WOW!  Tomorrow is the big day!  The Great Cloth Diaper Change is coming to town!  Ok, well, technically, it’s worldwide, but my friends and I have put so much work and love into the Pearland location for the change that we feel on top of the world right now!

Almost all of our ducks are in a row, and we’re ready to do this Guinness World Record thing!!  (Find a location near you.)

Day 5 (April 20th):  Real Simple Real Diapers Reuse –  Cloth diapering at night

Let’s talk about nighttime diapering for a bit.

It never fails, ever time I get into a conversation with someone about cloth diapering and I ask them what they use at night, I would say that more than 75% of them still use disposables at night time.

I have to admit, sometimes, we use disposable diapers at night.  We usually do this if we’ve been given a pack of sposies or if we’ve returned from a trip where we had to buy a pack, just to finish it off.

So why is it that most people have a hard time with night time diapering?

It’s simple.

Leaks.

That’s it.

Why is it so hard to find a solution for leaks?  Well, really, it’s not that hard, it’s just that sometimes, you have to think outside of the box to get the job done!

Here are a two great tips to help you with a night time solution!

Try Pockets – If you’re used to AIO (all in one) diapers, try using a pocket diaper for nighttime.  I say this, because with AIOs, you’re stuck with the absorbent layer that’s sewn into the diaper (unless you lay in extra layers), but with a pocket, you can customize the diaper by adding enough absorbency in the pocket to actually soak up an entire night of wetness.

Add a Cover – Still have compression wicking with a fully stuffed pocket diaper?  No problem.  Add a wool or fleece cover over the diaper.  Sure, you can use a PUL cover if you want, but wool and fleece are more flexible and more breathable.  If you put a wool or fleece cover on top of  an already waterproof diaper, there’s lots more protection against leaks and wicking!

Finding a night time solution that works for you, especially when you co-sleep with a baby who just so happen likes to nurse all night long, can be a challenge.  Something else you can do is experiment with different types of fabrics as well.

Here are a couple of fabric choice tips.

  • Try using a bamboo or hemp insert rather than cotton or microfiber.  They tend to absorb more.
  • Inside  a pocket, put a microfiber insert on top of a hemp insert.  Microfiber absorbs quickly, and hemp absorbs more.  Paired, you have a quick absorbing long haul insert combination.
  • Thicker does not always mean more absorbent.  Sometimes, tighter weave fabrics can absorb more than thick looser weaves.
  • For night time, bulky is ok!  Your baby will be asleep, so he/she will not notice.
Hopefully, these tidbits will help you find what works for you and your baby!
As always, feel free to add your tips in the comments below!

After searching for a pic of my son for this post, it dawned on me that we cover him with a blanket when he sleeps, so I don’t have a single night time picture of it!  I have one from a nap, but not one sleeping at night!