Tips and Troubleshooting

Here you will find answers to the common questions that plague new parents when it comes to cloth diapering. You will likely come back here a few times over the next months and years. Babies grow and change quickly, and just when you think you’ve got everything under control, a new phase will kick in and you’ll have all new questions.

If ever you have a question or concern and cannot find your answer, don’t fret. We are here to help! Please contact us, and we can try to help you over email. If your issue is more involved, you may want to consider scheduling a Phone Consultation or attending one of our Support Groups!

  • How often do I change my baby?
    • You'll want to change your baby every 2-3 hours, or immediately if poop is detected. It's common to time diaper changes with feedings.

  • How many diapers am I provided?
              • Twee are provided with 180 diapers rotated over 2 weeks (90 per week)
              • Small are provided with 160 diapers rotated over 2 weeks (80 per week)
              • Medium are provided with 120 diapers rotated over 2 weeks (60 per week)
              • Large are provided with 100 diapers rotated over 2 weeks (50 per week)
    • After delivering your full rotation of diapers over 2 weeks (half each week), we then return to you the exact number of diapers that we picked up from the week before.

      If ever you need to adjust your diaper quantity, just log in to your My Account page.

  • How do I care for my Diaper Covers?
            • TPU Covers (Esembly and Thirsties)
              Covers do not require laundering after each use. It's perfectly normal to swap between 2 covers throughout the day until one ends up soiled. When it comes time to wash, use a clean-rinsing detergent like our Esembly Washing Powder and follow the instructions below:
              • pee covers: In between diaper changes, just wipe it down with a baby wipe and set it aside to dry. Use a fresh cover for that change. And at the next diaper change, switch back to the first cover. And so on until one gets soiled.
              • poopy covers: Will need to be laundered, either with a quick hand-scrub in the sink with a bit (only a sprinkle!) of detergent or by including them in a load of your regular household laundry (or diapers, if you're home-laundering) Be sure to still use a clean-rinsing detergent when including covers with your household laundry! You can expect to encounter lots of poopy covers with newborns. This is totally normal. The cover is there to catch and prevent any messes from hitting clothing, bedding, etc.
              • Check your covers’ care labels, but most covers let you wash your covers right along with your household laundry (or diapers, if you're home laundering) in the washer.  Remember to only ever use a clean-rinsing detergent!
              • At any point in the above, you can add a bit of chlorine bleach to help keep the covers "fresh".
              • Warning: if you use a detergent that’s not clean rinsing, you will encounter leaking and smelliness caused by detergent residue.
            • Wool Diaper Covers
              You will need to lanolize your wool covers before first use.

              You will want to use Lanolin Oil. Some people claim that you can use Lansinoh, but we have never had much success with getting it to distribute evenly across the cover.

              • In your bathroom sink, dissolve a pea-size amount of lanolin oil in about 2 quarts of very hot water. (just let the hot water run from the faucet)
              • Soak the wool cover in the sink overnight (or for at least an hour).  You can do multiple covers at a time, just add a bit more lanolin and water for each additional cover.
              • Squeeze out excess water (it helps to roll and press the covers in a towel) and hang to dry.
              • For brand new covers, repeat this process 4 times to make sure they are fully lanolized. (you do not need to dry them in between, just give them a good squeeze to remove excess moisture).
              • You will then want to re-lanolize every 4 weeks (or sooner if the cover begins to lose its water-resistance).
              • For regular care, let your cover air dry in between uses and wash it weekly (or sooner if it smells stinky when dry*) with a Wool Shampoo**.

              *The cover will smell from a wet diaper, but this odor dissipates as the cover dries; the lanolin in wool actually neutralizes the urine in the cover (amazing!). If, however, it’s still stinky once it’s dry, then it’s time for a wash.

              **Using a Wool Shampoo/Wash that contains lanolin helps to extend the time between re-lanolizing.

  • How do I use my cloth wipes?
    • Cloth Wipes are fantastic. They enable you to get your baby's booty clean in ways that disposable wipes couldn't dream of! You can sign up for cloth wipes service here. Service wipes get turned into us each week with your diapers for laundering. To use, store your wipes dry in your changing area. Wet the wipe with our Wipe Up Wash Kit right before use. Then toss in your pail with your diapers. For wiping on the go, slip a few pre-moistened wipes in a Petite Pouch. Be sure to empty any unused wipes into your pail at the end of the day as pre-wet wipes should not be stored for more than 12-24 hours.

