Parenting

The Right Cloth Nappies (Cloth Diapers) For Your Night time System

With a baby, night time can be a challenge in so many ways.  One of those challenges is coming up with a nappy (diaper) system that really works.  In this article, I am going to suggest two basic systems that work extremely well.

Night Time Nappies

If you are thinking about using cloth nappies (cloth diapers), you’ll want to have a solid night time nappy system in place.  There are two main criteria I look for in a night time system:

1. Leak proof:  You are trying for no leaks.  You don’t want wet pajamas, wet sheets, or worse, a wet mattress.
2. Something that wicks away moisture.  Since your are less likely to change your baby in the middle of the night, you don’t want them sleeping in a totally soggy nappy all night.  This is a breeding ground for a rash.  There are items that will actually pull the pee away from the baby’s body and into the absorbent layer in the nappy.

System One

The first night time system I recommend uses a prefold, a fleece liner, a doubler and a good waterproof cover.  A fleece liner gives the wicking action I was talking about.  This layer is what is touching the baby’s bottom.  The next layer is the prefold, followed by the doubler and then the cover.  The pee gets wicked from your baby into the absorbent prefold.  The doubler (as the name implies), gives a double layer of absorbency.  The cover prevents anything from leaking.

This is a great system, and one we used for a while.  We only had a few leaks, and that was because we were using wool covers at that time.  While wool is a wonder fiber (naturally odor and moisture absorbent), it is not waterproof.  I definitely recommend a waterproof cover for night time to prevent leaks.

System Two

Another great system uses a pocket nappy, like the BumGenius 3.0/4.0 or FuzziBunz.  Pocket nappies have a waterproof cover with a liner–usually fleece–sewn in which forms a pocket for the absorbent layer.  The fleece wicks the moisture away and into absorbent stuffing in the pocket.  You can add a doubler in there two, and basically you have a re-creation of system one.

We now use this system, if only because our daughter grew out of her prefolds , so we tried something different.  We love the pocket nappies.  Very convenient and easy to use.

There you have it: two great night time systems.

Potty Training Tips For Boys

Many parents dread potty training their children. Many have heard stories about how difficult it can be, and, in truth, it can be a frustrating experience for many. However, it is important for parents to understand the role that they have in their child’s success in becoming potty trained. By working to stay positive and not get too stressed out, you will actually make this process far easier on both you and your child.  Here are a few potty training tips for boys to make your journey easier.

You should always try to know what to expect before you begin. When your child is first starting out, keep in mind that your lessons should be confined to the daytime hours. It can take a long time for your child to learn to wake up in the night if they must use the bathroom. To protect against the inevitable mistakes, have them continue to wear a cloth diaper at night. Even if they must continue to wear this cloth diaper for a few months after they have started, remember that it is normal.

Use only praise and positive reinforcement. When your child does make a mistake, do not give them a diaper punishment story. Instead, just help them clean up and move on. The diaper punishment story method of training will actually do more harm than good. However, when they do use the bathroom successful, praise them as much as you can. You can give them incentives for using it, but never inflict punishments if they do not.

Help motivate the child with rewards. Gifts such as kids army toys are loved by boys or buy them a new cot bed bedding set and they will be excited to learn.

Children tend to be very sensitive to their parents emotions. If your child can tell that you are stressed or worried, it may have an adverse effect on their training. As your child is learning, keep reminding yourself that this is a long process and that you must take cues from your child if you want to be successful.