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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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?
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.
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?
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.
TTC with PCOS since November 2009
IUI#1 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 3-7) = BFP, m/c IUI#2 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 5-9) = BFN IUI#3 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 3-7) = BFP! beta #1 11/23 = 270, P4 = 75 beta #2 11/28 = 2055 Our daughter E was born 7/29/2012! Surprise, our 2nd daughter P was born 5/22/14!
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.
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.
Married 8/2008.
IVF with PGD March 2013.
3/22 ER: 25R, 20M, 15F. 9 genetically normal, and 3 survived to Day 5
3/27 ET: transferred 1 embryo, beta 9dp5dt=163, 12dp5dt=639
4/25 1st ultrasound at 7 weeks = identical twins with heartbeats?!!!
PPROM at 31w, delivery at 32 weeks of two beautiful girls
Re: Preemie prefold disaster
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.
IUI#2 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 5-9) = BFN
IUI#3 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 3-7) = BFP!
beta #1 11/23 = 270, P4 = 75
beta #2 11/28 = 2055
Our daughter E was born 7/29/2012!
Surprise, our 2nd daughter P was born 5/22/14!
3/22 ER: 25R, 20M, 15F. 9 genetically normal, and 3 survived to Day 5
3/27 ET: transferred 1 embryo, beta 9dp5dt=163, 12dp5dt=639
4/25 1st ultrasound at 7 weeks = identical twins with heartbeats?!!!