       

  • How do I avoid leaky Diapers and Covers?
    • Our diaperkind diapers are "blow-out" proof. Which means no mess should ever escape the diaper cover. If it does, here are a few things to check:
      • Diaper Size. Check the size range of your diapers. It might just be time to move up in size!
      • Cover Size. Check the size range on the tag of your cover to see if it’s time to purchase larger ones!
      • Prefold Folding Technique. We recommend the Angel Wing or Jelly Roll from the videos above. They are the best "containment" folds out there by far.
      • Snappi. Make sure you are using a diaper fastener.
      • Wicking. If any of the cotton from a diaper is peeking out from the cover, wetness will "wick" into your babies clothes and bedding. Make sure that every last bit of cotton is tucked inside the cover.
      • Do not tuck the diaper inside that inner flap on the cover. That flap is an extra water barrier where the velcro has been stitched. Tucking your diaper in here will dramatically reduce absorbency.
      • Nighttime. Most diapers need an extra boost in order to last a full 12 hour night without any leaking.  So, when you begin to encounter nighttime leaking, check out the Nighttime Solutions section for tips on how to stay dry throughout the whole night.
      • Boys. Make sure you point his penis downwards. This can seriously make the difference between a ton of leaking and zero leaking.
      • Detergent Residue on your covers.  It is imperative that you use only a clean-rinsing detergent for washing your covers.  If you use any other kind of detergent, your covers will get leaky and smelly.

        If ever you encounter Detergent Residue, here’s how we recommend "stripping" your diapers. You can order our Cover Stripping Service and have us take care of it for you. Or, you can wash your covers with 1 scoop of our Washing Powder and 2-3 ounces of chlorine bleach (regular blue-biottle Clorox).

      If all else fails and you are still struggling, consider booking a Phone Consult with us and we can try our best to help you get to the bottom of it.

  • How do I avoid staining and ruining the diapers?
    • Our washers are perfectly geared for babies and the organic matter that they produce.

      • The diapers are regularly lab-tested to be clean, sanitized, pH-balanced and free of any detergent residue.
      • The set of diapers that you initially receive are free of any stains and discolorations.
      • And the diapers being returned to you will be 100% stain free too* UNLESS you partake in any of the uses or actions listed below. And you are responsible for the Replacement Cost for diapers whose stains we cannot remove. 
      • Below are some simple ways to avoid staining your diapers:
        • Do not let diapers go longer than one week without laundering.
        • Do not collect dirty diapers in plastic sacks or in the plastic sacks that come standard with conventional diaper pails.
        • Please ONLY ever use diaper creams or oils that we carry on our Shop page. Or you’re also welcome to enlist 100% Olive Oil, 100% Almond Oil or 100% Coconut Oil. But be sure to avoid the use of ALL other diaper cream, moisturizers, and oils. If you do encounter redness or rash, see these Tips for help.
        • When your baby begins eating solids, be diligent about plunking the poo into the toilet. See these Tips for how to most easily do this task.
        • We have found that Fish Oil and some fish oil-containing Prenatal and DHA supplements taken by a nursing mom can cause diaper staining. If you find this is happening to you, consider switching your brand of supplements to a vegetarian brand like Pure Encapsulations Prenatal Nurtients, Pure Encapsulations DHA Ultimate, or Spectrum Vegetarian DHA Essentials.
        • Never use the diapers for household purposes.

        *A small percentage of families will see some yellow discolorations coming back each week despite having followed all the "rules". We are working to figure out why this happens and will keep you posted with any new developments. Rest assured, even with the yellow "diaper art", the diapers are 100% clean, sanitized and ready for action.  So put them to use just like normal.  And as long as these discolorations are not caused by one of the culprits above, we will be able to soak them out when you move up in size so you will not be held responsible for any replacement costs.

  • Can you tell me everything you know about diaper rash and diaper creams?
    • Our recommendation is to skip the use of any creams or oils unless you see redness coming on. So long as poopy diapers are changed right away, a baby’s skin is usually a-okay going all natural.

