Cloth Diapering From Day 1: Fitteds and Wool

Something I learned very early on with my first child is that no matter how small the baby, they are fully capable of putting out obscene amounts of urine. I'm all too familiar with double stuffing pocket diapers, adding extra inserts to prefolds and searching for the perfect solution for overnight.

It was no surprise to me when our 3rd some came along that he was also a heavy wetter! Even though we were changing him at least twice per night, I still had to construct a properly absorbent diaper to last more than a couple hours without leaking! My search for the perfect night diaper came to an end on night, thanks to a mis-communication between me and a small error by my husband! Instead of putting one of the assigned "night diapers" on Emmett before bed, my husband had a slip of the mind (sleep deprivation?) and put a simple prefold with one of our hand-me-down wool soakers over it. I also forgot to mention to him that I was going to try to avoid changing Emmett's diaper at night because the cool air on his bottom was keeping him awake. Normally, I'd say this was the perfect storm for a full clothing and sheets change in the middle of the night. I was FLOORED when I woke up the next morning and changed his diaper to find that combination. So then I got thinking, if a prefold could hold, can you imagine what a good fitted could do?!

Enter, the Babykicks One-Side Hemp Fitted! This diaper is soft, stretchy and can hold a river! It's a pocket fitted that includes a Joey Bunz Hemp insert but can be stuffed with more if you need it! I love the color coded snaps because it makes diaper changes a breeze, knowing which snap I'm snapping without searching. The side snaps make for a nice trim fit, even on my youngest son, and allow for my potty training 2 1/2 year old to pull it up and down on his own. This one-size diapers adjusts with a snap-up rise that fits birth to approximately 40 pounds. Is your baby between snap sizes? Find out how to use a Snappi for a custom fit with the Babykicks One-Size Fitted Diaper here! The gentle elastic in the back and legs hold in messes without leaving red marks and the natural fibers against my boys' SUPER sensitive skin allows for breathability. There is a very informative video explaining all the feature of the Babykicks One-Size Fitted here.

Emmett is 2 months old and just over 12 pounds. I use this diaper for him overnight paired with Little Beetle Wool Soaker Shorts. I found the diaper to be absorbent enough with the single hemp insert it comes with, but for larger children I might suggest adding an additional Joey Bunz Hemp Insert. Emmett wears this diaper on the smallest rise setting and on the second smallest waist setting. Lots of room to grow!



Why wool you might ask? Wool covers or soakers are really nice for daily wear, but even BETTER for overnight! Wool is a natural fiber, so it's breathable and allows air to your little one's bottom at night, often preventing irritation. It's naturally antimicrobial and won't retain odor. Unless it gets soiled, it only needs to be washed every couple weeks. The best thing about wool for overnight it is absorbs 40% off it's weight in liquid without feeling damp, so it's great for super soakers!

Sean is 2 1/2 years old and about 30 pounds. He wears the diapers on the 2nd largest rise setting and since he is potty training, I snap is on the largest waist setting so he can easily pull it up and down. The natural fibers allow Sean to feel if he wets in it, which encourages him to use the potty!



I'm so in love with this diaper that I want you to try it, too! Now though February 7th, get 10% off all Babykicks Products! Also, look for a giveaway for your chance to WIN a Babykicks One-Size Fitted Diaper!

Product Review and Giveaway! Best Bottom Diapers Microfiber Doubler and Hemp/Organic Cotton Overnights

I didn't think I could love a diaper more, but I was recently proven wrong! Best Bottom Diapers has released new Micofiber Diaper Doublers and Hemp/Organic Cotton Overnight inserts, adding 2 new great options to a line of the most versitile cloth diapers available!

The Microfiber Diaper Doubler is made of 2 layers of microfiber and has snaps on both sides. Simply snap your Diaper Doubler into your Best Bottom Diaper Shell, and snap your Stay-Dry or Hemp/Organic Cotton insert (of the same size) on top! This is a great option for a heavy wetter, nap-time or long car rides! I've found it difficult to find a trim cloth diaper option that is absorbent enough to hold Emmett's heavy wetting. He's teetering on the edge of the next clothing size and in order to get a few more wears from them, we need a trim diaper! I've found these fit the bill perfectly!

