and we're not talking Sage & Onion!!
We get lots of emails and phone calls from people wanting to know why their pocket nappies aren't working/lasting long enough and wanting advice on what to stuff them with to get maximum absorbency for minimum bulk. As with many 'cloth' questions the answer isn't a straightforward one!
A super-slim, super-absorbent nappy is the holy grail of real nappies. If it existed and it worked for everyone it would be our number one best seller and our work here would be done! As it is, finding the balance between absorbency and bulk is about trial and error and accepting, ultimately, that to get a nappy to last as long as you'd ideally like you may have to compromise on the slimness a little.
You need to start out bearing in mind that it is the 'bulk' of the fabric you stuff into the pocket that allows the nappy to soak up the wet. The less 'bulk' the less wet will be absorbed before saturation point is reached and leaks start happening. If the stuffing is simply not adequate to cope with a single wee (of a toddler for example) then the leaks will happen as soon as the nappy gets wet.
The range of fabric options available now is expanding and you'll find purpose made pocket nappy inserts made from cotton, hemp, microfibre and combinations of the above. Each type has different key features;
Hemp (Ella's House, Swaddlebees, Wonderfulls) is slim and very absorbent *but* it's slow to absorb so occasionally the volume of wee produced in one 'go' can be too much for the hemp to soak up before the wet runs off the surface and seeps into the seams and binding around the legs, causing leaks. If you find that your pocket is leaking before the hemp insert is soaked through it's probably this happening.
Microfibre (Nature Babies, Fuzzi Bunz, Swaddlebees, Wonderfulls) is slim, pretty absorbent for it's bulk but acts a little like a sponge and can release its wet if pressure is applied. To be honest, we've not found the straightforward micro inserts to be anywhere near capable of lasting the 3 hours or so we expect a nappy to last when used singly. If you like this style of insert, you'll probably need to use two to get a nappy that lasts 3 hours.
Cotton (in the form of a prefold or terry square) is absorbent because it is bulky. Lots of fabric means lots to soak up wet. It also means that the pocket of the nappy is likely to be 'full up' with no space around the stuffing which is an advantage as gaps can also lead to leaks. If you are not worried about bulk we'd always recommend stuffing pocket nappies with a quarter folded terry square...
Often the most successful inserts are those which combine the various benefits of the different fabrics. For example, the Minki Super Soaker has a microfibre core inside and a cotton outer that adds absorbency in itself, stops the microfibre doing its sudden release trick (and means you don't have to handle the icky microterry fabric!) and coats the synthetic fibre in a natural layer.
Ultimately, anything absorbent can be used to stuff a pocket nappy and often your perfect nappy will contain a combination of inserts that give you the absorbency you need and the slimness you want - if you're lucky!
If your pocket nappy 'isn't working' then the first thing to do is to overstuff it. Put as much in the pocket as you can, ideally a full size terry square that will fill the pocket from side to side - something that you know would last your baby more than a couple of hours if it were a nappy with a separate wrap. If it works then you've got an absorbency issue. You need to refine your stuffing to get the best compromise of bulk and absorbency. If it still doesn't work then you've got a 'fit' issue with the pocket itself. You need to try a different pocket nappy...