      If, however, you find that a daily moisturizer or rash preventer is helpful or you have a rash coming on or persisting, please use only the few proven cloth-friendly creams that we carry on our Shop page (descriptions below) and avoid the use of ALL other creams.

      The reason: Most creams (and we mean 99.9% of them) are made with petro or animal byproducts and cheap heavy waxes. And these ingredients don’t wash out of the diapers. Ever. Which results in permanent stain damage.

        • For daily use or the treatment of minor irritationEsembly Everyday Balm - is our recommended cloth-friendly daily cream. It’s super nourishing and soothing and comes with all the amazing skin benefits of coconut oil, but without the inconvenience of it being rock-hard when cold and liquid when warm. Our balm maintains a nice ointment-like consistency across all temps.  
        • For a full-blown rashEsembly Rash Relief Cream - if you notice a rash coming on, it’s time to bust out the zinc-based cream. It is an all natural, petroleum free, cloth-friendly alternative to Desitin or Butt Paste.  The zinc oxide in this cream creates a barrier allowing the skin to heal without being further aggravated by continuous pees and poops.
        • And if the rash persists beyond 4-7 days: It’s time to go to the Pediatrician and rule out Yeast (Thrush). If your doctor does diagnose yeast as the culprit, here are some tips to get you through:
          • A doctor will usually prescribe either Clotrimazole (sold over the counter, usually as Lotrimin) or Nystatin (prescription). Happily, if you purchase the "cream" version of these medications, they are water-soluble.  So you’re all clear to use them with the cloth diapers. Avoid purchasing the "ointment" version of these, and it is a petro oil base and is not cloth friendly.
          • Be sure to use the prescription medication for the full length of time prescribed. (usually 10 or more days)
          • When treating yeast you want to be sure to add 4-5 ounces of chlorine bleach to the main wash when washing your diapers to prevent a recurrence.
        • The unavoidable newborn rash: 
          Babies require changing every 2-3 hours, or immediately if poop is detected. Problem is, sometimes they poop just a teensy tiny bit and we don’t know about it. Their poop is so acidic that irritation forms very quickly. And then they continue to poop throughout the day which further aggravates the already irritated skin. And the cycles goes on and on. This red angry newborn rash shows up right around the baby's anus in the crack of their bum where a tiny bit of undetected poop sat against the skin and now won’t heal because it continues to be pooped on. To treat it you will need to clean and dry the area thoroughly at each change. Then apply a nice liberal layer of Esembly Rash Relief Cream to the affected area. Use the rash cream until the skin is healed. And rest assured, this is a "newborn” problem. As he gets older, those secret poops become less and less common and when he does go, you’ll know it!
        • And for post-circumcision protectionAlba Un-Petroleum Jelly - is a cloth-friendly alternative to Vaseline, A+D, and Aquaphor, etc.
  • I’ve mastered cloth diapers at home - but now I want to leave the house. Help!
    • Travel can be for 10 minutes or several weeks. And cloth diapers can go right along with you. Here are the few tips to keep in mind:

      For Quick Outings and Day Trips
      • Pack up 2 to 6 clean diapers and an extra cover or two in an Esembly Day Bag.
      • Our Day Bag has 2 compartments, one for holding your clean items and one for collecting your dirties.
      • Head out into the world. Change diapers as needed and toss your dirties into your Day Bag. Then just be sure to empty the diaper(s) out into the diaperkind hamper bag/pail when you get home. Easy!
      For Weekend Trips
        • Pack up 20 to 30 clean diapers
        • 3 to 6 covers and a spare fastener
        • A bit of Washing Powder for your covers.
        • A Pail Pouch to collect your dirties. Just be sure to empty the diapers out into the diaperkind hamper bag/pail when you get home. Easy!
      For Longer Trips and Home-Laundering while away
      • Head to the My Account page and fill out the Service Schedule form to let us know to skip you for a week (or more) and plan ahead so that no dirty diapers are left behind unlaundered.
      • By filling out the form above, you’ll be provided with laundering instructions.
      • Keep in mind that you’ll need to launder EVERY 2 to 3 DAYS.  So you’ll pack...
  • I need sleep. Can you give me some Nighttime Solutions, please?
    • Once your baby starts sleeping in 6 to 12-hour stretches at night, you may need to "boost" your nighttime diaper to keep your babe dry until morning.  Here are some Nighttime Diapering solutions to try:

