The Perfect Night Diaper, Fact or Fiction?

Ah, the elusive perfect nighttime diaper. *Cue strange nature program music here* I’ve heard tales of the existence of the perfect night diaper, but were they real or merely a fantasy conjured up by other mothers desperate for a good night sleep? *Big, scary nature crescendo* A few months ago, I set out to separate fact from fiction, fantasy from reality, and find the perfect night-time insert/diaper for my little boy.

I started my quest with micro-terry fiber. It’s simple, cheap, and best of all, I already had it on hand. Unfortunately one insert was not enough to hold Ian through the night, even when he was only a few weeks old. So I tried two inserts, then three. Three inserts worked like a charm, but looked silly and uncomfortable. As you can see from the picture, Ian did not like this arrangement. His bum was so big all the blood rushed to his poor little head. Clearly this was not the perfect solution.

Next I tried the Blueberry One Size Diapers. Several people raved about the near flawless design and the included insert with a combination of micro-terry fiber and hemp. I was hopeful this diaper might just be the one! I prepped the inserts, washing them several times so they would reach maximum absorbency – especially needed for overnight. Ideally we’re hoping to go through the night, roughly 12 hours!

Unfortunately this wasn’t enough to hold my little one through the night. (In all fairness, the inserts that come with pocket diapers are only designed for daytime use for roughly 2-3 hour stretches – they were not designed for overnight – especially for a heavy wetter!). The Blueberry One Size diaper and insert worked great for overnight if coupled with an additional micro-terry insert. Unfortunately, however, this brought me back to the “giant bum syndrome.” So I continued my quest!

I contemplated using wool, however, I discovered my son had eczema so wool was out of the question. However, I’d still recommend this option for those of you looking for a nighttime solution!

Finally, I tried some hemp inserts. Hemp holds a significant amount of fluid while still remaining trim. This is just what Ian needed to last through the night without a great big bum! I ordered two different brands, BabyKicks Hemparoo Joey Bunz Insert and the Hemp Babies Little Weeds, and waited anxiously for the mailperson to arrive with my package. When the package arrived I immediately prepped the items so I could use them that night. However, I had my doubts because the inserts/doublers were so much thinner than I’d imagined. I honestly couldn’t see something so thin working for him after all the bulk of microfiber didn’t quite work.

Nevertheless, we tried one hemp insert that night anyway and my little one looked comfortable! No giant butt! I put him to bed and hoped he would stay dry all night!

Ian awoke several times, as always, but stayed dry. I kept feeling him for wet spots and didn’t find any. The next morning came and he was still dry! We finally found our nighttime solution! If you’re still looking for a solution – keep trying new things! You may have a little trial and error but your solution is definitely out there! Good luck!

--by Kristi S.