Assuming these are new diapers, how often did you wash them? New diapers need to be washed usually several times (in hot water with detergent, although you only need a smidge for prewashing) to wash away the natural oils so they can absorb properly. I've heard that this is slightly less critical with bamboo in the sense that they are supposed to be useable after just 2-3 washes but they still won't achieve maximum absorbency till they've been washed about 10 times.

That said, 3-4 hours may indeed be a little long. I'm surprised she doesn't need changing before then just because she's pooped. Newborns and small infants typically poop so often that absorbency isn't an issue. But I'd say every 2 hours is a good guideline. I can't imagine that she sleeps for 3-4 hours, wakes for a feed and then is right back to sleep is she? If she does sleep for long periods like that and she's still saturating a diaper even after you're sure it's been prewashed enough, then maybe you could consider a liner. Honestly though, for a newborn to sleep that long without waking and without pooping would be pretty unusual. If she does, count yourself very very lucky!! Most newborns sleep a lot but usually only in painfully small increments!!

Remember also that it's normal for the outside of the diaper to feel wet and perhaps for the cover to be a little damp as well. The diaper will feel wet outside any time baby wets, even if it's just a little, the whole purpose of the cover is to keep this wetness from touching clothing. We're so used to disposables that many parents new to cloth feel there must be something wrong if the outside of the diaper is wet, when really it's totally normal. Now, if the whole entire diaper (front, sides & back) are saturated, that's a whole other thing. If the whole diaper is saturated then yes you do need to consider changing more often or if that's really impossible (ie baby is sleeping and hasn't pooped - poopy diapers must be changed asap even if baby is sleeping and even in disposables) then you can add a liner for absorbency.

Oh, and I'd maybe give the cloth another shot even if the whole umbilical stump hasn't fallen off. If the wet diaper isn't touching the stump then I'd say the gooeyness may just be some slight secretions from the stump healing. The really critical part is that the wet diaper doesn't touch, but if you feel the cover is really making a difference you could always try folding it down so the stump is outside. Combine that with more frequent changes and the diapers absorbing more from a few more prewashes and I'm sure the cloth will be fine.

Karen.