Boosting? Day Nappies? Night Nappies? What....?? 

Modern Cloth Nappies and absorbency options can be confusing! How many layers do I need? What types of inserts will work for my bub? Light Wetter? Heavy Wetter...... help. I'm confused.

Whilst finding the right absorbency for your bub might take a little trial and error, there are some very important things you need to know to help you choose inserts that are appropriate for your baby. Too much absorbency and baby will have a unecessarly large nappy, not enough and you'll experience leaks or have to change bub every hour or so. 

Its clever marketing when you see nappies for sale and they come with something like a microfibre insert only.. that'll be enough right? Why would they sell the nappy with only a microfibre if that not sufficient for most babies? 

Its marketing. Microfibre is cheap. Microfibre CAN work for some babies, but the reality is that it's usually not nearly absorbent enough for most bubs. 

Microfibre is like a sponge, it absorbs liquid very quickly but as soon as its compressed it'll leak all its liquid. Which is great if you have a baby who floods [holds onto their pee and lets it go all at once, flooding the nappy] as it absorbs this liquid quickly.. but it's usually used in addition to other inserts (such as bamboo or hemp) to maintain great absorbency that doesn't leak when compressed. 

So what's the difference between the different types of inserts?

Microfibre: Synthetic fabric that absorbs liquid quickly but is prone to compression leaks [remember, like a sponge]. Microfibre should never be placed next to the babies skin, as its properties also mean it has the ability to draw the natural oils out of babies skin, causing rashes. 

Bamboo: Processed natural fibre. It's slower to absorb liquid but holds onto it a lot better.. and because it's a natural fibre it can sit next to babies skin. Bamboo it probably one of the most widely used fabrics for absorbency in nappies.

Hemp: Pure hemp is VERY tough. So when we talk about hemp we're actually talking about a hemp/cotton combo. Cotton is very soft [and relatively absorbent] and is usually blended with hemp to soften the fabric for use. 

DON'T BE FOOLED. Read the specifics of the inserts offered with your nappy.

Has the retailer mentioned the GSM of the fabric? Not all "bamboo" is made the same. Higher GSM = more absorbency, but usually the "thicker" the insert will feel.

Does the retailer disclose how many layers are in the insert? More layers = more absorbency.

So which one should we use?

This is where you need to allow for a little trial and error. A great tip to understand how 'heavy' of a wetter babe is, is to weigh the nappy before and after changing. Here is a rough guide for a night nappy [used for ~ 12 hours continuously] 

up to 250g heavier = Light wetter 

250g - 400g heavier = Medium Wetter

400g + = Heavy Wetter

I'm still getting leaks....

First things first. WHERE are you getting leaks? Leaks are [usually] due to the fit of the nappy.. easy way to tell if its the fit or the absorbency... simple take your inserts out.. Are they fully drenched? Or do they still have dry spots?

If inserts are fully soaked it's likely you don't have enough absorbency or you need to change babe more often. If you still have dry spots on your inserts its more likely a fit problem.

Mimi & Co Originals Nappies:

Here are our current recommendations for our Mimi & Co Originals Nappies when used as an overnight nappy:

Light Wetter: Standard Insert without Hemp Booster

Medium Wetter: Standard Insert with Hemp Booster

Heavy Wetter: Standard Insert [with Hemp Booster] AND Mimi & Co Originals Tri Fold Insert

 

Tips:

- Read the specifics of the inserts you're about to purchase

- Establish if leaks are because of a fit issue or an absorbency issue

- Determine how 'heavy' of a wetter babe is, and adjust absorbency from there

- ASK US for advice. We are always here.

 

 Love Mimi xx