When using Real Nappies there are times when you can be tempted to say they are not convenient... whilst out and about, on holiday and particularly at night-times.  In reality however Real Nappies are great at all times and members of our Go Real team, past and present, have plenty of experience of using them in all these instances on their own babies.

Parents are frequently daunted by using Real Nappies at night and we often get asked about how to avoid leaks.  You may find that the nappy system you use during the day is not working for your baby overnight but it is important to remember that night-time nappies and daytime nappies can be different styles and use different padding.  Many parents use a different nappy just for night times.

The secret to night-time nappies is the combination of the absorbent layer plus a comfortable close-fitting wrap.  Pocket nappies make ideal night time nappies as you can add plenty of layers to increase absorbency and the fleece helps to keep baby feeling dry and comfortable. 

Booster pads are available in plenty of fabric choices – we recommend trying a combination to boost absorbency to the maximum!  For a natural absorbent booster pad try one made from bamboo or hemp.  These fabrics are both much more absorbent than cotton so perfect for night times, although they do take longer to dry.   Microfibre is also very popular as it is very absorbent, incredibly quick to dry and less bulky than other fabrics.

A quick survey in our office of our night time nappy choices:

“My current favourite night time nappy is a pocket nappy, stuffed with a terry square and bamboo booster pad”, Bec

“At night I used a kite-folded terry with a muslin folded as a booster pad plus liner and close fitting wrap and never had a leak,”  Sara

“I find that my day time birth-to-potty nappy is fine with an extra booster pad, fleece liner and decent popper wrap”, Laura

“I use pocket nappies most of the time anyway and find that it is fine at night too with an extra micro pad in”, Nancy

Below we describe how the different nappy types can be used at night:

Flat - These nappies can be easily ‘boosted’ to ensure they are absorbent enough to last all night.  Use a specially made booster pad, a muslin square folded up or try 1 or 2 micro-fibre cloths layered into the nappy.  A fleece liner next to your baby’s skin helps them to feel dry and comfortable.

Shaped - Shaped nappies often come with an extra booster pad – try using 2 at nights if necessary or use the boosters and fleece liner described above.

All-in-one - These can be boosted as a shaped nappy – just be aware that if any of the fabric is not tucked in around the waterproof layer properly it may leak.

Pocket - Great as a night time nappy as you can add as many layers as necessary into the pocket to increase the absorbency, and the fleece layer helps keep baby dry and comfortable.

RealNappiesStore.co.uk have fantastic booster pads for night time nappies or heavy wetters.                 See them here: http://www.realnappiesstore.co.uk/reusable-cloth-nappies-accessories/cloth-nappy-booster-pads-two-pack.html 

What's your night-time nappy of choice? We'd love to know, so tell us below!