The Ultimate Guide to Nighttime Reusable Nappies
Getting started with cloth can be as simple as trying one nappy a day, but once you’ve got going and decide to go full time, the hardest part is often making it work at night. Because reusable nappies can be less absorbent than disposables, it can take some trial and error to find a combination that lasts the whole night without leaking. However, it is worth persevering! Once you’ve worked it out, you’re pretty much guaranteed leak-free nights.
Knowing your materials
One thing it’s worth knowing before we start is that different materials have different properties. The key to a successful night nappy is working out which materials will suit your baby. This graphic shows how they differ. Speed of absorption is how quickly the insert soaks up any liquid, while capacity is the total amount of liquid it can hold.
You want to balance the two - if you only have slow absorbing materials, then a big wee might not be absorbed quickly enough and could leak out; if you only have fast absorbing yet low capacity boosters, then you might not have enough absorbency to last the whole night. The balance will also depend on your child - if they’re a light yet frequent wetter, you might want to lean more towards bamboo or hemp, whereas if they’re heavy and infrequent wetter, microfibre may work better. The best place to start is usually with a combination of the two (e.g. bamboo nappy with a microfibre booster), and then adjust from there as needed.
Choosing your system
A good nighttime cloth system is usually made up of three parts:
Absorbent fitted nappy
Absorbent booster
Waterproof breathable wrap
Some people do have success with other nappy systems. Generally, this is because the nappies are boosted with extra bamboo or hemp inserts. Before shelling out on special night time options, you could give your existing daytime nappies a go, but be prepared for them not to work!
1. Absorbent fitted nappy
A fitted or shaped nappy is made up entirely of absorbent material, and requires a separate waterproof layer on top. Some of my favourite options are:
Anavy Fitted Nappy (cotton-bamboo mix)
Motherease Sandy’s (cotton or bamboo)
Easy Peasy Bumble (cotton)
Bell’s Bumz Hemp Fitted (hemp cotton mix)
Fitted nappies are generally sized, meaning that you may require 2 or 3 sizes from birth to potty.
Most people find success with fitted nappies and a waterproof wrap
2. Absorbent booster insert
Different babies need different levels of absorbency, but most need at least one booster in their night nappy. Some nappies come with additional boosters already included, while for others you’ll need to buy them separately.
My personal favourites are:
Little Lamb Bamboo Booster (available in single, double or triple layer)
If you find you need even more absorbency then adding a prefold can be a good idea.
You may find that placing your boosters in different locations can also help your nappies last longer. For example, folding an insert in half at the front of the nappy can work better for little boys. If you find that you need a couple of boosters and bulk is becoming an issue, consider putting one of boosters outside the fitted nappy but inside the wrap.
3. Waterproof breathable wrap
My favourite wraps for nighttime are wool wraps like these by Disana or Anavy. Or you can even knit your own! If you’d prefer not to use wool, then you could try the Motherease Airflow, Anavy Pull Up Wrap or Reusabelles Breeze Wrap.
If you’d like to find out more about nighttime nappies, I have a YouTube video all about them, including advice on how to deal with leaks and nappy rash!
Finally, as I mentioned earlier, I am very happy to provide free advice on any aspect of reusable nappies. I know it can feel very overwhelming! Fill out the form here and I’ll be in touch!
This page contains affiliate links, which earn me a little bit of commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
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