One of the most common problems when having a newborn child is supporting it with its steady supply of diapers. Many stay-at-home mothers are forced to start finding online jobs or side gigs to keep the supply of cash flowing for the baby’s needs. A quick and easy solution to stop buying regular diapers is cloth diapers. Cloth diapers function just like regular diapers except for being reusable. The most challenging part is how to put on a cloth diaper. Unlike regular diapers, some cloth diapers have a specific folding technique depending on its type.
How to Line the Diaper?
Cloth diapers have two layers. These are the outer and inner layers. The outer layer is made from a waterproof fabric that looks like normal clothing. The inner layer is a liner that acts as an absorbent layer stuffed into a pocket type cloth diaper. Most people call them inserts because, as the word suggests, they are usually inserted inside the cloth diaper’s outer layer before the folding process. The liner usually doesn’t need to be folded in a specific manner, unless it doesn’t have fasteners.
Some people ask about the difference between inserts and liners, and how do cloth diaper inserts work? Inserts are the absorbent part of the diaper’s inner part that comes along with the liner. The insert’s job is to absorb more liquid waste while the liner’s job is to catch more solid waste. Both of these parts are washable and reusable, so you don’t need to worry about replacing them whenever used.
How to Put On a Cloth Diaper
The way you put on a cloth diaper highly differs from putting on a regular diaper; this applies to any cloth diaper but mostly the pocket cloth diaper type. The pocket cloth diaper usually comes with a lot of fasteners to adjust the diaper and fit the right size for the newborn child, with that being said, here are the following steps on how to wear cloth diaper for a newborn:
First, check if all the fasteners are open and fasten the ones below the baby’s pelvis to adjust its size. The fasteners on the diaper side are for wrapping around the baby once it is worn so you don’t have to mess with them as much during this first step. Second, you have to start placing the diaper on the underside of the baby; on regular diapers, you would usually place this higher than the belly button. Still, on a cloth diaper, it is recommended to start in an area lower than the belly button. Third, wrap the diaper around the baby and fasten it to the middle part of the diaper according to the baby’s size. Start from the top fasteners and work your way down to the leg openings. Lastly, recheck if the diaper is tight enough so no leaks would fall out and hide all the inner liners that are peaking out of the diaper.
One note here is that these are the steps for a pocket diaper with a liner already inserted as part of the diaper. In the scenario of putting on a cloth diaper with liner and outer layer worn separately, always put the liner on first before the outer layer. The liner can be folded in different ways depending on its type, but it is highly recommended that you take a liner with fasteners for an easier experience.
How to Double-Check the Placement of the Diaper?
Remember that it’s the job of a diaper to catch waste falling out of a baby, so your first job is to check if the diaper is too loose around the waist and leg areas. These areas are usually left loose for comfort, but in the case of a cloth diaper, it should be tighter to make sure no waste spills out.
Fasteners usually have three to four sets on the wings, so make sure these are all fastened for a good fit. Another thing to take note of is your baby’s solace in his/her diaper. Sure, no waste might fall out, but you may be suffocating the blood flow of the baby’s legs or waist area. Getting the right balance between the two is a challenge, but it is essential for someone using a cloth diaper.
If you know how to put on a cloth diaper correctly, you’ll have no problems such as leaks or overflows to the diaper’s outer layer. You will also notice that the baby will have to problem moving his/her legs even if the diaper is usually a tight fit. One way to tell this is if the baby’s legs or waist turns red just after changing its diaper, its skin may be irritated from being constricted due to irregular blood flow. Know more about cloth diapers.
Conclusion
Learning how to put on a cloth diaper is a difficult task, especially for beginners. It can be painstaking to practice all the folds of the inner liner and trying to get the perfect fit for the outer layer without suffocating your baby’s legs, but in the end, it will result in no spills and all fun for you and your baby. Cloth diapers will be expensive at the start but will save you more money in the long run as long as you have the time and energy to dedicate yourself to washing up after your baby’s mess. The cloth diaper is also environmentally friendly because of its reusability and use of natural materials in its production.