** This week we have a special guest blogger, Jess! She has been using cloth nappies full time for about 18 months and night nappies for almost as long. She recently made the switch to Bamboo Delights and wanted to share her experience using them as overnight for her daughter. **
Night nappies seem to be a confusing topic in the cloth nappy world. Many steer clear of reusable nappies overnight, but the daunting task of holding wee for 12+ hours is one that many modern cloth nappies are more than capable of acing.
There are many options available that are cost-effective, simple and easy. My personal favourite is a modern cloth nappy, which can be enhanced or boosted with cheap options and even products you already have lying around.
The modern cloth nappy we’ve found the simplest and most robust is the fitted nappy. It gives ease of use, with so many boosting options. Bamboo Delights, apart from being so beautiful and soft, are the absolute go-to nappy in my stash for night time use. They are easy to fit and make the nighttime routine nice and quick, even for grandparents and babysitters. Who can struggle with more complicated options like prefolds or flats.
What is a fitted nappy you ask? Fitted nappies are the absorbent part of a two-part nappy system. The whole nappy is absorbent and wraps around your bub so that no matter which way they sleep, and we all know babies sleep every which way, there is an absorbent layer there to protect their clothes and bedding from leaks. As they are a two part system, you also need a cute waterproof cover to help with that protection.
The great thing about Bamboo Delights is they are so easy to fit. Anyone can do it. It doesn’t even matter if your fit isn’t great as you have the waterproof cover as your backup. The other great thing about them is you can boost boost boost until your heart's content.
Fitted nappies come with an absorbent trifold as well as the over layer which is much like a disposable in shape. You can boost inside. You can boost outside. You can add 1 layer. You can add 3. It all depends on how heavy a wetter your bub is.
Many prefer a more traditional approach to a night nappy. We tried prefolds and flats but they were bulky and hard to fit. Especially when bub started rolling and moving. Getting a snappy attached to the nappy, in the right position, then trying to get the cover over the top before it popped off, was not an easy feat. My husband would regularly think he had FINALLY aced his fit, and she would grow again and throw him for a loop.
As a stay at home mum, I don’t get the pleasure of someone else changing nappies all that often. So our friends and family rarely get the chance to play with our beautiful cloth nappies. Mostly my husband and I go out at night, so guess what the grandparents are stuck with? Night nappies. Now, most of our parents probably used old school terry squares and have some experience fitting these types of nappies. But I’ve found that this was a long time ago, and the size of prefolds and flat nappies is quite different to 30 years ago. In saying this, all the grandparents have tried to use our night nappy system of a fitted nappy, and all have succeeded with no leaks. Yay!
One of the “scary” factors in using cloth at night is the longevity of the nappy. Many mums are requiring 12 hours and are feeding through the night, so the nappy needs to be absorbent. The great thing about using this system is that you can pull from your (overflowing if you’re like me) stash for boosting.
Many use their Candie boosters and this is enough. You can place them inside the trifold like you would a Candie, or on the outside of the Bamboo Delight, before putting the cover on. They can be folded in half and put at the front for boys or tummy sleepers, or can also be laid in flat for girls or back sleepers.
You can also use a night time booster set in addition or to replace the trifold already in the Bamboo Delight. Again it can be placed inside the fitted nappy or outside before putting the cover over.
Flats are also a great option for boosting. As the covers are (very) generous, You can easily fit one in between the fitted nappy and cover. They are also a very cheap option for boosting. Muslin flats in particular work well for this as they're very trim when folded up.
Now for my personal favourite boosting option: prefolds bub has already grown out of. We use a newborn prefold inside the Bamboo Delight trifold. Again, this can also be placed between the fitted nappy and cover. We’re lucky and I can get away with this for 13 hours but many people need more. If you need a large amount of absorbency placing your boosters between the Bamboo Delight and the cover is probably your best bet to keep a good leg seal on your Bamboo Delight (especially if bub is a first thing in the morning pooper, like my little lady).
As mentioned previously, the covers are generous so they can take as much boosting as you need. As they are only using them while sleeping, it doesn’t matter how big that cloth bum gets. Some people do stress the bulk, but that is a hip healthy position and not harmful to bub at all. And how cute is a big luscious cloth bum anyway?!
Many mums find the starting point the hard part. My advice is to jump in and give it a go. It’s much easier than you think. The worst you can expect is a change of clothes and sheets but once you find your groove, there’s no turning back.
Bamboo Delights are a fantastic starting point as you know you have a versatile and effective nappy system. Start by over-boosting and assess each morning till you find a comfortable level of absorbency. You can use any absorbent nappy or insert so take a Candie trifold or an old prefold and give it a go.
The only other advice you need to start your night nappy journey is to make sure you have a solid wash routine. Night nappies require extra rinsing due to the amount of wee they collect. Make sure you’re wash routine is up to scratch and you won’t have any issues clothing at night. It is recommended to rinse your night nappy in the morning by hand in warm or hot water with a teaspoon of detergent and then plain warm or hot water repeatedly until the water looks clear. Wring it out and hang over the edge of your dry pail or wash basin.
So jump in, give it a go! You'll wonder what took you so long.