One of the most common questions we receive at Cotton Babies is how to adjust absorbency to adapt to your growing child’s overnight needs. The simple answer is extra absorbency. You can start by using the extra newborn insert that may have come with your diaper purchase.  A baby’s overnight output increases as they get older and start drinking more.  When the extra newborn insert isn’t working anymore, two great natural fibers that add absorbency are hemp and cotton.

Hemp is great because of its durability and absorbency. We offer a variety of Hemp Babies inserts to match your child’s needs and the style of cloth diapers you use. Most of our hemp products are a blend of 55% hemp and 45% cotton for effective absorbency.

• Hemp Babies Little Weeds – these are great if you are using a pocket style one-size diaper on a small rise setting or All-in-one style in a small size. Little Weeds feature two layers of hemp to ensure that your diapers wash clean easily and dry quickly. Designed specifically for an infant, the small diaper folds in half for less bulk and four layers of absorbency.
• Hemp Babies Bigger Weeds – These high quality diapers were specifically designed to be used as an insert in a medium or large pocket diaper. Hemp Babies Bigger Weeds fold in thirds for six thirsty layers of hemp absorbency.
• Hemp Babies Diaper Doublers – These diaper doublers come in two sizes (small or large). The size and shape of the Hemp Babies Diaper Doublers make them ideal for use with a prefold, all-in-two, or hybrid style of diaper. I liked using the large Hemp Babies Diaper Doubler underneath a Flip Stay-Dry insert for my toddler daughter for overnight. They also work well placed inside a pre-fold diaper overnight.

Cotton is another great, affordable option for adding absorbency overnight. Cotton prefolds can be used inside a cover like Econobum or Flip, or even as an insert inside your favorite bumGenius pocket diaper. At Cotton Babies, we carry several styles of prefolds that range in price from $1 to $2 each depending on size and style.

Two last tips for using natural fibers – natural fibers do not wick moisture away from baby’s bottom and are a bit slower to absorb than synthetic diapers. Some customers find they need a stay-dry liner or layer closest to baby’s bottom to keep baby dry all night. If you are layering hemp or cotton inserts with a stay-dry insert, we recommend the stay dry layer closest to baby’s bottom with the natural fiber underneath to ensure best absorbency and reduce the chance of leaks.

If you need help in finding which insert would best meet your family’s needs for overnight, give us a call at 1-314-892-1855. We can ask you a few questions about the cloth diapers you use, your little one, how long they sleep at night and your laundry routine. In just a few minutes, we can give you some suggestions for products that may work best for your family.