5 Reasons Why Cloth Diaper Liners are a Necessity for Cloth Diaper Moms
Considering Cloth Diaper Liners? Here’s what you need to know
Babies have to wear diapers – there is no two ways about that, but you want to make things as simple as possible, right?
Well, using cloth diaper liners is probably one of the best ways to ease your job of cloth diapering your child.
Cloth diapering comes with a truly mind-boggling array of accessories, and cloth diaper liners are just one. They are among the simplest of all cloth diaper accessories AND they might be the most time- and sanity-saving of anything short of the diaper itself. Just in case you don’t know what cloth diaper liners are in the first place–they are a simple rectangle of cloth or flushable fabric that goes onto the crotch of baby’s diaper, like the image below. They’re not designed to add absorbency, like doublers; liners are just there to help catch solid waste and take on a little moisture. You can make your own, or simply buy flushable diaper liners. Disposable diaper liners are usually a similar consistency to dryer sheets, and can often be flushed in sewer-connected toilets. Most of the time, they come in rolls like toilet paper.
Image Credit: www.happyendingsecodiapers.com
Below is a great video that shows you exactly what cloth diaper liners do, and from watching it you may understand why they are a necessity for many moms. Do be warned that the video contains Real Poop but if you’re diapering a baby, you will be all too familiar with it.
If you are starting your cloth diapering journey, and you are considering cloth diaper liners, here are a few things you need to know:
They reduce the YUCKYness of cloth diapering
Many moms are put off by the idea of getting into contact with poop. Disposable cloth diaper liners–the kind you can flush, are a major help in terms of cleaning up solid messes/ poop. With a plain cloth diaper, you have to scrape or spray baby’s poop into the toilet before cleaning up the diaper, which can be a major hassle, especially if you’re traveling or out in public when the diaper change strikes. With disposable liners, you can simply toss the liner in a toilet, flush, and you’re done!
Image Credit: www.thegreennursery.com
They make using diaper-rash creams, a little easier.
It is not recommended that you use diaper rash creams while using cloth diapers because they may affect the absorbency of your diapers. Most cloth diapers are also expensive and you would be best advised to stay away from anything that would reduce their absorbency. After all, absorbency in a cloth diaper is essential because once they stop absorbing, your diapers will leak. However, using cloth diaper liners while using diaper rash cream, will lessen the chance of the creams touching your cloth diapers.
If you’ve already used diaper rash cream while using your cloth diapers and they have affected the absorbency – don’t fret. You can always strip your cloth diapers to get rid of the diaper rash cream that has built up on your diapers.
They preserve the life of your cloth diapers and extend their usefulness.
It’s no secret, cloth diapers can be expensive. Yes, in the long run they are much cheaper than disposable diapers, but that initial investment can be very steep. However, by using cloth diaper liners, you are “protecting” your investment. For one thing, baby’s poop does not directly touch the cloth diapers, so there is less risk of poop stains, and for another (as stated above), the liners act as a buffer between diaper rash creams and your expensive cloth diapers.
Cloth diaper liners reduce the moisture against baby’s skin.
Thanks to the diaper liners, there is less moisture on baby’s sensitive skin, which means there is less risk of diaper rashes. Unlike disposable diapers, cloth diapers do not have that absorbent chemical core that keeps moisture away from baby’s skin. So, babies who wear cloth diapers get uncomfortable faster, so they need to be changed much more often. However, by using a natural cloth diaper liner, moisture against baby’s bottom is reduced.
They’re a “convenience” accessory to cloth diapering.
For all intents and purposes, they are not entirely necessary because they don’t do anything for absorbency. But, to many cloth diapering addicts, they are essential because they do make cloth diapering a little easier because by using them, you now have less work to do in terms of scraping poop off cloth diapers. Your job is also easier in terms of laundry because you don’t necessarily have poop stuck to your diapers. It is a definite time saver in terms of clean-up.
Some brands, like Baby Tooshy’s diaper liners, can also be used as flushable wipes. They can be moistened and used as any wipe, before tossing them in the toilet. When your diaper bag is overflowing with stuff for baby, it’s convenient to have an accessory that can do double duty.
But cloth diaper liners do have some cons associated with them. Here are a few negatives associated with diaper liners:
- Some diaper liner brands can be a little itchy and uncomfortable, and they can irritate baby’s sensitive skin. Testing different brands may be a nuisance but it’s well worth your time to figure out what will best suit your baby and your budget.
- Some cloth diaper liners allow cloth diaper creams through to the actual diapers, which is not great because as mentioned above – that causes absorbency problems.
- Disposable diapers liners are cheap at approximately $10 for 100 sheets but the costs do add up if you use them over a long period of time. A diaper sprayer costs approximately $40 but that is a one-time expenditure. The difference of course is that when you are using disposable diaper liners, you can simply lift and toss the poop into the toilet. With a diaper sprayer, there is a bit more involvement because you have to spray to get the poop off and baby poop is often stuck to the diapers.
- If you have a septic tank, you cannot use cloth diaper liners because they will clog your toilets. If you do have a septic tank – avoid them at all costs.
- While cloth diaper liners are great, they may not always catch everything and some poop may escape, particularly if baby is prone to big poops.
Please click the link to download and print the infographic.
In conclusion – there are moms who swear by cloth diaper liners and wouldn’t do without them, while others consider them a convenience product. It depends on your budget and your personality. The above list gives you a great overview of what cloth diaper liners are and what they can do for you as a cloth diapering parent.
