Fleece cloth diaper cover by WinkyDinks.

The following question has come up several times lately:  My fleece diaper covers leak!  What do I do?

Remember, when using fleece covers, it’s not 100% waterproof, just like with wool (and even pul – polyurethane laminate –  if you don’t change often enough). It’s not that it leaks, it just compression wicks, which means that when it touches something, (compression), and the diaper is full of moisture, that’s got to escape somewhere…  Try adding doubler and changing just a tad more often!  This should help with compression wicking, or compression moisture.

Also, if you’re making your own, try doubling up on the fleece, if it’s plain store bought fleece.  If you put two layers instead of one, or you purchase a thicker fleece, it should hold longer! )

I have a picnic mat/blanket that’s a layer of nylon and a layer of fleece.  It “says” it’s waterproof, however, it can only keep SO much moisture out.  When the ground is damp, it’s perfect.  When the ground is saturated, I can’t expect it to hold out that water… it’s going to seep through.  Same with diapers! 🙂

This actually goes for PUL covers as well.  If the diaper is OVERLY saturated, that moisture has to escape somewhere, so it’s going to go out the openings via leg, out the front, up the back..

Oftentimes, it’s remedied by simply adding another insert or doubler, and changing sooner!

Please don’t resort to fabric softener!

Sometimes, people suggest adding fabric softener to the wash for your covers only.  I DO NOT!

Mile High Monkeys Fleece Longies by MyHatty!

Why?  If you add fabric softener, not only does it break down the quality of the fleece (it will wear out faster), but fabric softener tends to build up over time.  This can cause one of two things – transfer of fabric softener to your diaper which should NEVER have any kind of relationship with diaper fabric, AND cause stink issues!  Transfer of fabric softener to the outer part of my diaper is a good thing, you say?  No, it’s not.  Once fabric softener is in fabric, and you wash it on hot, what it tends to do is leach from whatever fabric it’s on, transferring to the other diapers in your wash!  Not only that, but what happens if you accidentally throw your fleece fabric softened cover in with all the other diapers!?

Babies in cloth need to be changed more often!

Cloth diapers aren’t like disposables!  You can’t let your baby sit in them for hours.  They do need to be changed!

Hope this makes sense! 🙂