Springing leaks - fed up mum!

[Leo35]

Hi, I wonder if I could ask other cloth nappy users for some advice. I am using cotton bottoms on my DS, and they are quite leaky at the front sides. I'm changing the nappies approx every 2 hours, and changing his clothes frequently as well. I'm getting a bit fed up really. Is this a cotton bottoms prob? A baby boy thing? Or a folding problem?

Any advice appreciated. Thinking of investing in some tots bots when the next size rolls around.

Any advice appreciated

its a cotton bottoms things. try a different wrap? i think the ME apliux wraps can be used with pre-folds.

I personally found the same with my old charge who was in cotton bottoms

i hated them.... and can honestly say they were the worst nappy ive ever used... sometimes she would be starurtaed and leaking less than hour after nappy was on...

if i were you try out a few shaped nappies (you can still use the cotton bottom wraps, i never had a problem with those!) Or maybe you coult get some fuzzies to use you CB inserts in?

We used Cotton Bottoms on our ds and still use them from time to time. It helps a LOT if you use the newborn fold and a nappy nippa to secure it.
Nappy nippas are pretty easy to use and you get an excellent fit.
We used to use kushies flannelette booster from Tescos, just put one or two inside the nappy or the wrap and the prefold would last longer.
We never had peepee leaks with this method, but did have peepee leaks with the padfolding method.

Definitely try a better wrap too - ME Rikki are great.

I don't think the Rikki wrap is designed to go with prefolds? Is it?

I think (don't have any at the moment) that the Rikki wrap has leg gussets, which makes it good for prefolds.

I think if you are going to use prefolds then you have to be prepared for leaks onto the wrap, but with a good wrap, you shouldn't get leaks onto clothes.

I have cotton bottoms wraps and rikki wraps and I would say the cotton bottoms is better suited to prefolds, as it is a very slim, close fit with a narrow front ideal for a prefold. Both wraps are very well made and work well for me, although the cotton bottoms is probably the tougher, as it is made to be washed in industrial nappy laundries.
The Nappy Lady advises prorap for a prefold only system, the cotton bottoms (aka bummis super whisper)for a mixture of shaped and prefolds and the rikki for shaped with the occasional prefold.
I haven't tried the prorap, but have heard mixed reports about the quality, although I think they work well with prefolds.
See the article here
The rikki is good over shaped, especially high rise nappies - compared to the cotton bottoms wrap which is a low rise. Although the cotton bottoms wrap can work well over shaped, because it is slim fitting you often have to go up a size to accomodate the extra bulk - especially at night.
However we use tots with cotton bottoms and they work well as they are both lowrise. So I would say before changing your whole system try your fitted nappies with your cotton bottoms wraps to avoid spending more than you need. I have found the size 2 Terry Tots or Bamboozle works with a medium cotton bottoms wrap.
I'm sure you will see an improvement in containment with a nappy nippa. What age is your baby incidentally, and what size Cotton Bottoms are you currently using?

Hi All,

Only just back online. Thanks for all your messages and advice. My DS is 16 weeks old and 15 1/2lbs. We've bought medium Cotton bottoms, which are for 7kg upwards.

I guess that I either need to try another wrap (ME stands for Motherease?) or go for the shaped nappies with current wraps. I loved the look of the tots in their leaflet - guess that I should just bite the bullet on price! Will check out e-bay first though.

Was really keen on using cloth nappies so want to keep going. Have been checking out the threads on this forum for tips and advice before taking the plunge.

Many thanks for all your help.

There is a good nappy sale forum on UKParents, where you could pick up a couple of tots bots easily to try.
I think your daughter would fit the size 2 tots at that weight and the medium cotton bottoms wrap should be fine over a tots bot.
Did you try a nappy nippa?

Hi Maisiemog,

I wasn't sure where about the nappy nippa should go, so have purchased 2 proraps from Nappy Lady to try. Cost wise it's roughly the same if you replace the wraps or the nappy, so giving the pre-folds another chance!

Holding back on Tots for a while, as I generally use the reusables while I'm around at home in the day and disposables for overnight.

Was a bit down about the leaks as never got them with disposables, and wanted the cloth nappy option to work well. Finding your way through all the options is something of a challenge though - so much jargon and so much choice. did a bit of research before DS was born, but it's all so much to take in.

Thanks for your help. Will report on prorap - fingers crossed!

Message withdrawn

It's wee rather than poo that's leaking. I'm a bit confused about how to use the nappy nippa on the prefold. How/why does it work?

Waiting for postman to dlivery proraps. Another leaky day today....

Hi Leo, to illustrate how the nippa is used, there's a great video clip on the tots bots website here click on the button beside "USING A NAPPI NIPPA".
It is really easy once you have practiced a few times (on a teddy?)
You have to use the newborn fold (known by many other names) for the nappy nippa to work. Here are a couple of examples
example one
example two
Also there is a picture of my ds wearing his nippa'd prefold on my nappy blog here
Let us know how you get on!
How are the proraps going?

Oops! Sorry, just re-read your post, the proraps aren't there yet.
The nippa basically secures the prefold onto the baby, leaving fewer gaps for leaks.
If you look at the links you will get the general idea.
There are lots of babies wearing pinned and nippa'd (they call the nappy nippa a snappi in the US) prefolds on Green Mountain Diapers you can see better how it works on a real baby.