Choosing a night nappy

Choosing a night nappy is something that I often get asked about. When it comes to cloth at night, it can be difficult to find the combination that works just right for you. I thought that I’d share some advice that I gave to a mother recently.

Cloth night nappies

A lot of people are put off the idea of using cloth over night because of how bulky the nappies look. Although they do look quite large, usually babies and young children don’t actually find them that uncomfortable. If you are looking for a trimmer nappy, then using something like bamboo or hemp can help. These fabrics are highly absorbent, but slimmer than other nappy fabrics.

Hemp in particular is ideal for night time as it is very very absorbent. Most people find that it will take around ten washes to get to full absorbency. You can still use the insert during this period, but it will continue to get better and hold more over this time. The only thing to watch with hemp is that it is fully dry before each use. We have hemp boosters that can be placed in other nappies.  Alternatively, we sell these with our pocket nappy, the dinky nappy, so that you can use it overnight.

Prefold nappies

Another nappy that works well overnight is a pre-fold nappy. These are easy to add extra boosting to and are usually very absorbent. Our OSFM trial pack comes with a super nappy and infant nappy. If your baby is not a heavy wetter then the super nappy on it’s own would probably be fine over night. If however they are a fairly heavy wetter then both of the prefolds in the nappy should last all night.

Bamboo prefolds are also a great choice. They come in two sizes, infant and regular. You can place these in a cover such as our one size cover or in a pocket nappy in place of your usual inset. When my daughter was a little older, I actually used two bamboo prefolds for overnight use in one of these covers.

Woollen Covers

Some people prefer to use woollen covers overnight. These are more breathable than PUL covers, they also work in a different way. Rather than repelling the liquid, they absorb some of it, so they can feel a little damp to the touch. This does actually help regulate temperature better though, so that the nappy doesn’t feel cold to the touch. Woollen covers do need to be cared for a little more than pul covers. Rather than washing them after every use, you simply let them air dry. Every few months, they will need treating with lanolin. To do this you hand wash them, then let them soak for a few hours in warm water, a little wool wash and a pea sized amount of lanolin. If you have left over lanolin nipple cream, it is ideal for this, as you need such a small amount.

Choosing a night nappy

Choosing a night nappy is often depends on what cloth nappies you are currently using. If you have a nappy that works well, but that doesn’t last all night, then boosting it might be the best option. Hemp boosters are great for this and can be added to most cloth nappies. Some people prefer to have a dedicated night nappy instead, this means that you can choose something completely different to your usual cloth nappy system. If you need more advice or information about using cloth nappies, then check out our advice form here.