      • Doublers: A doubler is a long narrow pad that you layer in your diaper to give it an absorbency boost. We offer two types of Nighttime Doublers that you can add to your service. The Basic Doublers (free) Service and the Stay-Dry Doublers($8/week) Service. The Stay-Dry Nighttime Doubler Service is best for heavy wetters and sensitive sleepers because it includes a built-in layer of stay-dry fleece. Our Basic Nightime Doubler Service includes standard cotton doublers that boost the absorbency just the right amount for average wetters.
      • Wool Covers: Wool Covers are regularly suggested for use at nighttime to aid in absorbency and alleviate leaking. They can store up to 30% of its own weight in water and yet remain dry to the touch. Even while absorbent and waterproof, wool still allows circulation around baby's bum which helps prevent diaper rash.
      • Double-up your diapers: Granted, it makes for a big ol’ bum, but it also makes for a dry and sleep-filled night.  Give it a try! Some folks literally layer one diaper over the other and fold and fasten them two-as-one.

        Other families prefer to tri-fold the second diaper and use it as a "doubler". The easiest way to do this is to place the trifolded diaper into the cover itself (rather than on the baby). So that it’s sandwiched between your diapered baby and the cover.

      • A "Sleep Change": One last thing that can help with even the heaviest wetters is the "Sleep Change". Most wetting happens within the few hours after that last pre-bedtime feeding. So, if you’re still awake a few hours after that (and if you think your babe will stay good and groggy), slip in and do a stealthy diaper change. You’ll find that you’re changing a super soggy diaper, but that the dry one that you put on will last you the rest of the night!
  • Am I ready to Size up (or down) my diapers?
    • Here are our diapers' general size and weight guidelines (please note that this only applies to our diapers. Different brands have different dimensions and therefore different weight ranges).
      • Prefolds, the Twees size fits babies from 4 - 7.5 pounds
      • Prefolds, the Small size fits babies from 7 - 16 pounds
      • Prefolds, the Medium size fits babies from 15 - 22 pounds
      • Prefolds, the Large size fits babies from 20 - 35 pounds (potty training)
      • Fitteds, Size 1 fit babies from 7 - 18 pounds
      • Fitteds- Size 2 fit babies from 17 - 35 pounds (potty training)
      For Prefolds only:  So that your diaper fits comfy for its entire weight range, start to “fan your fold” for the last few pounds:
      • Use the Angel Wing Fold
      • Then, you'll need to "fan out" the center pad of the diaper so that the back "wings" don’t have so far to reach so far around to overlap.  What that means is that when you bring the center pad of the diaper up between the baby's legs, you'll want to spread it out at the top by the waist. The pad will stay narrow and trim in between the baby's legs.  You'll then take your snappi and give it a bunch of good hard stretches to break it in and permanently lengthen it. This will ensure that it is not too tight across the baby's belly as it reaches further to cinch the "wings".
  • My baby is eating solid foods. Now what?
    • It is generally between 5-8 months that most babies start accepting solid foods and begin consuming 2-3 "meals" per day. At this point, you will start to notice a shift in the baby's poo from liquid to pasty. Once this happens you will need to start flushing the solid waste down the toilet before putting the diaper in your pail. The easiest way to do this is to start using Flushers. The liners keep the "plunking" process simple and relatively ick-free. Alternatively, some families prefer to skip liners and just shake/swish/dunk the diaper in the toilet to remove the solid waste that way. Either method is ok by us! You just want to be certain that you are flushing the bulk of it.
  • Do cloth diapers affect my baby’s mobility?
    • Remember how a cloth diaper is bulkier than a disposable? Well, some parents worry that the bulkiness might hinder their baby's "rolling over", "crawling" and "walking" milestones. Trust on this: a poofy bum will NOT get in their way once they are ready!  The generations of us who were cloth diapered before he can attest to this.
  • I have a very squirmy baby. Any advice on how to get through diaper changes?
    • Once a baby learns to scoot and roll over, they may find that diaper changes are so boring! And he may go to great (rolling, wrestling, spirited) lengths to avoid them. Here are some tips:

      During changes, make sure that your baby is horizontal to you and, if possible, on a changing table. Use your left hand (if you’re right handed) to gently hold your baby’s tummy or both legs at the ankles while cleaning. Never take this hand off the baby. It should always be in control of the baby until you are to the point of fastening the diaper. Use special toys, books, games and songs during changes to keep your baby occupied. Communicate with your baby that this is a time to be still. As your baby grasps the concept of being still, this habit will help in many, many other situations. If your baby is allowed to be "in charge" during diaper changing times, they will insist on this authority at many other points.

