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| My baby is 3 weeks old and I've given cloth diapering a good try. Now I'm ready to quit because they all leak. Here''s what I''ve done. I made all my diapers myself using the verybaby pattern. My layers are: inside lining-bamboo velour, sewn-in soaker layer-bamboo fleece, then I used a layer of PUL, then finished off with bamboo velour for the outer layer for a luxerious soft finish touch. The edges are all serged. I also made 2 contoured soakers to lay inside as needed. Each of these soakers are velour and fleece and serged. So, you can see these diapers are ver luxerious! They are so adorable, but that's about it! Even when my newborn just goes 1 pee, they leak right out! I've washed them about a dozen times each. I use my homeade laundry soap. They are fabricated with velcro closures. They already seem to be getting too small, maybe this is part of the reason they leak!? I've spent quite alot (time & $) to make this work, and hate to give up now. I just don't want to make another batch of a bigger size if they still dont hold. I have wondered if using PUL and serging the edges makes a difference? Maybe I need to turn the seams for the PUL to hold it all in? The pattern I used was for turned diapers or serged, but did not mention using PUL (I added this because I like the look of serged, but wanted them to be AIO) Help me save my reputation--My dh is laughing and saying "I told you it'll never last!" Any help out there? |
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Aack! How heart-breaking to have all your hard work seem useless. Though I've never tried making my own diapers, I did also have a problem with my ME's leaking at first for two reasons: 1) We needed to wash them more for peak absorbancy (doesn't sound like that's your problem, but it did take ours much more than the stated 5-6 washes to get them absorbing correctly) and 2) the cover wasn't quite right... which maybe would help you? It sounds like your diapers are FABULOUS but perhaps investing in a couple MEAF covers would help? I bought a lot of mine used on this forum ($5-$8 US each) and they work wonderfully. We very rarely have any leaking problems even if our 1 year old is completely soaked under the cover.
I've also found with her that too much fleece can actually be unhelpful... she pees so much at once (even when she was first born, which sounds like it could be part of what's going on for you) that the pee just runs right off the fleece before it soaks in. You could try not using the extra fleece liner or substituting something else absorbant(like even a piece of old cotton T-shirt or something might work!) .
Anyway, I know this might not be useful since I've never make my own, I just wanted to let you know just in case! I sincerely wish you lots of luck REAL soon!! |
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First, I want to say that although your experience must be tremendously discouraging, please don't give up on cloth diapers. I was so thrilled to find that the ME diapers and covers really don't leak--and I'm still raving about their performance after two kids in mostly the same diapers and covers. Good cloth diapers should out-perform disposables, and thus actually be easier and often less work because you're not doing all the other wash of things that got leaked on, just diapers.
Okay, so raving about ME diapers doesn't help your particular situation, but if you decide that making your own isn't the answer, please, please, please try a couple of ME diapers before throwing in the towel on cloth in general.
It sounds like you've washed the fabric enough. Unless your own laundry detergent has fabric softeners in it, that's probably not the problem at this point.
Are the leaks at the leg, like the pee is running right out, or is the pee soaking through (probably not with that layer of PUL)?
A friend of mine made all her own diapers, and she had to go through some trial and error about the right techniques and materials. I tried two of her early diapers on my son and found that they lasted through about one pee and that was it. They were fleece inside and out, one with a sewn-in soaker and one with a pocket. She eventually went with a higher-quality fleece for the exterior and realized that she needed way more absorbant materials for her soakers.
For your particular diapers, what I find myself wondering about is the actually absorbancy of the materials you're using. I have not made my own diapers or used those particular fabrics, so I am just speculating. I did a quite google for the use of velour on diapers, and what I found was its use *with* something really absorbant, like a hemp soaker (I also saw some cotton soakers). Although I know that there are different kinds of fleece, again my understanding is that it's usually used with something like cotton or hemp inside for absorbancy. I'd happily be wrong about this, but my speculation is that you have layers of soft and lovely material that doesn't absorb much. You could probably test this by putting something else in for a soaker pad, like a folded up small towel or washcloth (or do you have any of those cotton flannel receiving blankets? You could probably fold one of them up into a soaker that wouldn't be huge but would absorb somewhat). The hard part would be making sure that none of that soaker poked out at the legs to allow wicking, but if you could tuck something more absorbant inside and didn't get those leaks right away, you could take it further and find the right material for you to incorporate if you decide to sew a larger size. |
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I think part of the problem may be the outer bamboo layer. In my experience it rarely works well to have an outer non-waterproof layer in an AIO. Sure, it looks and feels wonderful, but it's just not practical. The problem is that if the outer layer somehow touches or connects to the inner absorbant layers then it will wick moisture from the inside of the diaper to the outside and onto clothing. Something as simple as using cotton thread to bind all the layers together could be the culprit... AIOs are always more tricky to make truly waterproof, it's even more difficult to do when you're using an outer layer that's non-waterproof.
Your hard work isn't wasted though. Just putting a cover over the top will surely stop the leaks and at least you'll be able to use the diapers. Once outgrown you could also recuperate the fabric and use it as soaker layers in larger diapers or as doublers.
If you start over with larger diapers, I'd personally recomend just making fitted diapers and buying covers. Covers and AIOs are much trickier because of the whole waterproofing issue.
Karen. |
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Another thought... Does your homemade detergent have soap in it? Many homemade detergent recipes use soap of some kind (either regular bar soap or fels naptha), it's very common. If so, that could also be part of the problem as soap leaves a film on fabric that builds up and impedes absorbancy. It's fine for clothing but not for diapers....
Karen.
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Oh, and just wanted to echo aavt's sentiment about not giving up on cloth altogether. Good quality cloth diapers (like Mother-Ease) are actually *more* leakproof than disposables. I know it's hard to believe, it's certainly not what most people think of cloth and I know it doesn't go with your present experience, but it really is true.
I wouldn't even give up on your diapers. Just get yourself a few covers and they'll probably be fine. Then for the next size up either make some fitteds yourself or give ME a try. Lots to chose from on the buy/sell board or you can get a trial package from ME so you can try one before making a big investment.
Karen. |
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I think that Karen might really be on to something with the outside layer. I looked at a couple of the WAHM who make the diaper from the pattern you did, and at least one of them highly discourges using her cute fabrics on the outside of an AIO. Diapers meant to be used with covers, yes. From what you wrote, it sounds like you added the PUL to try to make it AIO, but if the pattern didn't call for it and have directions for how to sewing the edges to avoid wicking, etc., that could be the culprit.
And wow, Karen, I never would have thought about cotton thread possibly wicking, too! |
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Yeah, it's probably not the biggest problem in this case but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to use only wooly nylon thread when sewing AIOs, pockets or covers. There's a lot of little details that really make huge differences when making something waterproof. Take ME covers for example, note how the elastic is covered with a thin binding, that's to prevent the elastic from getting wet and wicking. Lesser quality covers don't have that and that's why they're not as bulletproof as ME.
I've had at least two different brands of AIOs with outer non-waterproof layers and they just don't work very well. One was a beautiful work-at-home made really expensive AIOs and the other were factory made Kushies. Both had cotton or cotton/poly knit outers. It's almost impossible for AIOs with non-waterproof outers to be truly waterproof. You'd have to make sure there was just absolutly no possible contact between outer and inner layers, almost impossible to do... They're slightly more waterproof than regular fitteds (say if only lightly wet) but that's about the best you can hope for.
Karen.
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