Solutions for Leaky Diapers - Tips and Tricks
Photo by @madame.vio
In many of the parent groups I'm a part of, the frustrating topic of leaking diapers, especially at night, keeps coming up. It's not just annoying because you have to redress your baby every time, but it also means you're always a bit on edge, thinking that the diaper is going to leak again.
Why do my diapers leak? Reasons for diaper leakage can include: the wrong diaper size, poor fit, inappropriate changing rhythm, and slow absorption of fluid.
In this article, we'll educate you on the reasons for diaper leakage. We'll cover both cloth diapers and disposable diapers. We'll also show you the best back leak protection for diapers. In our tips and tricks at the end, we'll show you more ways to make your diapers leak-proof.
Why Do Diapers Leak?
To solve the problem of leaky diapers, we first need to figure out the reason why they are leaking. The following are possible causes:
Wrong Diaper Size
One of the main reasons for leaky diapers is the wrong size. The size of the diaper guarantees an optimal fit and ensures perfectly sealing cuffs and sufficient absorbent material. Especially with newborns, the transition to the next size is often unnecessarily delayed, leading to more frequent accidents.
With Judes, we have developed cloth diapers that are as easy to use as disposable diapers. However, we have designed our diapers in such a way that two diaper sizes can cover the entire diapering period:
- Size 1 fits your baby from birth up to 7.5 kg
- Size 2 fits from 7.5 kg to 15 kg
Incorrect Fit of the Diaper
Another crucial point is the proper fit of the diaper to prevent leaks. For perfect back leakage protection, the diaper should not be too tight nor too loose.
With cloth diapers, the following guideline has proven effective: If you can slip two fingers between the diaper and your baby's belly, it fits just right. Additionally, you should make sure to tuck the leg elastics well into your baby's groin.
Here again, Judes diapers make it particularly easy for you. Thanks to the hook-and-loop fasteners, they are infinitely adjustable and can thus be optimally adapted to the shape of your baby's body. The flexible cuffs at the back and legs provide additional protection.
Inappropriate Changing Rhythm
No matter how absorbent a diaper is and how well it fits, if you wait too long to change it, it will eventually leak. Therefore, pay close attention to an optimal changing interval. This also helps prevent the development of diaper dermatitis. During the day, you should change your baby at least every two to three hours.
Slow Absorption
The most common reason for leaking diapers is not the wrong size, poor fit, or infrequent changing. Usually, it's not that the diaper can't hold the amount of liquid, but that it simply does not absorb it quickly enough. So-called superabsorbents in disposable diapers may hold a lot of liquid, but not quickly enough. Especially in the case of babies who urinate in spurts and have large amounts of breast milk stool, the liquid simply rolls off and shoots out of the diaper instead.
Judes , on the other hand, are designed to absorb liquid very quickly. The extremely dense material of our diapers is woven into up to 12 layers. An additional layer of protection is provided by the elastic cuffs. As a leakage guard around the back and legs, they fit snugly, ensuring that everything stays inside the diaper.
Photo by @madame.vio
Why Judes Are the Best Choice
Not only do leaking diapers become a thing of the past, but there are countless other reasons to choose Judes . Judes have been developed to be just as easy to use as disposable diapers. In addition, our cloth diapers come with further advantages:
Protect Your Baby's Skin
Unlike disposable diapers, cloth diapers are free from chemicals and completely breathable. Judes's inner diaper is made of 100% organic cotton. This material is not only highly absorbent but also ensures good air circulation within the diaper, thereby preventing unpleasant skin irritation and eliminating the need for unnecessary creams and ointments.
Note: The use of cloth diapers is not a guarantee that your baby will never experience a diaper rash. Apart from direct skin irritation, this can also be caused by solid foods or teething.
Your Baby Will Be Potty Trained Earlier
Unlike diapers with superabsorbents, your baby receives natural bio-feedback in cloth diapers. The sensation of wetness allows your baby to recognize a connection early on, which is important for development and becoming dry. Our study has shown that children in cloth diapers generally achieve potty training almost a year earlier on average.
Waste Reduction and Environmental Conservation
A child requires approximately 5,000 diapers during their diapering years. This amounts to about one ton of diaper waste if the child is diapered with disposables. When looking at the global waste situation, all the alarm bells start ringing. A single disposable diaper takes about 450 years to decompose. Moreover, plastic never fully decomposes but remains as microplastics. By using Judes, you can help to save our planet. And it's quite simple.
Here you can find more about waste and the sustainability of cloth diapers.
Tips and Tricks to Prevent Leaking Diapers
Regardless of whether you use cloth diapers or disposable diapers, you may also be searching for the best back leak protection for diapers. Here we have compiled all the tips and tricks to make your diapers leak-proof.
Leaking Diapers in Belly Sleepers
Once your child can turn over, they might discover how comfortable it is to sleep on their belly. For belly sleepers, there's often a problem with diapers leaking at the front during the night. There are several solutions for this:
- With disposable diapers, you can try folding the waistband inwards to create an additional barrier that prevents leaking. Alternatively, for belly sleepers, it is commonly recommended to put the diaper on backwards so that the larger part of the absorbing area is at the front, allowing urine to be absorbed more quickly.
- If you’re using cloth diapers, the use of booster inserts is recommended. These absorb an additional amount of liquid and thus prevent the diaper from overflowing.
Penis Pointing Downwards
For little boys, you should definitely make sure that the penis is pointing downwards in the diaper. If it is pointing upwards or to the side instead, leaking is almost inevitable.
Open Bodysuit
To prevent pressure on the diaper, you can either leave the bodysuit open or choose one size larger. This way, you prevent the diaper from being squeezed out like a sponge due to the pressure.
Too Much Absorbent Material
Newcomers to cloth diapers tend to be overly generous with the amount of absorbent material. However, "more is better" is not applicable in this case. On the contrary, too much absorbent material prevents the proper fit of the diaper, thereby increasing the likelihood of leaks.
This is one of the reasons why Judes are so simple to use. With the pre-made inner diaper, you don't have to worry about how many inserts of which materials you need to use.
Restlessness on the Changing Table
Every baby reaches an age when the world becomes too exciting to lie still on the changing table. Here are a few tips to give you enough time to properly fit the diaper:
- Play, Sing, Clap: Make funny faces, sing amusing songs, and draw your child's full attention to you.
- Have some Toys ready that your child only gets to handle on the changing table, keeping them exciting and buying you some time.
- Change of Location: If the changing table is too boring, then change on the couch, the carpet, or somewhere else where your child has something to see.
Spare Clothes
Make sure that you always have enough spare clothes with you when leaving the house, in case something does go wrong.
Prepping Cloth Diapers
In order for cloth diapers to reach their full absorbency, they need to be prepped by washing them multiple times. With Judes, the full absorbency is achieved by at most the 6th wash.
Photo by heymattallen from Pixabay
Conclusion
Leaking diapers or a lack of back leak protection is a common issue. Disposable diapers often cannot absorb liquid quickly enough, causing it to shoot out of the diaper. Also, the wrong diaper size, a poor fit, or an inappropriate changing rhythm can contribute to diaper leaks. Regular and correct diapering significantly prevents this problem.
Judes adapt to your child's body, preventing constant size changes. They are easy to use and extremely absorbent. They absorb a lot of liquid in a short time, which means that everything stays in the diaper even for heavy wetters. The extra back leak protection serves as double security. By dressing in loose clothing and properly prepping the absorbent material, you can ensure that the leak protection is guaranteed.
Have you ever had problems with leaking diapers? Feel free to share your solutions in the comments with us!
