Using Cloth Nappies at Night

Using cloth nappies at night is nothing to be scared of! Initially, it's actually exactly the same as the days, so that makes it even easier. Once you need more absorbency in the night my top tips are:

• Aim for enough absorbency to hold two feeds worth of milk
• Fold any boosters and place where you are most likely to get leaks with your baby
• If you need more than one booster, place it on the outside of the nappy between nappy and cover/shell
• Consider using a wool cover

Newborn cloth nappy changes in the night

In the early days when your baby is brand new, it's highly likely they will be waking and feeding around 3 hourly meaning your nappy changing routine remains the same in the night as in the day, so you can use any nappy at anytime. Try them all out! If you have a cloth nappy hire pack from us, now is a great time to try out the ‘night’ nappies during the day so you can get the hang of fitting them quickly and easily. 

How is a night specific cloth nappy different?

A night nappy is often a ‘fitted nappy’, meaning a thick and absorbent nappy that is fitted to your baby. The whole thing is absorbent and there is no water-proofing in it, so a seperate cover is required over top. Have these two layers creates a super absorbent and comfy nappy, and a big booty!

How do I know when to change to using a night nappy?

If your  baby starts to sleep longer periods at night they may not necessarily need a ‘night nappy’ straight away as they aren’t having an extra feed, they are just sleeping longer. If however your baby is cluster feeding in the evening and then having a big sleep, you will start to get leaks which lets you know you need more absorbency.

Let's be honest though, in most cases, your little angel won’t start to sleep longer periods for quite some time but at around 6 weeks or so, they may start to be more difficult to settle back to sleep after a nappy change, so you may wish to skip a nappy change at one of the night feeds. This means your night nappy needs to last around 6 hours/two feeds. This is where those night specific nappies generally come in. 

How to get the best fit with a night nappy

The key to a successful night nappy is getting the absorbency to where its needed! Most night nappies have inserts or boosters which can be folded to that more layers are in 'leak-zone’, for tummy sleepers this is often at the top of the nappy, for boys this is often at the front, for girls this is often at the back. If your baby is a very heavy wetter, or you are trying to get the nappy to last through multiple feeds, you may need more than one booster. Fit the nappy as normal and then lay the extra booster on top of the nappy in the ‘leak-zone’, then place the cover, this helps maintain the good fit of the nappy. Make sure your cover is big enough to fit overtop nicely. 

Can I skip nappy changes at two feeds?

Yes, if you can get enough absorbency into your night nappy to last through two feeds, go for it. In most cases though, this is quite a challenge as it is really three feeds worth of wee's that the nappy needs to hold- the feed after th nappy goes on and then the two skipped feeds. That's a lot of wee!

What covers are best?

Covers are the last defence against leaks, but are much less important than the absorbency underneath. 

Regular PUL covers are great as they are easy to fit, and washed alongside the nappies, they also dry very quickly.

Many people like to use wool covers overnight. Because they don’t have any elastics, they are very comfortable for your baby. They are breathable so are actually cooler on your baby year-round, than PUL covers.  Wool covers are resistant to liquid so they don't absorb urine meaning they don't get smelly, they just get aired out after use and only need to be washed every few weeks (or if they get soiled). Washing them is a bit more time consuming as they need to be hand washed, and then lanolised, but as its only every few weeks it's easy peasy! With a PUL cover you can get flooding leaks, whereas urine dispersed more evenly under the nappy underneath a wool cover. 

All-in-One Night Cloth Nappies

It is possible to have a successful night cloth nappy that isn’t a seperate nappy and cover, and there are particular nappies which are known to be good overnight, some have an extra night booster and others are just very absorbent day nappies, these are best suited to medium wetters. 

See our range of Night Nappies (Including all-in-one night nappies) and Covers