If heavy wetting is a concern during the day, imagine what it's like at night! Emmett is still nursing every 3 hours at night, but we've found he is WIDE AWAKE for HOURS if we change his diaper. Enter... the Best Bottom Hemp/Organic Cotton Overnight insert! This insert snaps into your Best Bottom Diaper Shell and you snap a Stay-Dry or Hemp/Organic Cotton Insert on top. This creates a bullet-proof overnight diaper!

You might tag a look at the price tag and get scared off. $9.99 for an insert? The truth is hemp is one of your best options for absorbency but it's often a little pricer. But think of it this way, you'll only likely need 2 or 3 of them (depending on how often you wash) and buying a $9.99 insert to turn your daytime diaper into a night time diaper is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying a diaper specifically for night time!

EcoPosh One Size Fitted Diaper Review!

When the EcoPosh One Size Fitted Diaper arrived, I gushed about how incredibly SOFT they were. I couldn't wait to try one out on my boy, and now I can share my thoughts on them with you! The first thing I noticed about these diapers is that they have some great features that I haven't seen in other fitted diapers. They're made of a unique combination of bamboo, organic cotton, and recycled water bottles which makes them some of the softest diapers I've touched and also amazingly absorbent. The sizing fits a wide range of babies -- 6lbs-35lbs or so. My youngest is about 27lbs now, and it fit him well! It is a stuffable pocket fitted diaper, meaning that you can adjust the absorbency. The EcoPosh One Size Fitted Diaper is made by the same company that makes Rumparooz One Size Pocket Diapers, and features a bamboo version of their great 6r soaker. I found the bamboo 6r soaker to be incredibly absorbent and trim -- the contoured design made it a better fit between my guy's legs, and I liked the option of changing the position of the soaker to put the absorbency where it's needed most. The other unique feature of these diapers is the patent-pending double inner gussets. I found that they really helped to contain even really messy messes (we had a nasty stomach bug come through our house...yuck!) better than any other fitted I've tried! I paired it for nighttime with a wool Aristocrats soaker and the results were bulletproof. No leaks! I am really very impressed with these diapers, and can safely say they are the nicest fitted diapers I've used on my kids. I love them for overnights, and if you wash every other day you really only need two to have a great nighttime diaper solution!

Overnight Cloth

It's the middle of the night. Your baby wakes up, and you feel that dreaded cold, wet fabric clinging. A leak. Now instead of going back to sleep, you have to change a diaper in the dark and wake baby up even more...not particularly enjoyable with cloth OR disposable diapers.

So how do you get through a night and stay dry? My experience with my two heavy wetter boys will hopefully benefit you.

We ran the gamut of nighttime cloth choices.

• Prefolds and Blueberry minkee covers. No dice, leaks and midnight changes.
• Tried adding hemp doublers to things. Still not enough absorbency.
• Hemp seemed more absorbent, so we started using hemp fitteds. Success! No leaks! BabyKicks Organic One-Size Fitteds really work well for us at night, especially with an extra hemp doubler inside.
• Mother-ease One Size Fitteds in Bamboo Terry are awesome, too. Bamboo is so soft!

As he got bigger, the covers just didn't seem comfortable for him, so we tried wool. Wool longies/soakers over hemp fitteds became our big nighttime solution. Wool is a GREAT cover option at night, as it won't shift and leave gaps that can leak. Breathable and comfortable, too.

When the little one came along, we did the same with him right off the bat. The Mother-ease seemed trimmer and less overwhelming on him overnight, so for a long time it was one brand on one boy and another on the other boy...very confusing.

Finally, I found one diaper that works great on both boys for overnight that isn't quite so difficult....Dream-Eze Organic Cotton AIO. For cotton, it is amazingly absorbent and I haven't had leaks! I love these diapers.

It seems the trick to successful overnights is finding a diaper combination that:

1. fits your child correctly
2. has enough absorbency
3. is trim enough to be comfortable. 

If you're having nighttime issues, try these:

• Leaks? Add a doubler or switch to a wool soaker/longies.
• Too bulky? Switch to hemp or bamboo.
• Red bottom? Try adding a liner to wick moisture away from the skin.

If, of course, you try some things and still need some help, call Nicki's Diapers and we'll be happy to troubleshoot with you.