When you ask any cloth diapering mama about what she uses at night the majority of the time the answer is one of these three: "I swear by ____", disposables followed by some justification or "I use ___ but it leaks".
Cloth diapers can be used effectively at night; however, for some families it requires a little more thought (and absorbency!) to last 12 hours instead of 3 or 4.
Let's start with pocket diapers for night time. Many pocket diapers come with microfiber inserts but often switching to a hemp or bamboo insert for overnight works best. Our night time combination is an AMP Duo Diaper with a bamboo insert and 3 layer hemp booster. I like this solution because it's still fairly trim fitting and most importantly it works!
If you need more absorbency, change the bamboo for a 3 layer hemp insert with the 3 layer hemp booster. Fold the 3 Layer Hemp booster in half and stuff it to the front for a boy or in the middle for a girl. The drawback is this option is much bulkier.
Another worthwhile benefit to using a pocket diaper at night is you get the fantastic stay dry properties of the micro-fleece against baby's skin which might help to keep your little one sleeping longer. What parent can't do without some extra sleep?
A good fitted diaper is another option,especially if you are not able to stuff your pocket diaper with enough absorbency to last overnight because in some cases an overstuffed pocket diaper leaks.
The bamboozle is a night time favorite made from rayon from bamboo in Scotland and comes with an extra absorbency doubler. I find this option works well with a Bummis PUL cover.
Our AMP Hemp fitteds are another popular choice for the longevity and absorbency of hemp. Again, this durable hemp diaper, that's made in Canada, comes with an absorbency doubler to put absorbency where you need it. These can be folded in half in the front of the diaper to better suit a boy.
Remember, any fitted cloth diaper you choose will need a cloth diaper cover to make the diaper waterproof. Wool is a great overnight cover or if you are not sure you're ready for wool yet you'll find easy care PUL covers as well.
Wool covers can absorb 30% of their weight in moisture. Plus, due to the natural antibacterial properties wool, unless the wool covers are soiled, they can be washed every 1-2 weeks, making for a lighter laundry routine. Wool is also incredibly breathable and a fast diaper rash cure.
What's your tried and true night time solution?
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