      The above phase is true with disposables or cloth. Do bear through - this phase is a short one!

  • How can I use my diapers at Daycare?
    • Contrary to common belief, the Department of Health does not prohibit the use of cloth diapers in Daycare Centers.  In fact, according to the DoH, Daycare’s are meant to be amenable to the parents’ choice! With that... here’s a Cloth Friendly Daycare.pdfwhich contains:
      • Our current running list of Cloth Friendly Daycares
      • The official NY State Department of Health’s guidelines and link.
      • and our recommendations on coordinating the day to day cloth/daycare routine (please email us if you know of a cloth-friendly Daycare that we can add to our list!)
      And, here’s a good article with tips on introducing cloth to a first-time daycare center. Convincing Your Childcare Provider to Use Cloth Diapers
    • If it ends up that your daycare or babysitter of choice is not open to using cloth diapers, please email us interested in part-time cloth diaper service) and we can come up with a service plan to keep you in cloth part-time.
  • Our baby is ready to potty train (we think....). What now?
    • Here's the DK-recommended potty training method. Which, in our no-time-for-potty-training-busy-lives, skips the daytime training pants step. However, diapers will still be needed for NAPS/NIGHTTIME for a while longer...

      Disclaimer: We're all meant to "wait until our kid shows signs of readiness/excitement". The only problem: Does anyone really know what that means?  So, start feeling it out around 18-24 months. And then go to Step 1 when you're ready.

        • Step 1 (Week 1)

          Pick a full week designated to (daytime) potty-training and nothing else.

          • stay close to the house
          • commit to 100% undies. NO DIAPERS ALLOWED.  (except at night/naps)
          • so go nude-y or undies-only.
          • there will be lots of accidents.
          • but after a few days of pee-running-down-the-leg, he/she will be on board.
          • continue nighttime/nap diapering as usual (covers + prefolds + doublers, if used)
        • Step 2 (Weeks 2 to 4 +/-)
          • venture further from the house
          • have every accessible potty mapped and plotted
          • wear ONLY undies or cloth training pants.
          • pack a change of clothes.  and socks!  and shoes!
          • continue nighttime/nap diapering as usual (covers + prefolds + doublers, if used)
        • Step 3
          • venture even further
          • ditto to everything above, but slightly more leisurely
        • Step 4 (potential regression)
          • lots of kids can regress for any number of reasons.
          • if this happens, you're meant to pretty much start over at either Step 1 or Step 2.
        • Step 5 (Nighttime/Naps!)
          • a lot of people say don't even bother until your child is 3+
          • regardless of age, though, continue diapering at night/naps just the same (cover + prefolds + doublers, if used) right up until you've witnessed 2  full weeks of him/her waking up with a dry diaper.
          • at which point, undies can kick in for nighttime/naps too.
          • (warning:  you may encounter a toddler, as Liz did, that wakes you up every 2 hours to use the potty.  We haven't figured this one out yet...)

      There are, of course, a gazillion books and methods out there on this topic that might be better/smarter.  But we like the Just Go For It aspect of the above.  (and used it for our kids as well.  So far, so good!)

  • Do you have a referral/rewards program?
    • We sure do! Word of mouth endorsements are what have grown our business for the past 8 years. Nothing means more to us than happy cloth diapering parents sharing their enthusiasm with other new or expecting parents! For specifics on our Diaperkind Rewards program, head here.

  • Why is it that we chose cloth diapers again?
    • Let’s face it: parenthood is a giant, new undertaking that can sometimes be, well, downright hard. And every so often, you encounter hurdles or new phases that make you want to “simplify”. And sometimes your choice to cloth diaper gets the ax in the process.

