Let’s Talk MCN: Toddler Cloth
Starting cloth later in the game is a decision plenty of parents make. Babies are bigger, you’re more confident in your choices, if you’re one of the lucky ones your baby has even learned how to stop wriggling for nappy changes. But starting cloth with bigger babies has it’s own set of problems. Read along to find out how to tackle them.
Leaks
Larger babies drink more, have larger bladders, and tend to hold on to their wee, so it makes sense that as babies grow larger you might end up with leaks. Some brands keep costs down by manufacturing inserts made with microfibre. While this is great for stash filling, microfibre inserts are prone to compression leaks and do not hold as much fluid as other inserts on the market. They’re a great fast absorber, and definitely have a place in your nappy set up, but if you find you’re having trouble with leaks; try adding in a 100% hemp or bamboo insert underneath. Natural fibres hold up to 2.5 times more fluid than microfibre inserts, making them a great addition to your routine.
Child Initiated Nappy Free Time
Most cloth parents keep body suit snaps and pants off their child to see the cute patterns they’ve bought, but this comes with the risk of your older child learning how to undo their own nappy. Snaps are harder to undo for small hands, velcro users (myself included) have come to learn the hard way that velcro is easier to remove. To avoid your little Houdini wizarding their way out of their nappies, many parents will put zip onesies on backwards, wear pants with snap crotch body suits over the top, or put a second strip of velcro over the top of the tabs.
Fit Issues
Larger babies need larger nappies, how big your child is when you start cloth will influence which brands you make your purchases from. Larger weight guidelines are becoming more popular among brands in the Australian market, but there are still fewer brands than would be desired. Less competition for similar large nappies, means brands can get away with charging whatever they like, some even going for almost $40 a nappy. Depending on where you sit with overseas mass production, company ethics, and price point; you may not have a lot of options. Many Work At Home Makers (WAHMs) will have a pattern for a Large One Size Fits Most (LOSFM) nappy, with many offering slight discounts for bulk purchases. LOSFM nappies generally have a higher weight starting point, but will end around 20-25kg as a general rule.
If you don’t have access to any local WAHMs, the various cloth VIP groups can help you with fit checks, and suggestions on how to improve your fit with larger children.
Visit our Bellelis VIP for cloth troubleshooting.
written by Morgan of @morganaveril.mcn