Old style nappies just had something to catch the wee and something to do them up with. Then there was the invention of lovely plastic pilchers that kept clothes at least a little bit dry. Now we are a bit fussy, and Modern Cloth Nappies have all sorts of options including super-absorbent, anti-microbial absorbency, water resistance and stay-dry linings.
Absorbency
Absorbent materials are the workhorse of the nappy!
For a little baby, how much you need depends on how long you want the nappy to last. To last longer, add more. Or if you change frequently you don’t need much absorbency. As they get older the way babies wee changes – instead of many small wees they start saving them up and doing fewer, bigger ones. Some toddlers may remain fine with relatively light nappies but others may need a lot of boosting, because while their nappy is dry for hours, when it rains it really pours.
You might need to consider two types of absorbency – total amount, and distribution. Total amount is pretty easy to understand, people generally talk about the number of layers. But consider a fitted nappy, which is absorbent all over, compared to a pocket nappy which just has a strip through the crotch. Obviously the fitted nappy will need less layers for the same absorbency, or will be more absorbent for the same number of layers. This is where wicking becomes important – the ability of the fabric to move wee around and how fast. If your fitted nappy is made of something that wicks really well, it will use all that extra material at the sides and back. If it doesn’t wick well, you will end up with a big wet patch that may leak through on the crotch while the rest of the nappy is dry. And that’s really annoying.
Because different absorbent materials have different strengths and weaknesses, I like having a combination in my nappies. So for example all my pocket inserts have some microfibre, because it’s quick, and some hemp or bamboo, because it’s reliable.
Water resistance
Not water proofing! The problem is that if something is water proof it is also air proof, which is not good for little bums. Obviously water resistance needs to be on the outside, but it can be a separate cover or an integral part of the nappy. There are advantages both ways, it depends what you are after.
Separate covers can be used with a folded pad inside them, or they can be extra boosted by adding more absorbent layers inside or outside the nappy itself. Some can be re-used without washing, and there are some called things like longies, flongies, shorties, florties or soakers that can replace pants or trousers, especially as pyjamas. And if you put them over a fitted nappy they are an extra line of defense against leaks because there are two sets of elastic seals.
Nappies like pockets or AIOs with integral water resistance tend to be trimmer and easier to put on, because there is only one thing to worry about.
Linings
There is a lot of talk about ’stay-dry liners.’ All this means is that the lining is some form of polyester, it could be a velour, fleece, suedecloth or anything else soft. Synthetic fabrics are generally non-absorbent, so wee goes through them into the absorbent fabric below. It won’t keep babies completely dry, but they aren’t sitting right up against wet fabric. I feel a difference when my baby’s been wearing a pocket, which has a stay-dry liner, or a terry flat without one. And from talking to adults who use nappies it does make a difference in the comfort.
The other main type of liner is all natural for babies who react to synthetics. There are many nappies with cotton or bamboo velour liners for their softness, and really rashy babies may need raw silk. This is the material least likely for there to be a reaction but it isn’t in general stock – you may need to get some from a fabric store and hem it yourself. Natural liners are not stay-dry, and may wick moisture onto the outside of some nappies as well.
