Preemie prefold disaster

nursesarah22

I have a little 5 pound preemie that we just started cloth diapering yesterday. It was a fail. We tried both, preemie and newborn prefolds overnight and she soaked them to the point where it leaked out of the legs and I felt like she needed a bath after every change. She gets up to eat every 3 hours. It was such a disaster. She does have newborn Alva Baby pockets, but it's too big for her around her legs.Any advice on what we can do to better this, before the hubby goes to the store to get disposables?

jcwinsto

Did you prep correctly?  Wash and dry 4-5 times?  How often did you change her? Were the prefolds saturated (practically dripping)? Or were the covers just not tight enough?  Where was the leak?

nursesarah22

I got my newborn and infant sized prefolds used, the preemies prefolds were new. I washed all of them together with hot water and very other wash I used a touch of detergent. I was them 6 times and dried them every time I washed. They were soaked, but not dripping. They were leaking from the sides and leaked all over her bouncer. I'm using Asunta tiny covers and snapped them up the middle to make them tighter.

nursesarah22

The preemie and infant prefolds are Bumkins . Couldn't see the prefolds coming through the sides of the cover. I made sure the covers were tight and snapped them up the middle.

freezorburn

I'm unclear from your OP -- how often are you changing?

nursesarah22

The only marks on her were from the wet prefold. I'm changing her every 3 hours. The NB prefold are Bumkins.

YellowLily2013

It's typically recommended to change every 2 hours. Maybe that will help!

YellowLily2013

Plus with little babies you really want to change as soon as you notice that they are wet or dirty. I was changing 15 ish diapers a day! That's the luxury of cloth it doesn't cost more to change often.

nursesarah22

This is 3 hours at night. She wakes up every 3 hours to eat. We change her more often during the day, but she's also awake more often during the day.

jcwinsto

Maybe try using a larger prefold and folding it down to fit.  It will be bulky but it mght work. Or use a doubler like PP's suggested.

nursesarah22

I tried a newborn (next size up from preemie) and my husband said it was the same thing. She soaked through. I folded it down in the back and folded it in a jellyroll. I do have some infant (next size up) that I could try but they are the size of her.

YellowLily2013

If you don't have doublers you could fold some cloth wipes as doublers. 

3 hours isn't very long, and the baby isn't very big... you could also try fleece liners for a more stay dry feeling at night, so you don't feel like you need to give her a bath. And maybe try another cover, if it's leaking out the legs maybe they covers just aren't fitting well?

sumati

Maybe try a wool or fleece cover or soaker at night?  A doubler would help add some more absorbant layers too.

Rrrrrachel

what about using two preemie prefolds?  I promise it will get easier as she grows into more diapers!

sarenu1

I used flannel cloth wipes with my NB prefolds when I needed a little more absorbency.  

It might also be the cover.  Sometimes my son would saturate a diaper and the cover would still keep it all contained.  The problem with babies that small is you really need a good snug fit at that age.  Have you tried different covers?

nursesarah22

I only have the Asunta tiny covers. I want to try to not spend any more $$ on extra diapers or covers that she'll outgrow soon (she's growing like a weed!). Getting some flannel or fleece and making inserts would be fairly cheap. These material wick away moisture so her poor skin won't get red, right?

abby8279

You could try one prefold folded around her and snappi'd and also another prefold trifolded on the outside of that.  Or try workhorses.

jcwinsto

My guess is that the covers just aren't quite tight enough yet and you are getting some wicking.  I used Assunta tiny covers on my 7 lb 7 oz baby and they weren't very flexiible and I had them set on the middle rise. 

nursesarah22

I attached some pictures of the cover. It's as tight as I can get it around her belly without squeezing it too much. It's loose around both thighs. Any suggestions?

TJ1979

Fitteds? Would newborn fitteds add enough bulk to help the fit? Just a couple for overnight wouldn't be too expensive, and if you get snap less they will fit longer than a typical NB dipe.

sarenu1

That cover looks way too big (other's can clarify this).  I couldn't find any size ranges on their site.

Even on my 7.5lb boy I used xs Bummis Super Brite covers for 3 weeks.

jcwinsto

I know the Assunta's are smaller than a Thirsties Size 1.  But I would imagine with a baby that small you would need an even smaller cover.  I guess it depends how fast she will grow as to whether you want to buy a couple smaller covers or buy sposies.  You might be able to get by with 2-3 covers if you wipe them clean at each change and hand wash as needed. 

sarenu1

If you don't mind used, I'm looking to sell 2 more of my xs Bummis Super Brite covers.

Let me know, I can get them in the mail pretty quickly.

Just send me a PM.

PurpleIris30

My girls were 3 and 4 lbs when they were born.  After they were released from the NICU, we had to use preemie sized disposables until they were big enough to fit into the covers, which happened about 6 lbs.  Looks like you're having a similar issue in that the covers are just too big yet.

nursesarah22

I did end up getting a pack of diapers to give her some time to grow and get fat on her tiny legs...will have to try again in a week or so.