Help! My nappies are leaking
If you are getting leaks it usually comes down to either Absorbency OR Fit. Keep in mind that all our nappies, training pants & inserts take 10-12 washes to reach their peak absorbency. The natural fibres need to be fluffed up to allow the moisture in, so if you they haven’t been washed this many times, be patient and just change bub a little more frequently or add in an extra booster until they are at max. capacity.
Absorbency
A cloth nappy should last you 2 hours – 4 hours depending on the nappy style & your baby. The AIO is the least absorbent, whereas the Fitted Nappies are almost triple the volume so you will get varying capacity different across all our nappy styles. The Night Nappy holds even more and can last 10-14 hours. If the nappy/inserts are fully wet when you are getting leaks, then it means you need to either change more often or add another booster. Once the core absorbent layers are full, then there is no where else for more liquid to go except out of the nappy…. hence the leaks. You can use anything absorbent to boost your nappies (clean cotton face washers, old muslin wraps or something like these Magicall Inserts). I like to fold my Magicall Inserts in half, then position in the main wet zone.
If your inserts are only half wet or mainly concentrated in the front/middle or back, then just adjust your insert folding so the majority of the layers are in this zone or add an extra booster to this area.
Fit
Ensuring you have a good firm fit on your baby is important to preventing leaks. You want to be able to run a finger under the leg/waist elastics, but not have it loose enough the wee will just run out the side and not too tight.
– As your baby moves around, if you notice the leg area getting saggy then next time pull the nappy up higher around the waist and secure firmer.
– If using a one-size adjustable nappy style, then if you find the crotch area gapping, then adjust the nappy size down to the next smallest size so you get a firmer fit.
– The nappy should be even around the waist – front and back waist should be the same height around the tummy.
– Ensure that there is no liners/inserts poking out of the nappy, otherwise the wetness will wick across & you will get wet clothes. Make sure everything is tucked inside the PUL layer to avoid leaks.