Cloth diapers are great! They save money! They are safer on baby's skin! They are super cute! But they do come with their share of problems occasionally! Sometimes it's an issue with a simple fix, and sometimes it takes a little work! Today I'm going to share with you five problems I have faced in my nearly 4 years of cloth diapering, and how I fixed them!
1. Leaks- This is one I hear a lot and has happened to me before as well. Leaks could happen for a few reasons. One could be that you have a heavy wetter and you need more absorbency. This is usally a pretty simple fix. Just add a booster insert to your diaper for extra absorbency or use a diaper made from a very absorbent material, like bamboo. Another main reason you might have leaks is an improper fit! Which is our next problem so I'm going to explain more there.
2. Fit- If you don't get the right fit on your baby then you can face all sorts of problems like leaks, blowouts, and an uncomfortable baby! If you are using a one-size diaper with rise snaps make sure the diaper is on the correct rise. Also if you have a baby with skinny legs, it may be good to have some diapers with hip snaps so you can get a good snug fit around the legs. If you have sized diapers that are too big, you may just have to wait a while until your baby grows into them.
Diapers that are too small can also cause leaks and other problems. Make sure the diaper isn't too small on your baby and if it is go to a larger setting on a one-size diaper, or go up a size on a sized diaper.
3. Stink- If your diapers stink even after you wash them or as soon as your little one pees, then you have a problem. The most likely problem is detergent buildup. It could also be a repelling issue from something like diaper cream getting on the diapers. If you have stink from either of these problems you will need to strip your diapers. Stripping your diapers can be done a number of ways, including just washing in hot water a number of times. There's a great list of ways to strip your diapers over at Padded Tush Stats! Once you strip the buildup from your diapers they shouldn't stink anymore! To prevent stink, make sure you are using a cloth diaper safe detergent and only using the recommended amount. Also be sure to give your diapers an extra rinse when you wash them to get out any extra soap.
4. Stains- I think stains happen to everyone at one time or another. I mean the material is cloth and our kids poop in it. It's kind of hard to avoid stains. You can however make them less likely but rinsing out any soiled diapers as best you can with cold water before you put it in the diaper pail. This helps the stain not set in so much. If you do get stains and you want to get rid of them, my best recommendation is the sun! After you wash them, hang them to dry out the in the sun! The sun acts as a natural stain remover and it really works! Some people like to use bleach on their inserts and SOME of their diaper covers, but bleach is not good for all diapers and I find the sun works even better on both my inserts and covers.
5. Rash- If your baby is getting a rash from wearing cloth diapers it could be from a few things. The first thing is baby could simply be in the diaper too long. With cloth diapers it is a little harder to tell if baby is wet or has soiled the diaper, so make sure you check your baby often and change them pretty regularly. I never let my son go more than two hours in a cloth diaper if possible while he's awake. Otherwise he starts to get a red bum.
Another reason your baby could be getting a rash is from detergent buildup. If this is the case then you need to strip your diapers, like I explained in problem #3. This will get rid of the buildup and your baby shouldn't get a rash anymore.
If your baby is still getting a rash from the cloth diapers you are using, then you may want to look at the type of material you are using. Your baby may have a sensitivity to it and you might want to try cloth diapers with a different material to see if that helps.
These are a few of the challenges I have faced when it comes to cloth diapers. As you can see, most are a pretty easy fix. To me the benefits totally outweigh the issues of cloth diapers and make it worth doing! I hope these tips help you fix any issues you may be having!
Rashes are my big thing. I don't care about stains. And I have not had problems with fit or stink. Rashes, though, my daughter gets occasionally. I use a regular diaper cream with old, washed disposable wipes as liners.
ReplyDeleteI have been having issues with leaks lately and really think it's from improper fitting. I'm constantly adjust the size and hope to find the right one for each diaper soon. Any suggestions on how to know when you have a good fit? I read somewhere that if you can fit your finger between the legs and diaper that it's good enough. I've tried that and I'm still getting leaks.
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