Diapers keep leaking!

J&NL

Help! My diapers keep leaking and I don't know why. We use Gain, the one that has "crystals". For my wash routine I do one hot quick wash with cold rinse, then one normal hot cycle with an extra cold rinse then I toss them in the dryer. I don't use fabric softener. The only thing I can think of that might be a problem is the diaper rash cream (boudreoux butt paste naturals) and that we have really hard water. Any insight would be wonderful. Should I strip them? If so, can someone give me directions on how to strip diapers? Thanks! 

km_md

I'm not an expert but I do know of a couple of things that will probably come up. 

Where are your diapers leaking? What kind of diapers are they? It is all of them, specifically ON diapers, etc? What kind of washing machine do you have (TL or FL, HE or not)?

Most recommend a cold or warm initial quick wash/rinse, then hot wash, then cold rinse. So you might want to change that initial hot wash. 

Also, you may want to look into switching detergents. There are many CD friendly detergents (Nellies, Country Save are popular) and lots of ladies use original powdered Tide with success. Here is a blog with detergent info that I've used https://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/Articles.asp?ID=263

I don't know anything about your diaper cream, but that could potentially also be an issue. That blog also has cream info (https://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/articles.asp?ID=260). But CJ's and Grandma Els are really popular on this board if you are looking for other options. 

Hot water strips are really easy to do. I did one with about 5 washes with just hot water, no detergents. And then followed it with a couple of cold rinses. 

The experts will help you with the specifics, but I recommend looking into your detergent and cream, and switching from the initial hot cycle. 

Good luck!

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ElleBeeDub

If you're using pockets, are the inserts fully saturated?

J&NL

SecretAgentKate said:

A few things are probably compounding to cause leaks, so it could be some or all of the following:

detergent--Gain is not a great detergent for cloth diapers--it has tons of additives and will cause build up overtime.  this build up can lead to stink or leaks in addition to other issues--especially in microfiber.  also, how much detergent are you using?  you usually don't need as much as they say on the box, and if you're using a lot of it, you're probably getting build up from that too.  If you're looking for something you can buy at most stores, Tide Original powder is generally recommended.  If you're interested in a cloth diaper specific detergent tell us more about your water, washer, LO age, and what type of diapers you're using and someone can probably help you narrow down to a few brands that might bo a good place to start.

wash routine--like @km_md said, your wash routine seems a little off.  if you're not doing an initial rinse, then you're just washing your diapers in poop/pee water.  if you don't have it yet, you're heading for some stink issues.  depending on what type of washer you have, a good routine looks something like

warm or cold rinse/quick wash-no detergent

hot wash/cold rinse-w/ detergent

cold rinse-no detergent; check this cycle and if you see suds, continue running rinses until there are no more suds and use less detergent next time

diaper cream--this is probably your biggest issue.  even though boudreaux natural claims to be CD safe, they have zinc oxide and a handful of other ingredients that can be questionable.  can you see the diaper cream on your diapers?  if so, you'll need to clean it off.  use a tiny dot of blue dawn dish soap and scrub the spot with a toothbrush.  send your diapers through your regular wash cycle and watch the rinse cycle for no bubbles. switch to a CD safe diaper cream (coconut oil, waxelene, grandma el, cj's-just to name a few)

a few other questions that could help with leaks:

what diapers are you using and how old is your LO?

did you prep natural fibers?

did you buy them new or were they used?

I do an initial rinse. I do a hot wash/cold rinse with no detergent then a hotwash with two cold rinses with detergent. 

LO is 8 weeks old. We use pockets and hybrids mostly (Rumparooz, grovias, best bottoms). 

I have a couple of hemp inserts but the rest are microfiber. At night I began doubling up with the hemp insert for more absorption and that has helped. It's mostly when he just has one insert, it's almost as if it rolls off of the diaper instead of being soaked in because when I change him, the insert isn't fully saturated. Some are new, some are used. 

freezorburn

PPs have pretty much covered everything. You could very well be dealing with some repelling due to detergent or diaper cream.

The only other thing that could be going on is a poor fit. You need to have a really great fit around the legs and waist with pocket diapers, especially in those early months when LO is always lying down on back or belly. If you don't have a great fit, urine rolls out of a leg or waist opening before it has a chance to pass through the pocket liner and get absorbed.

mrshudson618

What size diapers are you using? How big is your baby? 8 weeks could be an in-between nb and OS stage leading to poor fit.

unaveragejane

It sounds like you've got some good feedback! I just wanted to chime in about the dryer. I'm not sure what heat setting you use, but be careful about using high heat. It will wear out the PUL and elastics faster than hanging them to dry or using a low setting.