To want these real nappies to work? They leak every day!

[Toadsrevisited]

My 10week old DS is in Little Lamb pocket nappies using 2 bamboo boosters in each one. I wash and dry them according to the instructions- 30 degrees, less detergent, air dry etc. I change him around every 2 or 3 hours. They leak around the leg every day at least once, sometimes within the hour. What am I doing wrong? Does DS wee an extraordinary amount? Or are they rubbish nappies? The extra clothes and sheets washing is driving me mad. Help!

That's why people use disposables. They are convenient and reliable.
My DSis used reusables when DN was born. Having a newborn is tough enough without this. She struggled on for two months then gave up.

Give the Nappy Lady a call. They are so helpful it's unreal, lots of advice and checking your chosen system. They will know the answer!!

www.thenappylady.co.uk

I don't rate pocket nappies unless they are used with prefolds. Because the whole thing has to be washed each time (unlike a two part nappy) the outer layer deteriorates quickly.
I find disposables leak poo every single time but reusables have more issues with wee. I'd definitely recommend a two part system like Little Lambs bamboo with a Motherease wrap for heavy wetters.

I used different pocket nappies and they worked really well. Maybe try a different brand? Babies are all different sizes and shapes. Maybe that particular type of nappy is cut around the leg in a way that doesn't suit your DS?

Are they new or preloved? If new I'd say that yes, maybe they don't suit him or maybe they are just rubbish nappies, I've never tried them. DDs got on v well with pocket nappies (mainly bum genius, some tots bots plus a few others).

If they are preloved they could need stripping. Or tumbling to tighten the leg elastic. Or maybe even the elastic replacing altogether. Is he particularly chicken leggy? 10 weeks is still tiny so maybe they're just that bit too big still around the leg.

I have never had huge success with "birth to potty" systems until baby is bigger - say 12lb or so.

DC3 is in them now (mixture of Blueberry BTP, Bumgenius v3 and TotsBots easy fit. He only ever leaks in disposables (up yhe back, down the leg).

I tried every different cloth nappy I could get my hands on and none of them compared to the reliability and absorption of disposables. I wasted about £300 trying all different types and sold them on ebay in the end... sorry not very helpful I know!

Have you tried getting some microfibre washcloths. If you fold one of those in half or thirds and put on top of the bamboo boosters. The microfibre is quick absorbing so works better on top and let's the bamboo absorb slower.

I also used microfibre wash cloths to help absorb. I found that natural nappies were better once the baby gets a bit fleshier. I preferred separate nappies and wraps but they do appear trickier at the start.

Contact the nappy lady, see what they say.

I prefer the two part nappies as well. The pocket ones seem more slimline but I found they leaked whereas my totsbots bamboozles with a nature baby wrap rarely let me down. I had two sizes of nappies and three sizes of wraps...

I'm a big fan of bumgenius and found disposables tonnes more work and much less reliable and generally a PITA. I'll second/third/fourth the recommendation to ask the nappy lady.
One obvious thing I can think of is are your wee one's vests tight over the nappy? If the vest is tight its more likely that pee runs out rather than getting a chance to be absorbed. You can buy vest extenders which are wee rectazngles of fabric with poppers either end that add a bit of length to any vest

Do they actually fit round his legs?

I used Bumgenius but not until my DD was around 12 weeks, she was just too little.

Are you putting softener in them? Have you tried stripping them ie wash without powder and rinse, rinse and rinse some more?

I wouldn't say they're rubbish- I switched to those when DD was about 10 months and found them much better than the brand I used previously. As someone else said, different nappies work better on different babies.

Which boosters are you using? The square ones that you fold or the long thin ones that go in as they are? If it's the former I'd say you are definitely over stuffing them, which will affect the fit. Even if it's the latter, you might have more luck with just one bamboo booster and a microfibre cloth.

DD is now 18 months, and 2 thin bamboo boosters plus microfibre will last her 4+ hours! So if you are changing every 2-3 hours I would think one booster would be plenty.

PS I'm laughing at disposables being reliable! DD was breastfed and every poo leaked out of a disposable. I tried asda, tesco, pampers, huggies, naturbaby, lidl, Aldi, kiddicare and some random Greek brand on holiday, and not one could contain her poo! Whereas in the 16 months or so I've used cloth, I have had a grand total of 2 poo leaks.

I found the little lamb pocket nappies too big for DS when he was small. They worked really well from about 3.5 months. I have a variety of types now too, as DS keeps growing and therefore has phases of some nappies fitting better than others.

I'd second a two part such as the bamboozle for bombproofness. At 5 months he was peeing like racehorse and they were the only thing that coped.

I've also never had a poonami in a reuseable and they smell rather less than disposables.

Are they btp pockets or sized pockets? I've been using the Little Lamb size 1 pockets as night nappies with the square tri fold pocket booster and 1 bamboo booster and have never had an issue. My DS is 11wks and about 11lb.

Are they gaping around his legs? Or too tight? His vest could be causing pressure leaks.

This is a good video for fit

fitting cloth nappies

They are good nappies but it could be that the fit doesn't suit your DS.

Thanks for the help everyone. In answer to some points:

He weighs 13 lbs ish so I'd hoped they'd fit, but they are birth to potty sized so maybe the fit just isn't right yet.

They're new so it can't be that they've deteriorated.

I've tried bigger vests and even t shirts under his sleep suit so it's not a vest problem.

Good to hear some people have success with this brand. I'll try the microfibre and persevere- I sticking with reusables on principle!

Ooh I'm washing with gel. Should it be powder?

Yeah pockets never work under 5 months old ime. I use bambino mio nappy covers with pad folded muslins and the stuffing from the pockets until then. Just need 4. :)

Found 2 partners more reliable while my kids were under 6 months. Agree with trying a microfibre booster atop one bamboo, it 'grabs' the urine faster.

I tried disposables for the day when we took. 8 week old DS to the Royal Cornwall show. He ended up with liquid shit in his ears. I had to hide behind a tractor and wash him down with bottled mineral water. It was all highly inconvenient.

The newness could be a factor itself - I've always thought that reusables get better after more washes.

I used Lollipop microfibres when DD was little, then Bumgenius and a couple of other types when she was older - loved them. DS gets disposables I'm afraid - too much washing already!

I think powder is better for washing than gel, yes. I used to put a bit of Eco-friendly sanitiser in too.

Maybe they are too big for a little bottom. I use totsbots two piece system. I probably have a leak every 3 months. Started him in them aged 4 months though.

For size one I used two part system, and sized nappies rather than birth to potty. I found the mother ease airflow wraps were the best for no leaks. Good luck figuring it out. 10 weeks is still quite little, I didn't really get going with either of mine till they were over 3.months. I recommend getting a range of nappies from e bay then working out which are best for you and getting more of those. Our council did a loan system for trying nappies out.