I must be doing cloth diapers wrong

[Nyrdst]

So I recently bought a cloth diaper to wear for bed, I put two inserts in but the very first time I used it I wet the bed because it immediately leaked and last time i checked that is the exact opposite of what's supposed to happen. what did I do wrong here.

also are inserts supposed to go from front to back or are they meant to sit in the middle?

 

[ORBaby]

What diaper was it? Did you wear plastic pants over it? Cloth diapers require a waterproof cover.

 

[OldIron]

A water proof cover is essential with cloth diapers to prevent wicking, and also to give a chance for any leaks to absorb back in.

For the inserts, you can place them in front or middle, but they work best if placed where needed, which can take some experimentation.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

Plastic pants are definitely a must. What cloth diaper are you wearing: prefold flat, all-in-one, omutsu-style, pocket?

 

[Cottontail]

I must be doing cloth diapers wrong

Plastic pants are definitely a must. What cloth diaper are you wearing: prefold flat, all-in-one, omutsu-style, pocket?

Hear, hear. Please tell us what kind of diaper it is so that we know whether to scratch our heads or point and laugh.

(Just kidding about the "point and laugh" thing.)

As recently as a few months ago, I had an accident because I used a cloth diaper that required a waterproof cover...without a waterproof cover. Oops. And I think of myself as an "old pro" when it comes to cloth diapers. In my somewhat-defense, however, this was a Dotty Diaper Company cloth diaper, and the language on their site is (or was) pretty ambiguous with respect to the need for a cover of some sort. (I don't recommend that particular diaper simply because the workmanship is shoddy.)

As mentioned, anything that's not expressly billed as an "all-in-one" cloth diaper generally requires plastic pants or some form of waterproof diaper cover. My own favorite kind of diaper is the prefold, which is usually pinned on and definitely always requires a waterproof cover.

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I'll add that even some "all-in-one" cloth diapers have wicking issues at the edges, commonly at the leg cuffs. This can mean that, even though the diaper doesn't absolutely "need" a separate waterproof cover, the exterior can moisten after a period of time, such as over night. I have some all-in-ones in my stash: five from DependEco and one from DideeQueen. Three of the DependEco diapers as well as the DideeQueen diaper have a cotton exterior, and do eventually moisten on the outside after long periods of wear. The other two DependEcos were custom-made with a fuzzy polyester "minky" exterior. I haven't had any wicking issues with these particularly diapers, probably because of the minky.

 

[bob111]

Did you pre-wash your new diaper with soap and no fabric softener?
If not, they won't be at their peak absorbancy.

Secondly, All in one diapers and pocket diapers are not that absorbant. Especially if you flood them. If you want to flood cloth, you need flat cloth diapers and plastic pants. Those will last you all night and can be worn very thick.

 

[SpAzpieSweeTot]

Did you pre-wash your new diaper with soap and no fabric softener?
If not, they won't be at their peak absorbancy.

Secondly, All in one diapers and pocket diapers are not that absorbant. Especially if you flood them. If you want to flood cloth, you need flat cloth diapers and plastic pants. Those will last you all night and can be worn very thick.

I was about to say, "Did you prep it?"

Very few cloth diaper fabrics are designed to be at full absorbency when sold, though some are.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

I was about to say, "Did you prep it?"

Very few cloth diaper fabrics Are designed to be at full absorbency when sold, though some are.

Correct. Any and all cloth diapers require several pre-wear washings & dryings in order to get the material at its optimal fluffy comfort and absorbency. After that, forever no hold your pees!

 

[SpAzpieSweeTot]

Actually, because a good majority of people hate prepping, tah-dah!

https://www.wazoodle.com/fabrics/zo...vy-duty/zorb-3d-bamboo-heavy-duty-silver.html

Now, granted, pre-prepped fabrics are harder to sew with, but, it may be worthwhile to buy prepped fabrics, of which wazoodle has several.

 

[Zeke]

Many cloth diapers come coated with “sizing”. It’s a coating sprayed on the fabric from the mills to prevent it from picking up dirt stains and from other contaminates as it’s going through the sewing process. As SpAzpieSweeTot said prepping is necessary. When I get new cloth diapers I wash them with a couple of cups of vinegar and a small amount of detergent and repeat this a couple of additional times without the vinegar. The vinegar removes the sizing and the addition washes help to open up the fabric making it far more absorbent. Stay away from fabric softener as it will greatly reduce absorbency. Every additional washing for the next several dozen will continue to increase the diapers’ ability to absorb liquid right up to when the diaper starts to fall apart. Remember that the diapers’ job is to absorb and the diaper cover is there to merely isolate the wet diaper from surrounding dry surfaces and materials. If the diaper doesn’t absorb the liquid the cover isn’t going to hold it in for long. Stay padded, preferably without sizing.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

Don't pre-prepped fabrics take up more room for shipping? I imagine vac-packing will eliminate much of the difference but that's extra effort and cost. Just my perspective.

 

[SpAzpieSweeTot]

Don't pre-prepped fabrics take up more room for shipping? I imagine vac-packing will eliminate much of the difference but that's extra effort and cost. Just my perspective.

Well, that's an interesting thought. I'm not really sure.

 

[SpAzpieSweeTot]

My answer is, "Most likely, it depends."

If you're buying them to sew your own absorbency, a big bolt of the stuff might be too expensive, and difficult for you to sew with, for your blood. If you're buying a stash of absorbency, or a 2 part (or more) part absorbency and waterproofing pre-sewn set, from a brand, and brand new, the cost of preactivated fabric is apparently so well absorbed in convenience, quite a few people don't feel it as much as the annoyance of prepping. It depends on which is more annoying to the customer, the cost, or the prepping. Honestly, prepping is annoying enough, that quite a few parents buy used.

 

[Cottontail]

Prepping is a PITA, no doubt.

quite a few parents buy used.

Yup. Exhibit A: eBay. When it comes to prefolds, used diapers are often more expensive (or at least no less expensive) than new ones. I have quite a stash of baby prefolds, many gotten used on eBay, though most of those are vintage Curity and weren't obtainable in any other condition. You'll also often see listings with "prepped but never used" (translation: "We were gonna try cloth diapers but... yeah... fuck that!"), so if you're inclined toward cloth baby diapers as boosters, keep your eyes peeled for those listings, especially if "used" gives you the heebie-jeebies.

Don't pre-prepped fabrics take up more room for shipping? I imagine vac-packing will eliminate much of the difference but that's extra effort and cost. Just my perspective.

You might claw your way back with vac-packing, but probably not all the way. Related anecdote: I've been applying plastic snaps to prefolds lately, playing with different arrangements. Even with the hundreds of pounds of pressure that the snap pliers exert, I end up needing a longer stud when applying snaps to used diapers versus new ones. Once that cotton diaper fabric quilts up in the wash, it's like fundamentally different stuff. It's magic!