Gurus, help me troubleshoot my leaking Best Bottoms! (long)

JEPES1348

I posted last week about daycare unknowingly using Desitin and having new and worsening leak issues. I ran my BB stay dry inserts under water, and it beaded up like a duck's back and ran right off. I spot cleaned with Dawn in the bathtub and hand rinsed like crazy until there were no more suds. While the inserts were still damp, but wrung out, I ran them under water again, and the beading/repelling appeared better, but I wasn't sure how much better since they were still damp. I then ran 7 or 8 (lost count) hot water cycles without detergent (we use Nellie's btw).

Yesterday was the first day using the stripped diapers, and I swear, the leaking was worse! It seemed like she leaked out of almost every diaper. It was so bad and she went through so many outfits that they eventually put her in a disposable (first time they've ever resorted to that). I am incredibly bummed and defeated. I honestly have no idea what to do next. She leaked out of the BBs at home too. I changed her out of her nighttime fitted, and by the time we got to daycare, about 30 minutes later, she had leaked through the new diaper. 

Could I have mineral buildup? Could LO's shape be changing and they don't fit her as well anymore? We used fitteds under BB covers over the weekend while I was stripping, and those never leaked, so I don't think it's the BB covers themselves. I also tried unsnapping the rise and snapping them one snap tighter around her belly, rather than the one snap looser they had been when the cover sat more around her hips.

Thoughts? I do have prefolds, a variety of fitteds, and BB and Blueberry covers, but I really want my Best Bottom system to work again! (  

Please help!

JEPES1348

Also, I'm using medium inserts, but I do have larges that have never been used, so I will try those over the next few days to r/o a fit issue vs insert issue.

JEPES1348

AFwifelife said:

The stay-dry inserts need compression to work so running water on top isn't an accurate test to see if they are repelling.  It's probably the fit that is the issue.

Somewhere in my flustered head I knew that. See? This is why I ask- I never think of everything!

JEPES1348

They're dry. There is some pee still on her legs (because I try to catch it and change so quickly), but the insert feels nearly dry, like only a little liquid was absorbed. 

JEPES1348

I've never stripped with RLR, do I soak them in the solution for any amount of time, or just empty the packet in the washing machine and run a cycle?

sarenu1

How did you spot clean with Dawn?

Did you scrub with a brush? Most people recommend using a toothbrush to really work it in.

PipSqueak0313

To tell if my son was wet when using the stay dry inserts I had to feel the underside of the insert as the stay dry side will feel dry even when the thing is soaked. (I mention it since some of my family would only feel the stay dry side and think his diaper was dry) I would lean towards her having outgrown the absorbency/fit based on the couple times that we've been delayed changing ds's diaper and had the insert soaked and had almost (but not quite) pools of liquid inside the cover but no leaks. That leads me to believe that even if the pee ran off the top side it could still be absorbed by the mf underneath,, unless it was running out a gap in the legs first.

JEPES1348

I felt both sides, because even if I change a "dry" diaper, I take it out of the cover and throw it in the diaper pail to be washed. Both sides were barely wet, but her legs had un-absorbed pee on them. The cover didn't have pools of liquid, but her onesie was drenched. The leaks also occur at the waist and leg area; it varies.

I spot cleaned with a soft brush to work in the small amounts of Dawn. It could very well be the fit, but they still seem to be fitting fine, based on what I can see, anyway. I'm just stumped. Or dumbfounded, rather.

JEPES1348

I have city water, and have never tested it, so I have no idea how hard or soft our water is. It doesn't feel soft, by any means. 

TJ1979

But... if it's running down her legs instead of pooling in the cover, doesn't that suggest a gap somewhere?

JEPES1348

TJ1979 said:

But... if it's running down her legs instead of pooling in the cover, doesn't that suggest a gap somewhere?

Perhaps? But it's snug everywhere that I can see. And I always make sure the insert (and tag on the insert) are tucked in. So I guess I should try stripping with RLR and also double-checking the fit. Mind=blown. I've NEVER had issues with my BBs!

TJ1979

But your large inserts should be desitin free right?  How close is she to fitting into those?  Maybe just a trial day of those?

JEPES1348

Yes, the larges are brand new and untainted! I just unsnapped the rise, so the larges should fit, but the crotch is a little saggy, so I don't know that she needs it unsnapped. The legs still seem snug enough and, like I said, I can't see any gaps even though the middle of the cover crotch sags a bit. But since the rise is now longer, I've hiked the diaper up a little higher around her waist. I'll play with the fit a little and see if I can't get the larges to fit. It's hard to figure it out when she's at daycare the whole day and I only change a few diapers in the evening and not a single one in the morning since I just put a new one on after I take her ON fitted off. 

unaveragejane

Ok, this might be a weird idea, but what if you wrapped one of the possibly-repelling diapers in microfleece and put it in the diaper upside-down (as in microfiber side up)? The fleece should protect LO's skin, but I'm thinking this would help you determine whether or not there's residual diaper cream on the top sides.

KLXVI

Did you unsnap the rise before or after you were having the leaking issues?

JEPES1348

After, because after yesterday's leaks at daycare, I started to think it may be a fit issue. But the morning diaper leaked today with an unsnapped rise. Grr...

KLXVI

I'm pretty sure that I still have the rise snapped for L and he's a bit bigger than your daughter. I vote for trying the other inserts or prefolds.

JEPES1348

Yeah, I was thinking she didn't need the rise fully unsnapped. I'll try some other inserts, and maybe even try the inserts in question in other covers, so see if I can get a better fit with Blueberry covers. Sheesh, this is a puzzle.

KLXVI

The other option is to buy more TTs

JEPES1348

KLXVI said:

The other option is to buy more TTs

I wish! My husband would give me eyes. Not good eyes.

CLLDLL

I'm with MK that if it was Desitin you'd see spots. Especially when the fleece is wet.

If it's mineral buildup I would guess your fitteds would be having the issue too, unless those are newer than your BBs??

An RLR strip wouldn't hurt though. At least it would rule something else out. Start with clean diapers. Empty a packet into hot water ( I use my laundry sink, but you can use a TL washer too. Soak anything with PUL for no more than 1 hour anything without PUL for 2-3 hours. Then rinses 4-5 times to get everything out.

Also fit wise when you lay her on her back and lift her legs toward her head do you see gaps?

JEPES1348

The fitteds are just as old, but less used that the BB inserts. If it is a buildup issue, I could see the fitteds being a little better because they don't get used/washed nearly as often.

I have lifted her to inspect, and I see no gaps so far! It's sort of been a gradual onset of leaking, getting worse and worse, until it was at it's peak yesterday. Buildup and poor fit would both make sense in this scenario, since neither happen overnight. 

I really appreciate everyone's input and insight! I'm going to strip with RLR, play around with unused Large inserts, try different covers and the "leaky" inserts, and play around with the fit. Hopefully I'll get this sorted out soon.

TJ1979

FWIW you can still use the large inserts with the rise snapped down one.  Just make sure the insert is tucked in in the back.