Finding a leak free solution for overnight cloth diapering can be tricky and varies between babies.
If ever there is a time you want a tried and true measure again blowouts, it is when you are out in public or half asleep in the wee hours of the morning.
Overnight cloth diapering can be intimidating. And if you have ever dealt with a poop explosion, you know how easily it can hamper a fun day or restful night’s sleep. Newborns tend to have rather volatile bowel movements. They have young digestive systems and are prone to gas. Pair that with a liquid diet leading to nearly liquid poop and you are bound to see some explosive poo episodes.
I have suffered a few bad experiences with blowouts in disposables. The flimsy elastic just cannot always compete. But I also dealt with a few blowouts in pocket diapers as well. There is nothing wrong with pocket diapers. I love them, but sometimes I cannot get the fit quite right in the legs and some poo finds its way out. It’s been six months since I last dealt with a blowout and it wasn’t fun. It was actually a disposable diaper and we were at a restaurant.
I learned my lesson and know to stick to foolproof methods. For me, that is fitteds with gusseted covers. A fitted cloth diaper has elastic leg casings and fits like a pocket diaper except it does not have a waterproof shell. When I pair a fitted with elasticized leg holes and cover/wrap with leg gussets, there is never a leak.
Nada.
Not ever.
This is why fitteds and coves are my foolproof method for over night and going out during that runny poop phase. I’ve tried several brands of fitteds, and no matter how much absorbency each had, solid waste never escaped. The diaper could be drenched, but blowouts just do not happen. The double protection of a fitted and cover keeps it all in the diaper every time. I have posted previously of my affection for Thirsties duo fitteds.
So in order to avoid an entire outfit change or overall public mess, I love fitteds for errands and long stroller rides. And since they don’t defect for me, I like them for overnight too. At least for the first year. When it is 3:00 AM and I am up for a feeding and diaper change, the last thing I want, is to need to change the pajamas and sheets as well. Blowouts are a pain, but they are really unpleasant in the middle of the night. I don’t have that problem with fitteds. We generally don’t have urine leaks with them either. In fact many of my friends swear by fitteds with wool covers for a leak free overnight option when nothing else worked.
It can take a lot if trial and error to find your solution for certain cloth diapering situations. The trick is the keep an open mind and do not overlook any options. I initially thought fitteds and covers were silly since it seems more expensive than pockets or prefolds. But every cloth diaper type has its uses. Sometimes an item you scoffed at in the beginning is your perfect solution.