photo courtesy of Brandi Bolinger
Let’s just start with this: there is no diaper on earth that is 100% leak-proof. Occasionally we’ll get a call in to diaper therapy here at gHQ with the question “Can you guarantee gDiapers won’t leak?”. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher. “Well, no,” we answer. Every baby is different. And among all the different babies, every parent’s changing habits are different. And then among all those different things, there are the details of size and fit. But the good news is that’s where we can help.
Our sizes, like all diaper brands and their respective sizes, are guidelines. Back to the babies-are-all-different thing, and it’s true that some little pumpkins may find a better fit outside the size chart. But we can always help figure that out with you. Just give us a call, send an email, reach out on facebook or twitter, or think it REALLY loud and we’ll do our best to hear and respond.
Alrighty. A little pro-active protection against leaks. How big is baby? Check out this groovy size chart:
So, pro-active step #1: make sure baby is in the right size.
On to pro-active step #2: make sure the trim of the snap-in pouch is all the way up in the crease of baby’s legs, in that highest yummy chubby fold. It should sit on baby’s body the same way underwear fits on yours. The pouch’s job is to form a comfortable seal around baby’s body, keeping the mess contained. If the trim is gaping in the legs, well, it could get messy.
Pro-active step #3: secure the velcro tabs gently around the back, taking care to not over-tighten. When on correctly you should be able to easily slide a finger under the waistband of the little gPants. If it’s on too tightly, it could lift the snap-in pouch off the skin, breaking that seal.
Pro-active step #4 (boys only): make sure the penis is pointed down. Not much more to say about this one.
Pro-active step #5 (and then we think we’ll call this good – more than 5 suggestions and you might begin to think that diapering is hard, and truly, it’s a piece of cake): change baby often. Biodegradable gRefills are going to be more absorbent than cloth (whether our gCloth or any other brand). 2-3 hours is a good rule of thumb, with a bit more frequent for cloth.
Leaks will probably happen once in a blue moon. But that’s it. If there’s a leak, and you look up in the sky and, uh oh, no blue moon, then you might want to re-visit these pro-active tips. Or, troubleshoot with us. And how handy is this, we’ve blogged about troubleshooting, too. Hooray!
Every time I use my Tiny gPants with my 6lb son, they leak. I even tried doubling up the gCloth inserts. Even when I don’t go very long between changes, they leak. I am very disappointed. If they don’t work now, how are they going to fit when he’s 7 and 8 ;pounds?
Hi Helen. We strongly recommend using the gRefills inside the tiny gPants, which is why we give you 80 of them in the gBaby bundle. Moisture wicks down into the bottom layers of the gCloth, which can then permeate through the stitching from the velcro closure. Another suggestion if you would truly like to use cloth is to double-up with the hemp sides touching (a customer calls this “the hemp sandwich”), as that way, the wicking stays in the middle layers and doesn’t press against the stitching.
I had the same issue when my DD was born. They make the tiny size to work best with the gRefills. I used them for a bit, then I just figured that it wouldn’t hurt to try going up in size to the smalls — perfect fit, even though she was just barely 7 lbs. The gCloth works GREAT in those and the mediums!!
My little girl is 7 1/2 weeks and we’ve been using gcloth since she was about 3 weeks. Up until recently, we only had leaks once in a while, no real cause for concern, but the past 3-4 days she has had major leaks at least 2x a day!
As our children got older and started wettin more, we had the same problem. We doubled the gcloths and, as suggested by another parent, found that hemp sides together works even better.
Once the little ones moved up to a size medium, we used a small insert underneath the M/L/XL insert. For our son we kept the doubled part up front, and for our daughter we keep the small one more centered. We also made sure the pouch wasn’t getting stuck under the waistband–that led to some rather messy leaks.
Hope that helps.
My son started wearing the gdiapers this week, but he keeps having leaks. It seems to be in the same place everytime. It leaks where the diaper comes together at the velcro. Any tips?
Hi Karen! we’re having the same problem … did you find a solution to the leaks where the diaper comes together at the velcro?? Thanks!
Sounds like you might be putting your gPants on too tight. If they’re too tight it can cause the pouch to gap, which can cause leaks at the corners. Try attaching the velcro where it falls and see if that helps. Good luck!
Yep — I went thru this, too. I was simply velcro-ing the dipes closed too tightly. It didn’t seem like it, b/c they were just barely snug, but that’s where the dipes leak if you’ve got them on too tightly — just loosen up a bit and that should do the trick!!
Have you thought about making the biodegradable inserts in a reverse hourglass shape? We haven’t had any leaks outside of the diaper, but we commonly have poo get on the plastic pouch because the insert tends to scrunch up in the middle (baby is 12 months and very active).
I just started using gDiapers a couple of days ago on my 2 month old, and this exactly has happened with every poo so far with both the gRefills and gCloth inserts.
Thanks! No more leaks here
I have issues with the snap in inserts leaving red marks on my baby’s skin. I’ve tried putting them where they’re suppose to go, in the creases of her leg/groin, but she still gets red marks. Any suggestions?
Yikes! Please email us directly, info@gdiapers.com.
Have you considered making the cloth diapers into an hourglass shape to reduce bunching in the middle? Every #2 that comes our way ends up being a mess on all sides and underneath in the pouch. Luckily the pouch catches most of it, but overall it would be a better fit if it was curved slightly.
I have been using gdiapers for about 2 weeks and I have noticed that every time I change LO the back of the diaper feels wet. I am not sure i am putting the liners in correctly. I really want this system to work as it is the easiest cloth diapering system for my husband o understand. But I don’t get why she is always feeling wet. Please help!! We are using gcloth liners. LO is 3.5 months.
I got the newborn size for my 8 lb baby. I can not use the cover more than once. Evry pee soaks thru which is weird cuz i thought that these didnt do that. And almost evry poop drains out at her legs. I almost didnt use them cuz tryin to put them on her it seems small. Especialy compared to another newborn diaper i have. So i finally tried again and got the velcro done but its seems soo tight at the top and loose on her legs no matter what i do. And the velcro is rubbing her legs badly. And she screams frm it. Not only do these things work horribly. They are hurting my baby. Very disappointing.
Oh no! Please email us, info@gdiapers.com. Something is not right.
How can I prevent leaks at night? My baby sleeps more than 2hrs straight. It’s my first time trying gDiapers n he wakes up with leaks. I’ve had this problem for three nights, that’s how long I’ve had them. I really want to make these diapers work. Please help.
Send us a note! info@gdiapers.com. Kelda and Heather (our diaper therapists) have lots of tips for you. :0)
I really love these diapers but my son is continually having leaks by the legs and sometimes at the top. After reading the advice I am going to try loosening up the Velcro tabs to see if that helps with leaking above. I need suggestions on how to prevent leaks around the legs. I am washing the gpants almost everyday. I have 12 pants and am washing 2-3 every 2-3 days sometimes more frequently. Which part should be touching baby’s skin, the disposable insert or snap in? I feel like I am not putting then on right because my son also gets a lot of reddened indents in his legs and belly. Help!!!