Fitting cloth nappies

Reusable nappies are designed to fit snug and low, like underwear. The most common causes of leaks in modern cloth nappies are a lack of absorption, incorrect fit and not changing frequently enough.

Getting the right fit can take a little practice. Use our guide to help prevent leaks, ensure your child is comfortable, and prevent clothing and linen changes.

Other causes include compression leaks, and delaminated or damaged polyurethane laminate (PUL) covers. Detergent buildup does not cause nappies to leak.

How to fit a modern cloth nappy

Reusable nappies, also known as modern cloth nappies or MCNs, fit differently from disposable nappies. They sit lower and more like underwear; the leg seal (not the waist) prevents leaks.

Many modern cloth nappies are one-size-fits-most (OSFM), with an advertised weight range of 3.5kg to 15kg.

OSFM cloth nappies are designed to fit most children from birth through to toilet training. The snaps on the cover allow you to adjust the nappy as your child grows.

Example OSFM configurations

This example shows four different OSFM shapes made from adjusting the rise snaps (horizontal) and waist snaps (sides).

Many children go up and down rise snaps as they grow. Waist snaps do not need to be symmetrical. Mix and match to get the best fit.

Adjust the rise snaps before fitting the nappy

Leaving rise snaps undone on a small baby results in a loose and bulky fit and can cause leaks.

If there isn’t enough room to add more inserts into a OSFM nappy that’s snapped down to a lower rise*, undo the rise snaps and add more absorbency. The additional room created will accommodate the added absorbency.

*A nappy that has been snapped down to a lower rise has been adjusted to become smaller.

Positioning a modern cloth nappy

A correctly sized modern cloth nappy should be long enough to cover the child’s bum on the back and sit just below the belly button on the front. Focus on creating a leg seal to prevent leaks.

Additional tips for fitting a modern cloth nappy

• Check that the nappy covers the bum crack to stop poo from escaping at the back, and the nappy is high enough at the front.
• Squeeze the nappy, so it sits in the creases and underwear line.
• Check that the elastics sit in the leg creases without gaps.
• Check that the nappy isn’t too tight around the legs and the waist.
• With front rise snaps (which make leg holes smaller) it helps to have the extra fabric pushed up.
• For boys:
  • ensure the penis is pointed down.
  • ensure the nappy is high enough at the front.
  • add more absorbency at the front.
• For girls:
  • add more absorbency to the crotch of the nappy.

Red marks

Gentle pink marks, like sock marks, are fine. Anything darker or marks that do not disappear within a reasonable time means the nappy is too tight.

Getting the amount of absorbency right for cloth nappies

Insufficient absorbency is one of the main causes of leaks. When a saturated insert is compressed (squished) it often causes the liquid to seep out. This commonly happens with microfibre inserts because the material acts like a sponge. However, inserts made from bamboo, cotton and hemp inserts can also leak if saturated.

Wee leaks are usually due to not enough absorption, rather than a fit issue.

Alison, Australia

Many members ask us to troubleshoot leaks for heavy wetters. In reality, there is no such thing as a heavy wetter, only a child using a nappy that does not have enough absorbency.

All nappies will leak if there is not enough absorbency, as PUL is water resistant, not waterproof.

Most cloth nappies are designed to last for two to three hours before needing to be changed. The exception is night nappies, which are designed to worn overnight. If your child’s nappies leak within two hours it indicates you need to increase the absorbency.

Adding absorbency to cloth nappies

The good news is there are many options to add absorbency to your nappies, and you don’t need expensive or nappy-specific products.

Look for natural fibre options (cotton, bamboo and hemp) for inserts and boosters. These natural fibres absorb more liquid than microfiber and can be composted at end of life. Cotton face washes, tea towels, muslin cloth and terry towels are all cheap, easy to wash, and dry quickly.

Some members use microfleece liners as a ‘stay dry’ layer between the child’s skin and the insert. They can improve comfort if your child’s skin is easily irritated or they dislike feeling wet.

The speed and volume of absorption of different natural fibre inserts vary based on the weave, blend and the material’s previous usage. No natural fibre has definitively faster absorption or greater capacity than another.

Do not place microfiber inserts directly against the skin, as it can irritate the skin.

Wash new inserts once before using them, and change them more frequently as they build absorbency. Inserts that are made of man-made fibres do not change absorbency when they are washed.

The surface area of natural fibres increases with washing. During the friction of the wash cycle, the fibres become looser and micro-piling occurs. This increases the material’s surface area, increasing the absorbency potential.

Carers love pretty covers on reusable nappies, but it’s what’s on the inside the matters most!

~ Clean Cloth Nappies admin

Absorbency and feeding habits

A child changes feeding habits significantly from the time they are born to when they are toddlers. Until a child is eating solid food, the primary source of food is liquid. Therefore, they will poo and wee often, and in large amounts relative to the size of their bodies.

When babies are born, they have very small bladders (about 20-30mls, or just bigger than a metric tablespoon.)  A normal wetting pattern for neonates is small wees done often and at high pressure. As a child grows, so too does their bladder, with a shift in how fast the bladder grows around age two. 

Did you know girls have bigger bladders than boys? It’s true!

A normal wetting pattern for toddlers is longer periods between wees, and then a large volume of wee done at one time, usually referred to as ‘flooding’. 

Like disposable nappies, reusable nappies should be changed when a child poos.

Newborns need tiny nappies, because both the child and the amount of urine they produce is small. Newborn nappies need to be changed frequently, both due to frequent wees and frequent poos. Many newborns poo before, during and after feeds and therefore may need nappy changes at each of these times. Newborns typically outwet nappies before they outgrow them. Add extra absorbency to newborn nappies if you can, to avoid leaks. 

Once newborn nappies cannot take more inserts without compromising the fit, it’s time to move to larger nappies.

Toddler nappies typically need at least one extra insert compared to infant nappies and may need an insert that can cope if the toddler floods the nappy. 

Delaminated covers

A final source of leaks is delaminated or damaged PUL covers. This is when the plastic, water-resistant, layer comes away from the polyester layer of the nappy cover and can rip.

Remember PUL is water resistant, not waterproof. If water seeps out of the cover it does not necessarily mean that the nappy is damaged. It could simply be that more absorbency is needed.

Downloads

• Clean Cloth Nappies guide – spotting a great fit (1.06 MB)
• Clean Cloth Nappies guide – OSFM configurations (445.35 KB)
• Clean Cloth Nappies guide – getting the right fit (404.97 KB)