Help! Cloth nappies leaking!

[MiissMuffet]

i have just started out using cloth nappies.

By the time I washed them and they dried etc i have only just started putting them on Ella today. Well first one we tried ended up leaking over her clothes! Up her front and around her legs was wet!

I put the nappy on her at 4pm and changed it at 7pm. thats 3 hours- is that too long to have them on for? As i said I'm new at using these so i'm not quite sure what i'm doing wrong. Any ideas?



xx

 

[jenstar]

What type of nappy is it? What brand and what fabric?

I would expect to get 3 hrs out of a nappy and this is perfectly do-able in cloth.

 

[MiissMuffet]

Ecotots (a new Zealand brand)

i just copied and pasted from the page where I bought it from

100% polyester outer
Waterproof & breathable PUL outer
98% Bamboo & 2% Microfleece inner
4 layered insert (3 layers microfiber / 1 layer Bamboo)

It has a pocket to insert the inner but i didnt insert it I just attached it with the dome.

 

[SackBoy]

How many times did you wash them? The bamboo may not be fully prepped, possibly try with a booster?

 

[Rachel_C]

If it leaked up her front and around her legs, I'd say the fit wasn't right. If you're going to get a leak because the nappy is full, you'll generally only get it leaking in once place first and it would be fairly gradual so you would notice before it leaked from other places too. Did you do the nappy tight enough? Are they on the right rise setting? When the nappy fits right, you should be able to slide two fingers down the waist and one finger around the legs (so you know it's not too tight) but the edge of the nappy should be in contact with baby's skin all the way round. When you cycle her legs in the air, you shouldn't see any gaps appear around the edges.

I'm not sure what a dome is! Is it a popper/snap? That's the only thing I can think of. If the inserts are designed to go inside the pocket, I would put them in there as that's how the manufacturer designed it to work (unless they told you to attach it that way as an alternative?). Also, are the inserts topped with a stay dry layer? If not, you shouldn't really put the microfibre directly in contact with baby's skin as it can irritate some babies. The bamboo should go furthest away from baby (in most cases) as it doesn't absorb as fast as the microfibre, so you would normally want the outside of the nappy, then the bamboo, then the microfibre, then the inside of the nappy or a fleece liner, then baby's bum.

 

[MiissMuffet]

yes they are snaps! Little plastic round buttons that u just pop in.
The nappy leaked around her legs and a little up her front. Not much though but the nappy was fully wet when i took it off her (the inside not the out). I was wondering about the nappy around the legs- When I did the snaps at the front of the nappy up so the nappy was smaller the nappy was nicely against her legs, so i left it at that but when i checked on it not long later she had elastic marks around her legs so i undid the snaps to make it bigger and then the nappy wasn't quite in contact with her legs. So yes i spose there was a gap- not much, only when her legs moved certain ways. How would i go about that- if I do the domes up and make the nappy close to her legs how would i stop there from being elastic marks? I spose in time they will stretch abit but in the mean time i don't want her to be uncomforatable.

I only washed them once first! Although i did read about the needing more washes part, i didnt think of that!

I'm not sure about what layer is next to her skin, i dont know which parts which! How would i be able to tell?

x

 

[Rachel_C]

I would expect a nappy to be pretty full after three hours so that sounds about right, but I don't think it should be leaking. If the nappy isn't in full contact with her legs though, it will most likely leak so that needs sorting. Which snaps did you adjust - the waist ones (the ones you fasten the nappy with) or the rise snaps (the ones that make the nappy bigger). It is probably worth playing around with them both to see which combination is right for her e.g. if you adjust the rise snaps, the legs will get a bit bigger but you can still have the waist snaps on the tighter setting. If you adjust the waist, you could probably have the rise on a smaller setting.

Bamboo can take up to 10 washes to get fully absorbent so if you only washed them once they won't be up to full absorbency yet. As it's three layers of microfibre and one of bamboo, I'd say they'd probably last 2 hours easily at the moment but three might be pushing it. If you want to hurry it up, you can soak them for 24 hours in a bucket/the bath depending on how many you have. Change the water every few hours and swirl them round when you go past. That should get them absorbent. Or you can just change more often untl they've been washed and weed in more.

Microfibre feels synthetic, often like those microfibre cleaning cloths you can get. Bamboo will probably feel silky soft if you tumble dry them or it might feel a little but crunchy if they're line dried. Post a photo if you're not sure. The bamboo is probably creamier in colour than the microfibre which will usually be white.

 

[MiissMuffet]

I'm not sure how it feels as it's soaking in a bucket of water lol! i think the creamier side is on her bottom. it feels nice and soft, and the white side feels much more fluffy. It is the only one I have like that, i have 10 more nappies coming in the post which are a different brand with lots of inserts so i am can double up anyway. and put in in the pocket!

If i use two inners, do they both need to be inside the pocket?

 

[MiissMuffet]

i just had a thought, she has bad nappy rash right now so maybe i shouldnt use cloths until its gone! do u reckon it would be bad for her bum?

 

[lynnikins]

you want to put the inserts in microfibre side up but in the pocket or covered with a fleece liner so the MF isnt touching her skin, the bamboo will need some washing to get it up to absorbancy i wouldnt expect it to even go 3 hours at first use so dont be discouraged by that.
you will notice a bit of redness with changing to cloth anyway as her skin gets used to it but it will go just dont use nappy cream without a liner to protect the nappy fibres from getting clogged with it. i'll be there in a couple of weeks to help out !! lol

 

[Rachel_C]

I'm not sure how it feels as it's soaking in a bucket of water lol! i think the creamier side is on her bottom. it feels nice and soft, and the white side feels much more fluffy. It is the only one I have like that, i have 10 more nappies coming in the post which are a different brand with lots of inserts so i am can double up anyway. and put in in the pocket!

If i use two inners, do they both need to be inside the pocket?

I think the white side will be the microfibre, they don't tend to bleach bamboo as much so it is creamier. You'd want the creamy side furthest from her bum but you will need to put the inserts (any of them you use) in the pocket so that microfibre isn't in direct contact with her skin. That could cause rash, almost like a burn, as the moisture will be sucked from her skin by it. You could use the bamboo side in direct contact with her skin but bamboo won't keep moisture away from her skin so it could cause rash too, especially as her skin won't be used to being damp at all. I would honestly just put the inserts in the pocket with the bamboo away from her. That's the way it works best for most people.

If she already has nappy rash, that could be caused by disposables anyway so I'd still switch to cloth as long as it doesn't get much worse. Just use a fleece liner and some bum cream if you need to, and try to get some nappy free time included in your day. I usually give LO an hour without a nappy while she eats her dinner then plays before her bath.