How to Adapt Cloth Diapers for Day and Night?
When you start or evolve in the cloth diapering adventure, it is not always easy to know what are the best tips and tricks to succeed in having a winning and leak-free routine during nap and night times.
La Petite Ourse offers two main models of cloth diapers: Pocket diapers and All-in-one (AIO) diapers. Both of these models have similar absorbency and can be used either day or night.
Inserts
For the luckiest ones, Baby is already sleeping through the night and wears their diapers for several hours in a row. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the diaper they wear is sufficiently absorbent and well adjusted so it stays dry throughout the night. Some parents may dread nighttime and long naps with cloth diapers from fear of the diapers leaking. However, a cloth diaper with the appropriate inserts according to Baby's needs will be by far a better alternative than disposable diapers. Many families using cloth diapers will tell you that there are far fewer leaks when using a cloth diaper!
The most difficult thing of starting with cloth diapering is that there is not only one single magicle recipe! Some babies will be able to spend a whole night with a pocket diaper including its 2 basic bamboo inserts (6.5 oz of absorption each for a total of 13 oz) without having any leaks! However, this is not the case for everyone.
This is why we are offering a wide variety of inserts mainly for pocket diapers:
Absorption per insert |
Total Absorption |
|
|---|---|---|
| * Bamboo Insert (pack of 2) |
6.5 oz per insert |
13 oz |
| Hemp Insert (pack of 2) |
4.5 oz per insert |
9 oz |
| Night-time Insert (pack of 2) |
9 oz per insert |
18 oz |
| Microfiber Insert (pack of 2) |
8 oz per insert |
16 oz |
| Night-time Trifold Insert |
Total Absorption: 22.5 oz |
|
| Charcoal Insert (pack of 2) |
10 oz per insert |
20 oz |
| Muslin Trifold Insert |
Total Absorption: 10 oz |
|
* Each La Petite Ourse pocket diaper automatically comes with 2 bamboo inserts. For more information on these inserts, consult this blog post.
If you want to learn more about the pros and cons of each type of inserts, visit the Experts Corner!
Types of cloth diapers
The different types of cloth diapers are an interesting avenue to look into. Some families have a preference for one particular model while others prefer to opt for a combination of different ones to suit their needs.
Pocket diapers with Velcro
Velcro pocket diapers are appreciated by many for their simple usage. Many use them on a daily basis, while others prefer to use them specifically for daycare, when going out or for nighttime.
If your child doesn't completely sleep through the night and often wakes up for a diaper change, opting for a Velcro diaper could be very practical. Trying to change a diaper with your eyes ajar from fatigue can be quite a challenge with snaps. That being said, the Velcro greatly simplifies this nocturnal task! This type of diaper allows a precise and quick adjustment in addition to being very instinctive. Putting a Velcro diaper on Baby is the closest thing to using a disposable diaper in terms of sizing around the waist.
All-in-one diapers
Other parents, on the other hand, prioritise pocket diapers (whether with snaps or Velcro) during the day and prefer All-in-One diapers at night. This cloth diaper type allows less manipulation of the diaper during its assembly since the AIO diaper includes a sewn-in insert as well as an extra booster on the top offering a stay-dry effect. Thi
Preparation
Although it is not an absolutely necessary step, preparation can help make the daily cloth diapering experience enjoyable! Here are some tips to help you properly prepare your diapers for day and night:
First of all, many parents prefer to assemble their clean diapers in advance, therefore as soon as they come out of the washing machine. This way, the diaper is immediately ready to be put on Baby during the change!
On the other hand, if you opt for different inserts during the day and at night, this could be a problem. How can we differentiate diapers with inserts we use for daytime from those with nighttime inserts? The parents of the LPO community have shared their best tips with us!
Diaper-prints and Solid Colours
Many parents opt for this strategy for its simplicity and effectiveness. Just put the day-time inserts in the patterned diapers and the more absorbent inserts in the plain coloured diapers. That way when it comes to changing your Baby, they are easy to differentiate with only a glance!
But what if I don't want to limit diaper-prints to daytime use?
Very good question! Other parents prefer assembling the diapers on the spot! Having a small stack of inserts and unprepared diapers could turn out to be the winning recipe for you. With this technique, you can actually take any diaper you want and put any inserts inside of it , when they are needed! (It must be said that putting together a single diaper takes no more than a few seconds!)
The majority of parents who opt for this strategy often have more than one child using cloth diapers at the same time. Thus, this technique allows them to "skip" the full preparation of the diapers and simply put them together when the moment arises.
As you can see, every family finds their own tips and tricks and adapts them to their personal life! We always advise families to buy multiple diaper and insert types to see what works best for them. Your family's needs can change from child to child, so it's always a good idea to make sure your routine is right for each one of them!
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or new tips to share with us!
