are experiencing repelling issues with the diaper.  This is caused when there is buildup from detergent, fabric softener, or oils on the microfleece preventing wetness from passing through to the absorbent insert.  To determine if this is the case, try dropping some water on the inside of the diaper.  If the water beads up and rolls around, then the diaper is repelling wetness and will need to be stripped*.  If not, then it could be possible that the insert may not be absorbing the wetness fast enough, which is common with hemp inserts and babies that pee faster than the insert can absorb wetness.  If this is the case, try switching to either microfiber terry inserts, or prefolds/flats.

  

• If using pocket diapers, what kind of insert are you using?  Pocket diapers are only as good as their inserts.  Inserts should fill up the diaper, especially the ‘wet zone’ without leaving much space between the insert and the seam of the diaper.  If there is a lot of space inside the diaper for the insert to move around, there is less chance for the wetness to reach the insert and more likely to leak out to the seams.  On the other hand, overstuffing the diaper can cause the leg elastic to not have a good snug fit to keep the wetness (and messes) in.

• Make sure you have the right size diaper for your baby.  A good fitting diaper is the key to good performance.  Because babies’ shapes and sizes vary, make sure you choose the diaper size based on measurements and not weight alone.  Make sure the waist and leg openings are snug and not loose.

 

• Change the diapers frequently.   Because our diapers do not rely on moisture-retaining chemicals, you will need to change the diaper every 2-4 hours depending on the size of your baby and the time of day.   A lot of babies wet heavily during the first few hours in the morning and immediately after naps.  For overnight use, either a larger diaper or extra inserts/doublers may be required.

 

• If using a fitted diaper and a cover, check to make sure that the diaper is completely tucked inside the cover at the waist and leg openings.

 

• Do not use fabric softener.  It will coat the diapers making them water repellent and will cause leaks. Be aware that if you use dryer sheets in your dryer for other laundry this can coat your dryer and transfer to your diapers.

 

• Do not use diaper creams without protecting the diaper with a diaper liner.  Diaper creams usually contain oils that will stick to and coat the diaper and cause it to repel wetness resulting in leaks.

 

If the diapers are retaining odor despite thorough washing, it may be experiencing buildup and need to be stripped*.  Usually, the smell only happens after the baby has wet the diaper.

 

 

*Stripping is a process of removing residue or build-up from cloth diapers. This residue or build-up is the most common cause of leaking or smelly diapers.  Usually this is directly related to the type of detergent used or if fabric softener or dryer sheets are involved in your washing routine.  Sometimes having hard water can cause buildup as well.  We have compiled the most common techniques moms have used successfully:

 

Technique # 1.  Wash the diapers in just water until no suds appear during the wash cycle and the water runs clear.

 

Technique # 2.  Hand wash your diaper with your regular dish soap (i.e. Dawn).  Add a bit of dish soap to the fleece, either rub the fleece vigoriously together or use a medium bristle dish brush or hard bristle tooth brush to scrub the fleece. Turn inside out and repeat on the other side. Rinse well, making sure that the water runs clear.

 

Technique # 3.  Wash the diapers in the biggest load setting with 2 tbsp. of bleach.  Add an extra rinse cycle to make sure all the bleach gets rinsed out to keep it from irritating your baby’s skin.