Leaks can be a massive problem. It can cause discomfort for you and your baby. In this article, you will find out why diaper leaks and solutions to prevent diaper leaks. With little effort and patience, you can help your baby to remain dry and clean around the clock. There are lots of causes behind diaper leaks.
Causes of Diaper Leaks
There can be lots of causes, but a few potential causes are given below:
Although good brand diapers are made up of high-quality absorbing materials, there is still a possibility of leakage. You can’t use a diaper for endless hours. If your baby is facing leakage issues, then try to shorten the time between diaper changes. Ideally, the diaper needs to be changed every 3 to 4 hours. For a newborn baby, the criteria will be different.
Most of the babies tend to pee right after eating and drinking, so don’t forget to check diapers around that time. If frequent changes of diapers don’t work, then try out the following things.
- To enhance absorbency, use more inserts.
- For pocket diapers, you can use bamboo inserts or flats.
- Try different diaper styles and see how they work.
All this stuff will help you to deal with diaper leaks.
Diapers that are either too big or small or offer poor fit will cause diapers to leak. For a small baby, diapers will not fit well around the waist and legs, and it will allow pee to leak. If your baby is not healthy, then try out one size smaller diapers. It is the main reason behind diaper leaks. If your baby is healthy, then use double inserts to enhance the absorbency. A properly fitted diaper will not allow the mess to leak.
If there is a buildup of residues, then diapers will not absorb pee properly. In short, diapers will repel wetness. You can test it by yourself.
Pour hot water over the diaper and see whether it absorbs directly into fabric or roll around without soaking. If it absorbs water, then it's okay if it’s not the case, then your diapers are repelling wetness.
There can be lots of reasons for repelling such as:
- Hard Water can leave mineral residues, and it will not allow your diapers to be cleaned thoroughly. If you have only hard water at your house, then try out water softeners.
- Diaper creams can be harsh for diapers. Such creams contain mineral oils and petroleum that will coat the fabric of the diaper and will result in diaper leaks. If it is essential to use diaper cream, then look for safer options. Use a liner inside the diaper and wash liners separately from the other items. Otherwise, liners will transfer residues to other items as well.
- Fabric softeners can also leave residues on the fabric of the diapers. It will make the absorbing material soft, and the diaper will not be able to absorb pee properly.
- The wrong detergent can also leave residues on the fabric. This residual buildup will cause diapers to leak. It is better to choose a detergent that is designed specifically for diapers.
These are the potential causes of diaper leaks.
How to Prevent Diaper Leaks?
Once you are familiar with the causes of leaks, now it’s time to take preventive actions. Below given are the few tips that will prevent diapers leaks and your baby can sleep the whole night peacefully.
Buy Right Sized Diapers
If you are facing diaper leaks frequently, then it’s time to change the diaper size. If you are using a step 2 diaper, it’s time to switch to step 3. It will allow better absorbency and will prevent overnight leakage.
If the diaper leaks are increasing day by day, then it’s time to maintain feeding schedules. Have an eye on lunchtimes, meals, and before and after naps change time. To prevent leaks, never give your babies drinks and juices before bedtime. If it is essential to give juice, then give it at least one hour before bed. Toddlers love to eat chocolates, and chocolates can result in a big mess during the night. So maintain a proper schedule of diet and diaper change.
To prevent diaper rash and leaks, it is recommended to change the diapers often especially before bedtime. For a newborn baby, there will be more diaper changes but for toddlers, you might have to change only once during the whole night. A diaper change before bedtime will help you and your baby to enjoy a good sleep.
If regular diapers are not working well and resulting in diaper leaks then it is recommended to buy overnight diapers. Some people tend to buy large size diapers but this strategy wouldn’t work because large-size diapers will not fit well and result in leaks. Overnight diapers have more absorbency and last longer than normal ones. Buy in bulk and it will prevent leaks.
If you have tried overnight diapers and still it doesn’t work well for your baby then it’s time to look for exceptional ones. Invest in booster pads because such pads offer extra absorbency and will absorb most of the pee before letting the pee to go towards diapers. So, in this case, there is no chance of diaper leakage.
If you have bought everything right but you are not using them correctly it will result in diaper leaks. There can be lots of reasons. The diaper may be loose or have more elasticity. Wrap the diaper around the waist and legs properly. Use diapers that are made up of materials such as cotton and bamboo. Such materials offer high absorbency. If you are using cloth diapers then invest in diaper inserts to get more protection.
So the question was “Why diaper leaks” and the answer is, there can be lots of potential causes. Once you can find out the cause take preventive actions so that you and your baby can enjoy a good sleep.