Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a nappy sprayer?

 

It’s a bidet sprayer that you connect to your toilet. You can find one at any hardware store, or from selected cloth nappy retailers. It makes dealing with poop a lot easier after baby starts solids.

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Q: How often do I need to change a cloth nappy?

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Change every 2 - 3 hours during the day (same as you would with any nappy) for hygienic reasons and immediately for a poo nappy. If you use an absorbent enough nappy at night you shouldn't have to change it until morning.

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Q: Can I use bum cream with my cloth nappies? What is safe to use as bum cream on my cloth nappies?

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It is not necessary to use bum cream with every change like you would when using disposables. Babies in cloth nappies are less prone to rashes, so you only need to apply bum cream when you notice some redness. Some moms also like to apply bum cream as preventative measure before putting on an overnight nappy, just because the nappy is on for so long. 

 

Most commercial bum creams are not safe to use on cloth nappies as they create a thick barrier on the nappy, which prevents the urine from being absorbed and causes leaks. If you do want to use these types of creams it is advised to use a liner. If some cream accidentally gets onto the nappy, you can remove it by scrubbing the residue with sunlight dish washing liquid and an old toothbrush.

 

The following locally available creams are safe to use on cloth nappies without the use of liners - Cheeky Monkey Bum balm (Little Lily, Biddykins, Little Details), Sproglets (Smart Bums), Oshana baby natural barrier cream, Kylie Co little bum balm, Olibee bum balm, Wriggly tin, Earthly Lure, Foxybums bum balm, coconut oil, Oh Lief, Pure Beginnings, Enchantrix, Mother Nature, Bloublommetjies, Natraloe, Little Ladybugs bum balm, Ladybird, Naturally Beauty-full, Earth Babies, Cotton tails bunny bum balm.

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Q: What is the deal with microfiber? Why do some love it and others hate it?

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Microfiber is a synthetic fabric that absorbs very quickly, it’s also one of the cheaper options and dries very quickly. The downside is that it is prone to compression leaks when baby starts moving more. Think of microfiber as a sponge - absorbs very quickly, but releases  liquid under pressure.  If you buy microfiber inserts, just bear in mind you might need to replace it with natural fibers at some point as baby gets older and output increases.  Also see in fabrics

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Q: I'm getting leaks, why?

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There are multiple reasons you can experience leaks, but leaks are NOT normal with cloth nappies, if you have the right solution, fit and absorbency, you should not be experiencing leaks: 

• Firstly, check the inserts or absorbent part of your nappy, if it's completely soaking wet when it leaks, it simply means you need more absorbency. You can either add more inserts, boosters or change more often. You can also use different fabric, for eg natural fibers that hold more liquid. (some fabrics can cause compression leaks, like microfiber). For hygienic reasons you should change every 2-3 hours regardless

• If the inserts/absorbent part is not completely soaked, the most likely culprit is the fit: Make sure the elastics are in the panty line and that the rise snaps are adjusted for your baby/toddler's size and that there are no gaps around the legs. The inserts/flat/prefold should also be covered completely by the outer waterproof cover, make sure nothing sticks out

• Make sure your waterproof cover is in tact and not de-laminating/has micro-tears (you will see a plastic film detaching from the print if you look on the inside of the PUL/TPU). This is VERY rare however, if your PUL is de-laminating, contact your supplier to get it replaced

• If you are using fleece as the outer layer, you can get compression leaks if your baby wears tight cotton clothing over it

• Please post on our Facebook group to get advice from members that can help you troubleshoot the cause

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Q: Can cloth nappies damage my baby's development?

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A common question is whether the bulk (of some cloth nappies) can cause hip problems or make a baby walk bow legged. The answer is a very definite and reassuring NO! Some cloth nappies can cause your baby's legs to be spread wider, but that is actually the optimum for them (especially as a newborn) as it supports their hips better. In the past hip dysplasia was treated by putting the baby/toddler in two bulky terry square nappies at a time so the legs could be spread wider to support the hips and encourage healing.

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Cloth will actually protect your baby when he gets mobile too! It's a lot softer to land on a squishy cloth bum, so your experimenting baby will actually thank you for his beautiful and soft landing.

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Q: Can I use (insert brand name) cover over a flat, prefold or fitted nappy?

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Generally yes, you can use any cover over these nappies, regardless of brand. If you want to trifold a prefold or pad fold a flat it is normally best to use a snugger fitting cover as it will hold the prefold/flat  in place better. For terry squares and fitted nappies a roomier cover normally works better to cover the entire nappy.

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Q: Can I send cloth to daycare/creche?

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Yes! A lot of moms send cloth to creche. It always helps to do a small demonstration for the team at daycare so they know how to put the nappy on properly. For the daycare cloth is no more effort than disposables, you provide enough cloth nappies for the day and a wet bag (where they can store all soiled nappies). When taking the nappy off, they simply put it in the wet bag instead of in the bin, Some might offer to throw away the poopy liners, but this is not necessary. Many moms simply deal with the poop once they get home and then move the used nappies to the laundry bucket until wash day. Feel free to direct your daycare provider to our information on cloth at daycare. 

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Q: How do I prep new cloth nappies before using?

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Before using your new nappies it is recommended to wash them once just to get rid of any dirt that might have collected with packing and shipping etc. Keep in mind that natural fibers need to be washed 8-10 times to be fully absorbent, so if you want max absorbency from the start, you need to wash them repeatedly. It is however easier to prep on the bum, just keep in mind you will have to change baby earlier the first 8-10 times until they reach their full absorbency capabilities. 

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Q: Why do some people revert to disposables after starting cloth?

 

It’s usually because of misinformation and expectations that are not realistic. Some reasons for people to get discouraged:

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• Stinky nappies: This is due to not using the correct washing routine and believing the cloth myth that you can not use mainstream detergents. Any detergent not containing fabric softener is safe to use on cloth. Have a look on the Washing Cloth section to see how easy washing cloth really is and to get a fail-proof washing routine

• Unforeseen costs or challenges: A lot of people start with pockets as entry level cloth, since pockets are very easily available and seem very cost effective to start out with. Many pockets are only sold with 1 microfiber insert, which means a new cloth mom will start out very positive and with no leaks, but as soon as baby gets a bit older, they experience lots of leaks and don’t understand why. Microfiber tends to get compression leaks as soon as baby starts moving, most babies and toddlers will also need at least 2 inserts at some stage to not leak. This means an additional investment that the cloth mom did not anticipate, which can be discouraging and off putting. To avoid this, make sure that you buy natural fiber inserts from the start with your pockets and budget to have at least 2 inserts per pocket, this will give you a more accurate total cost calculation for your stash as well as prevent possible leaks. 

• Using OSFM cloth on newborns: Most one size cloth options are too big for newborns and only really start fitting well at 5+kg, so the leaks (due to incorrect fit) and the bulk of OSFM nappies on a newborn might make a new cloth mom turn back to disposables. See using cloth on a newborn section

• Frequency of changes: Cloth needs to be changed every 2-3 hours for hygiene reasons (Disposables too, but most moms don’t change that often). For some babies that are heavier wetters, cloth needs to be changed every 2-3 hours to prevent leaks too (depending on what nappy types and brands you use) and if you are not prepared to change as often, it might turn you back to disposables. Usually a mom going cloth also does it for the hygiene and health of their baby (in addition to the environmental aspects and cost savings) so changing often won’t be an additional challenge as they would do it in disposables too.​  Cloth nappies do have more absorbent options for nap times and night time (so you don't need to change at night)