leaks

leaks and cloth inserts

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photo by jessica lambright

photo by jessica lambright

So if you’re here, it’s either because you went the choose your own adventure route from our troubleshooting post, or because you used that handy dandy search feature off to the right. Either way, it sounds like you’re having some frustration with leaks while using cloth inserts.

First, let’s look at fit. There are some similarities with leak issues for using either gRefills or gCloth. Rather than insert them all here, feel free to peruse these pro-active tips for ensuring a good fit.

On to the task at hand: tackling leaks with cloth inserts. Are you using gCloth or a different cloth insert? The reason we ask, is because gCloth are specifically designed to fit inside the little gPants. They’re trim and don’t require any folding. We’ve heard from other parents who have used other brands of cloth inserts with success, and we think that’s great! Bottom line is we want you to have a functioning cloth diaper that’s easy on everybody. But! If you’re using a bulky cloth insert that requires a lot of folding, chances are it’s not going to fit inside the little gPants very well. It will add a lot of fill to the inside of the snap-in pouch and lift the trim of the pouch off of baby’s skin, breaking that oh-so-important seal. That’s one way leaks can happen. So. Please make sure that the cloth insert you’re using fits inside the snap-in pouch and does not compromise the seal.

Moving on. Let’s make sure your cloth inserts (we’ll assume they’re gCloth at this point) are at peak absorbency. If you begin to see a performance decrease in your gCloth or if you find your gCloth doesn’t smell so fresh, even after washing it’s time to strip them. Stripping cloth simply means you wash them in a way that removes build-up from detergent and/or diaper cream. It gets them back to absorbing the way they should, and helps tackle any ammonia smell. Check out our blog post on stripping gCloth inserts.

gCloth inserts (or other cloth inserts) will not be quite as absorbent as our gRefills. It’s just the nature of cloth. Since babies are all different and require different diapering needs, you might need to adjust the frequency of diaper changes to accommodate the different level of absorbency.  It would be on par to need to change a cloth diaper every 1-2 hours, and a gRefill every 2-3 hours. Some tips we’ve gotten from our gMums is to:

1.  Use one gRefill and one gCloth for naps and overnight (use the gCloth beneath the gRefill)
2.  One of our gMums coined the phrase “hemp sandwich”.  She would use 2 gCloth inserts with the hemp sides facing each other and has great success with this method
3. Keep gRefills on hand for longer trips out of the house

Hopefully that will help you figure out those pesky leaks. If not, as always, give us a ring. Or check in with the super savvy cloth-diapering parents on our facebook page. Collective knowledge is pretty rad.

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noooo leaks, please.

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photo courtesy of Brandi Bolinger

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!

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thanks a bunch.

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photo by Emily Shaw Lapish

photo by Emily Shaw Lapish

Baby got back. And thighs. And those thighs are often wonderfully chubby. We can’t get enough of them. Those beautifully chubby baby thighs do a funny thing to diapers. They squeeze them together, and the end result is a bunched up diaper. We call this bunching. And so do you.

Now, since gDiapers aren’t a one-piece diaper like disposables, that bunching phenomenon is a bit more obvious. The gRefill or gCloth gets squished together and, if its wet, it stays that way. We’re here to tell you that that’s okay. (The rhyme there was unintentional, turns out we’re multi-dimensional.)

Bunching does not affect the function of the gDiaper, nor the fit, nor the cute factor (which is important). The purpose of the snap-in pouch is to not only hold the gRefill or gCloth in place, but also to catch whatever mess the refill doesn’t. This is one reason we’ve made the pouches so easy to clean and re-use…because they’re gonna get dirty when baby poops.

Now, if you’re finding that the mess is getting onto the little gPant (which totally does affect the cute factor), then there may be a fit issue. And thank goodness we know how to fix those, too. In the interest of not drifting too far off topic, we’ll point you to our post on troubleshooting leaks for that.

So, if we know bunching happens (it does) and we know that people are asking about it (they/you are), then why haven’t we done anything to stop it from happening? Well. Since it doesn’t affect the function and fit (and cute factor!), in truth we’re not too fussed over it. But, we have indeed tried. Nothing yet has worked to the point of celebratory bells and high fives throughout all of gHQ without compromising our biodegradability and cradle to cradle certification, or compromising the function of the diaper, all things we think are pretty important.

Bottom line? Bunching is fine.                                                                                    (Rhyming again without intent! But we’re pretty sure it’s time well-spent.)


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trouble, trouble. shoot.

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Oh goodness. Leaks? Let’s fix this. We’re going to ask a couple questions, and based on your answer, may send you over to a different blog post. Because reading one reallllly long post to try to find the answer you need, well, it’s about as productive as changing a diaper right before baby poops. So we’re going to try to anticipate the, uh, poop, and get it right the first time.

Moving on. So you say you’re having leaks with a gDiaper. Okay. Are you using a biodegradable gRefill or a gCloth? gRefill? Stay right here. gCloth? Hop over to the post dedicated to gCloth, please.

Leaks with gRefills

First, we have to ask, how often are you changing baby? Babies should be changed every 2-3 hours, regardless of the diaper they’re in (except cloth, which should be changed more frequently). If you’re having leaks within that time frame, you may just need to change more often. That aside, let’s say you just changed baby and uh oh, it wasn’t contained. Then we’ll move on to this question:

Where is the leak happening?

Are you finding that the waistband is getting wet? If you see leaks high up on the leg or near the waistband it signifies that the gPant is being secured too tightly.  If the waist is too tight, the trim on the pouch will be nice and taut up around the belly but there will be gaps underneath all four snap tabs, leaving that area vulnerable to leaking. So loosen it up a bit. The trim of the pouch should be flush against the skin. Disposable diapers require that you pull the waist super tight. It’s how they try to keep the messes inside. gDiapers are different. The waist should be secure enough to keep the trim of the pouch against the skin, but over-tightening will work against you.

Are you finding the leaks are happening in the crotch area?

If you’re finding that there’s wetness on the colorful cloth cover in between baby’s legs, it’s a pretty clear indication that the snap-in pouch isn’t sitting quite right. The trim of the pouch should run along the very utmost crease of baby’s crotch, right where inner thigh meets groin. Think of it as you would put on your own underwear. Pull it all the way up. Then, secure the little gPant. When it’s all on, take a peek under the leg bands and see if there’s any gaping. The trim of the pouch should be flush against the skin. If you can see a gap, you’ll want to re-adjust.

Those are the two types of leaks we sometimes hear about here in diaper therapy. The nice thing? They’re few and far between, and when they do happen, these little tips do the trick nicely. And once you’ve got the hang of it, you can’t unlearn it. And then we’ll pin you with a certified “deputy diaper therapist” badge and send you off into the world to change diapers, for good.

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