      So we’ve included this section anytime you’d like a reminder that:

      • your choice to cloth diaper matters
      • cloth diapers aren’t hard, life is hard
      • and phases pass

      All that said, here it is in black and white: why is it that we choose to cloth diaper?

      When choosing a diaper, it always boils down to these 5 things:

      • Fit
      • Function
      • Convenience
      • Cost (Monetary and Environmental)
      • Comfort
      • and, for some, Fashion ; )

      With that, here’s the breakdown:

      • Fit:

        That’s an easy one. Cloth diapers, of course, fit great.

        The one difference that you’ll notice between the fit of a cloth diaper v. the fit of a disposable: bulkiness.

        Yep, cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables. That’s just part of the program: all-natural materials up against baby’s skin vs. Super Absorbent Polymers.

        The only setback that we’ve ever witnessed from that poofier bum? Your cloth-diapered baby will not, I’m afraid, fit into newborn skinny jeans. ; ) But all other clothes will fit just fine and if you really want those skinny jeans, just buy them one size bigger.

      • Function:

        That’s an even easier one. We’ve found Prefolds to function better than any other diaper; disposable or otherwise. No joke.

        Prefolds (when properly folded, fastened and covered) won’t blow-out past the cover onto bedding or clothing. Ever.

      • Convenience:

        Now here’s the category that tends to hold the key: Convenience.

        • There’s a little bit of a folding learning curve upfront. But that’s nothing.
        • And there’s the extra step of putting a cover and fastener on. But that’s nothing.

        So, the main difference between a cloth diaper and a disposable is: laundry

        And the time spent laundering? You kind of time it right along with your family/baby laundry. And then it just feels like an extra load here and there. (I know that sounds oversimplified. And maybe it is. But the point: it’s really not that much extra work!)

      • Cost (monetary and environmental):

        And here’s where it all becomes worthwhile. Monetary and Environmental costs are best compared on this .pdf where you’ll see that...

        • Home laundering is, by far, the most economical. Big time.
        • As for Environmental costs, well, cloth wins by a landslide (no pun intended). Because what it all comes down to is Waste.
      • Waste:

        Consider the impact that disposable diapers have on the planet. Without even factoring in the production, packaging and delivering of the diapers, the amount of waste they produce is almost immeasurable. Over 29 billion disposable diapers are sold in the US alone EACH YEAR. That results in 4 million tons of diaper trash. Regardless of how eco-friendly the disposable diaper claims to be, it is still going to end up in a landfill after it is used where it will sit for upwards of 500 years.

        Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are purchased once and then reused over and over again and can then be passed down to a sibling or other baby. When it is finally time to retire it as a diaper, it can live on as a rag or be donated to one of the many organizations out there that will repurpose it. Your cloth diapers do not EVER have to end up in a landfill. 

        So here’s the thing: You can use a disposable single-use diaper for 1-3 hours and then toss it where it sits in a landfill for 500+ years, or you can simply use a cloth diaper for that same amount of time, wash it and reuse it.

      • Comfort:

        Back to the fun stuff!

        This really comes down to a baby’s individual disposition. But, in general, we’ve found that babies don’t care one iota between one style of diaper vs. another.

        Most babies have fewer rashes in cloth because there are no potentially irritating chemicals to anger their sensitive skin.

      • A note on mobility:
      • Remember how a cloth diaper is bulkier than a disposable? Well, some parents worry that the bulkiness might hinder their baby's "rolling over", "crawling" and "walking" milestones. Trust on this: if walking is in your baby’s cards, a poofy bum will NOT get in the way. The generations of us who were cloth diapered before him can attest to this. Not to mention that a cloth diaper actually holds your baby's legs in an optimum wider position for hip development which is crucial (especially for baby girls) in the first few years of life.
      • And a note on squirminess:

        Some baby’s will reach an age when diaper changes are so boring! And he may go to great (rolling, wrestling, spirited) lengths to avoid them.

        This is true with disposables or cloth. And you will find many a blog for ideas on what to do if you find yourself faced with this phase. Do a quick google search for ideas and bear through - the phase is a short one!

        We like to say that this is the first of many power struggles you will encounter with your child. Decide now who gets to win ; )

      • Fashion:

        Saving the most fun for last - fashion.
        This one goes without saying - cloth and cloth accessories are soooooo much cuter!