Tips & Tricks

TROUBLESHOOTING

- Leaks -

Try a different fold: some have more of a “pocket” or seal on the legs than others, but since every baby is different, just try a few others and see how it goes.  

Try jelly rolling in the fabric at the legs or using the Goodkey method (see Youtube video here) - does wonders for leaks, especially for the runny newborn poop stage.

Try adding more absorbency by either using a fold that has more wetzone layers (diaper bag, origami, pickman, are a few), or simply adding a booster folded into the wetzone of the flat.  

Try changing the diaper more frequently, perhaps it just is soaked too fast or frequently.

Try a different flat that absorbs more or is faster to absorb. 

- Skin Irritation -

If your baby is having increased redness, dryness, and/or irritation in their diaper area – first check with your medical professional that it is not needing treatment (such as infection, yeast or allergy). Once that is ruled out...

Try adding a stay dry liner to see if the issue is wetness sensitivity (or changing the diaper immediately if possible once wet).

Try using a cream/ointment to moisturize and create a barrier for the skin. Most are cloth diaper safe, but if you are not sure, use a liner to protect the flat from oil stains or buildup that may impact absorbency. 

Try a different fold since maybe the fabric is rubbing more on the thighs since it is thicker and becomes damp and irritates the skin. Some are more trim in the middle - like origami or pickman. 

If these suggestions don’t help, consider your wash routine. Be sure that your diapers are thoroughly rinsed before washing, and you are using a detergent that gets them clean. Any urine that is not thoroughly washed out will likely create ammonia buildup and cause skin irritation (and smell once they are wet).  The Unicorn Baby Beyond Clean detergent does a fantastic job at cleaning cloth diapers! 

Finally, very rarely some babies are sensitive to certain fibers. You may want to try only using one type of flat to see if the irritation resolves, then reintroduce the other flats fabric and see how the skin reacts. Be sure no other variables have changed in the process. 

- Nighttime Diapering –

Don’t be intimidated by using cloth diapers, especially flats, at night! Since you can customize the fit and absorbency to exactly what you need, they will be one of the trimmest nighttime cloth diaper options you can find, while also one of the most absorbent! Plus, they will clean much better and faster than most other cloth diaper options for night. If you do like fitteds, check out our snapless fitteds which allow for more size customization having no snaps! The elastics may help keep all the wetness in when using covers with looser leg openings (like wool soakers). 

Suggested flats for night – Super double flats in Fresh or Brazen are pretty much bulletproof! They are fluffy but for an overnight cloth diaper they are on the trim side, considering how much they absorb.  Some need a booster but that is for super heavy wetters. Otherwise the single layer flats in Fresh fleece, Cheeky fleece, or Brazen French terry are a great overnight option for light/moderate wetters. Adding a medium or large booster to the wetzone will help almost any flat become night worthy.

Using a stay dry liner is especially helpful since many babies’ skin do not tolerate the prolonged wetness during the night. Using a wide stay dry liner can help those who get leg irritation from the wet flats or fitteds resting on the skin for that long. 

Fold suggestions for nighttime: For tummy sleepers, suggested folds are diaper bag fold, airplane fold, and origami. For side sleepers, suggest using folds with a good seal on the legs like kite, ava, neat fold. For back sleepers, suggest using pickman/gaynor fold.

 

FOLD PICTORIALS

For further info/discussion see the FB group album

To make a larger flat smaller for a newborn/infant, you can simply fold the four corners into the middle and then proceed with the fold as usual. 

 

 

More to be added soon!

Disclaimer - I am not a doctor and suggestions are not to be taken as medical advice. These tips are from my own experience from what I have learned through using flats for a couple years and observed from hundreds of customers/friends. The suggestions may not work for you. Please feel free to ask for more help in the facebook group.