Putting the diaper on

It is very similar to putting on a disposable diaper

1. Have your baby clean and ready to be changed in front of you

2. Take a Sustain a Bum cloth diaper

3. Stuff it with one insert by putting the insert flat through the pocket at the top back of the diaper. You can use two or more if you need more absorbency

4. Optional: add one sheet of paper fleece liner between your baby’s bum and the diaper. It will collect the solids if some were to come.

5. Adjust the snaps to fit your baby’s size

a) Decide which size setting you will use 

b) Snap the diaper down to the desidered length before diapering your baby 

c) Use the double row of snaps around the waist for a trim fit. 

6. Put the diaper on as you would with a disposable one

7. Take a proud look and congratulate yourself on how good your baby looks!

REMOVING THE DIAPER

1. Remove your baby’s clothes

2. Undo the cloth diaper

3. Remove the liner and put it on the side if the diaper was liquid only or throw it in the toilets if it was a solid diaper, trying to catch as much solid as possible

4. Remove the cloth diaper and remove the insert. If it was a liquid diaper, throw it in the washing machine or in the sealed container you use to store the used diapers. If it was a solid diaper, get rid of the maximum of solids by scraping or rinsing it, then throw in the washing machine or the sealed container

5. Clean your baby

6. Put on a clean cloth diaper following the steps above 

Washing the diapers

For washing used diapers :

1. Make sure you got rid of as much solid as possible

2. Throw the diapers and the inserts in the washing machine without overloading (wash every 2 to 3 days). You can chose to add the paper liner if your diapers were liquid only (liners can be washed up to 5 times)

3. Add half of the detergent you would normally use as too much can cause a film on the diapers, limiting the absorbency

4. Optional: To soften, whiten, sanitize, remove soap residue, and deodorize, add 1⁄2 cup of vinegar to the laundry. Do not use fabric softener as it will reduce the diaper’s absorbency

5. Optional: To cut down odors, you can add 5 drops of lavender essential oil or/and 1⁄2 cup of baking soda to the laundry

6. Optional: To remove bacteria, add 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract (very powerful antibiotic and antifongic properties)

7. Set the temperature on 40°C (60°C if your baby was sick) and do a cold rince, a warm wash (to the necessary temperature) and a cold rince to finish. Make sure there is no soap residue. If there is, do another cold rince

8. Once the diapers are clean, it is best to hang them out in the sun to dry as natural sunlight helps reduce stains, naturally whitens the diaper and is more environmentally friendly then a dryer. If you have to use a dryer, use low heat

9. Once dry, store them and do not iron the outside fabric (PUL)

10. NEVER use bleach or detergent that contains chlorine bleach. It will shorten the diaper’s life

11. NEVER soak diapers in a water solution; it will wear out the diapers faster and become the perfect breeding ground for bacterias so a dry pail is recommended (bin with cover). You can sprinkle baking soda on it to control odors. Users wash the diapers every other day so bacterias do not have the time to develop

12. Each cloth diapers user has its way of washing and although the instructions above have been proven to work great, feel free to tweak them according to your needs and specific conditions (washing machine, water hardness, detergent types, etc.)

Leaks?

The number one cause of leakage is that the diaper needs to be changed because it is full. You can add an additional insert to solve leakage problems. In case it persists, take a look at the three points below :

a) Have I pre-washed?
Make sure you have washed the cloth diapers 3 times before using them as there might be residues left from the production process, making the inside of the diaper more waterproof than it should be. Washing the diapers will solve the absorbency issue.

b) Is the insert flat?
A twisted or wadded insert can cause leakages so make sure the insert is flat.

c) Is the diaper tight enough around the waist and legs?
A loose diaper will lead to leaking.