Cloth diapering is easy, but there's a few tips and tricks that will help make your cloth diapering journey even smoother! Leaks are probably everyone's second biggest fear after poop, so we've put together this little guide to help troubleshoot to help you solve any cloth diaper leakage headaches!
Are your diapers super saturated when it leaks?
This is always the first question I would ask. Insufficient absorbency is one of the two main reasons for leakage and this is the easiest one to check
If your cloth diaper is soaked, you may need to increase absorbency or change more frequently. Cotton, bamboo and hemp are thirstier materials that will hold more liquid than microfibre or bamboo charcoal (that's right, this is not to be confused with bamboo), so you can either choose to double up the layers or switch to an insert made of one of these materials to stretch out the time before changes
Your cloth diaper may also become less absorbent over time due to build up of residue that can cause it to repel liquids. This could happen if you're using nappy creams, even with a flushable liner, or because the diaper isn't being washed thoroughly enough to get everything out of the pores of the fabric. This calls for what is known as diaper "stripping", which is a deep clean process to get all the gunk out so that your diaper can be as good as new. You can also use Mighty Bubbles for a deep clean every 6-8weeks to ensure they are in good shape and never get to the point where you need to strip them.
Are there any gaps or bulges?
After putting on your cloth diaper, run your fingers along the waist and leg elastics to make sure they are tight (think of how sweatpants feel against your waist) but can still fit a finger in. If you lift your baby's leg while s(he) is lying down and can see into the diaper, you have a leg gap and are at risk of getting leaks through the leg hole. Pull up on the ears of the diaper to tighten the legs
Around your baby's hip where the snaps are fastened, you should also check to make sure that there isn't any bunching and that the front of the diaper is smooth. You can also pull up on the ears of the diaper to adjust this, or refasten it while making sure that the front of the diaper is pulled taught as you get the snaps on
Make sure the leg elastics are sitting along your baby's "bikini line" or the crease of the leg and not on your baby's thighs. Just think about how an underwear brief fits on you and try to fit the diaper in the same way.
Watch this home video with our demo baby to understand better how a cloth diaper should fit to prevent leakages and extend the wear as well!
