Night Time Leaks
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Night-time Leaks? Here’s how to stop them. (This article is really for babies and toddlers who sleep through the night.)
Frequent nappy leaking at night time can be create distress for your baby and for you. If the nappy your child uses is leaking on a frequent basis, you can assess what may be causing this with a few simple questions to find the solution.
Initially for older babies on solids and bottles, think about how much baby is feeding at bedtime. What goes in – must come out. A bottle at bedtime is very common, but some toddlers may finish that bottle and ask for more, leading to a lot of fluid to pass through them at night. This can overfill the nappy’s capacity. If this is happening, encourage your baby or toddler to eat and drink more during the evening and at dinner time to avoid them being so hungry at bedtime.
Here are some of my top tips for ending night nappy leaks.
Disposable Nappies
- Is the nappy the right size? If it seems to fit a little to small, this can cause leaks as it will not fit adequately and have less absorbency. If it is too big, its easier for urine to escape.
- Is the nappy absorbent enough? Try a different brand. You may find a different brand works best at night time. If they are more expensive, perhaps use them for night nappies, and keep using your regular brand during the day.
- Is there a pattern to where the leaks occur? You can check this by looking at where baby’s clothing is wet. Tummy sleepers who curl their legs up may leak out the front of their nappy because the nappy gapes there, leaving space for urine to escape. This can also happen when baby is sleeping on their side. A nappy cover used at night over the disposable will help keep the nappy from gaping so urine stops escaping. Try a Motherease Rikki Cover, or use a Happy Heiny Pocket Nappy as a cover.
Cloth Nappies
- Is the nappy the right size? Cloth nappies that are too small will leak as they will be ill-fitting, and have less absorbency.
- Is the nappy absorbent enough? You may need to boost the nappy more with a liner, booster or insert. Pocket nappies can need a lot of boosting with some people using up to 4 inserts at night time.
- Is the nappy already too bulky? If you think the night nappy is already a bulky fit, but it fails to last through the night, you may need to switch to a different nappy for night time. For babies up to 16kg, I use and recommend the Motherease One-Size nappy and cover for an absorbent nappy with a trim fit. This can be boosted with a liner if required. Other options are:
- Motherease All-in-one Nappy (cover and nappy in one)
- For older toddlers, the Motherease Sandys nappy for 16-21kgs with a cover, which also be boosted with a liner if required.
- Is the nappy on correctly? Check that it is done up properly. Nappy covers should cover all of the nappy area, inserts should be tucked all the way in to pockets. Any part of the absorbent nappy that is exposed will leak.
Do you have any tips that have worked for you that have not been included here? Send us your tip and we may post it here for other parents to see.
