Troubleshooting

Help, the Nappies leak!!

Troubleshooting your Ecobots cloth nappies

If the cover leaks –  
Is it the right size – look for gaps around the legs, or marks on the tummy where it could be too tight, to see if you need a different size cover.

If the nappy is fully wet then either – 
Your baby has outgrown this nappy OR the nappy is lacking absorbency.  This can be caused by:

• Have you prewashed your nappies prior to use?
• Is the barrier cream you have used on your baby got onto the nappies making them waterproof (hot soak and wash is required). It is important to use a biodegradable liner if you are using barrier creams.
• Have the nappies got excess detergent residue or fabric softner residue on them making them less absorbent?

If the cover fits and the nappy isn’t fully wet, BUT there is leakage onto the baby’s clothes then check that all the bits of the nappy, including the liner are tucked inside the cover so the wetness doesn’t wick onto clothes.

Make sure that you haven’t folded 2 layers of disposable liner next to each other – this slows the absorption of wetness into the nappy, and liquid tends to shoot off the liner out of the sides of the nappy – very annoying! Either tuck the liner right round the nappy, or cut it in half for small babies and get twice as many!

My baby is waking up wet!

Ecobots covers are waterproof enough to be able to be used overnight. Check all the stuff above about leaks. There is no reason that your baby should be wet right through in the morning – washing bedclothes daily is NOT fun!

Add more absorbancy at night. Use a smaller nappy, like a prem, to boost, or add a cotton booster (or two).

You might find that you need to use a bigger size cover at night than you do in the daytime, so you have more room for nappies.

My baby has nappy rash!

Troubleshooting rash problems.  It is normal for babies to get nappy rash when they are teething, as their saliva changes and this affects (eventually) the urine and faeces as well. Other things  they eat can change the chemistry of their digestive system and burn their skin (think of yourself with a decent curry to get what I mean).

Using a barrier cream at these times is a good idea. Corn flour also works well as a barrier, put it into an old talcum powder shaker and apply to the nappy area at change time.  If you are using a barrier cream, make sure you are using a liner so the nappies don’t become waterproof.

Then think of these things:

Is my baby reacting to disposable baby wipes? Not uncommon, throwaway wipes have perfumes, wetting agents etc and these can be the cause of rashes.  (Have a look at the list of ingredients on them, they are great at removing lots of stains around the home, but can be too strong for babies sensitive skin.)

Is my baby reacting to the laundry process? Many babies are sensitive  to laundry powders (again often to the perfumes) including eco-friendly ones. Try changing your laundry powder and soaker to a different brand.  Also make sure that you are not using too much and that it is rinsing out fully.

Am I washing the nappies well enough? If they are smelly when they are dry, or super smelly when they get peed on, then they might not be getting clean enough. The bacteria that is left in them might be reacting with your baby’s skin. Have a check through the washing pages.