Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 3, Fit of the Pod

Today we will go over the Fit of Pods and the 5 main leak culprits and how to fix them.

 

Common fit problems: 

• Pod pulled up too high
• Pod positioned too low
• Pod position not appropriate for boy / girl
• Pod bunching
• Stuffing pods in omni pockets wrong

Problematic Pod Pictures

Pod pulled up too high:

 

Pod positioned too low:

Pod bunching:

 

Stuffing pods in omni pockets wrong:

 

So what do you do to fix these fit problems?

Pod pulled up too high:

Cause: If the end of the pod is visible (as pictured above) or touching clothing outside of the shell your going to have wicking leaks.

Solution:

• You want the pod to come up as high as 1 inch below your babies belly button, and then you want to position the aplix strip on the shell directly above the end of the pod (either the fold or end of the pod)
• Here is a fit video that may help:

Pod positioned too low: 

Cause: If the pod is too low (especially for boys), the pod will work its way down further (gravity and not being pinned in place by the wing of the shell), then when peed in, the urine hits the shell directly which isn't going to absorb and the liquid will find the path of least resistance (so maybe a different spot if sitting/standing/laying down)

Solution:

• You want the pod to come up as high as 1 inch below your babies belly button, and then you want to position the aplix strip on the shell directly above the end of the pod (either the fold or end of the pod)
• Here is a video that might help:

Pod position not appropriate for boy / girl:

Cause: If you don't have adequate layers in the appropriate areas per gender (especially for babies who pee a lot at once) if the liquid isn't absorbed it will end up pooling on the fleece of the shell and find its way out the leg areas especially if the baby is moving around a lot.  

Solution:

• When adding additional absorbing layers (such as mini pods) be sure to place them for boys in the top front, and girls middle and back (in the back especially at bedtime).

Front End

Middle Back

Pod bunching:

Cause: Pod not being high enough or smoothed out while the diaper is being put on. Pod that is saturated will bunch after a long period of time & lead to leaks.

Solution:
If your experiencing pod bunching and leaks you need to do one or all of the following:

• The pod may be too low starting out when you put the diaper on your baby. If it isn't high enough and pinned down by the front wing it will cause gaps and the urine will then hitting the shell directly.
• If it creates a pocket of air between the pod and the baby's skin, urine can just sit on the fleece and without the pressure of the baby, won't absorb and will just roll off onto the shell and then out the diaper, so be sure to have the shell snug enough so the pod is against the baby's bottom comfortably.
• If the pod is always saturated when you are experiencing leaks & pod bunching you need to increase absorbency or changing more often will help.

Stuffing pods in omni pockets wrong:

Cause: With DryTouch pods (microfleece topped/ microfiber bottom) If you stuff the pocket with the fleece side up you may get leg leaks. The reason is because there is now 2 layers of the microfleece (non-absorbing layers) for the urine to past through to reach the microfiber. 

Solution:

• Stuff the pocket so that the fleece side is down facing the back of the shell, allowing the microfiber to absorb urine faster.



Pod Adjustment Testimonial:

Right around 5 months I started noticing my daughter leaking quite frequently. I couldn't figure out why she was leaking, because the pods weren't saturated. I checked out the Softbums fit videos and realized that I had two issues, the pods were not up high enough in the front and the legs were way too tight! I quickly adjusted those and she was leak free from that point forward! I'm so thankful for those videos and resources because now we LOVE our Softbums! ~Ruby H

 

If your experiencing leg leaks and you ruled out the "fit of the pod" and your pod isn't soaked, this could be caused by repelling, refer back to our repelling post here: http://loveclothdiapers.blogspot.com/2013/07/week-of-leaks-day-1-prepping-repelling.html

 

Check back tomorrow to read about Absorbency. http://bit.ly/19sYlut

Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 2, Fit of the Shell

 

Today is Day 2 of Fix Your Leaks! Topic is: The fit of the diaper shell and how to fix your leaking problems by diaper area.

 

Common fit problems: 

• waist too loose
   
• legs too tight/loose
   
• wings not pulled up high enough to get around top of legs
   
• diaper isn't secured with legs in downward position

Problematic Fit Pictures:

Waist too loose: Here is an example of a waist that is too loose & just right.

 

 

Legs too tight/ loose: Try this formula to get the best fit custom for your baby:

Click to enlarge

Example of good fitting leg elastic on a newborn

Wings not pulled up high enough: here is an example of a wing droop where the front wing is secured by the tab but the leg elastic is too short causing the wing to droop down on the leg which can cause leaks.

 

Diaper isn't secured with legs down:

 

 

 Lets focus on what is going on and how to fix it by leak area!

Leaks out the top front:

Possible Causes: Waist is not snug enough, Legs are not down when securing the waist tabs causing a gap. Elastic is too short, Rise isn't high enough. Not enough absorbency (when sleeping on tummy) Pod too high.

Solution: 

• Let out the leg elastic or follow the slide2size formula to size the leg elastic.
• When changing the diaper make sure the baby's legs are down and not curled up in their lap. If curled up when securing the diaper, once they kick down, the shell will have a gap in the front top. Try to pull legs down when securing the waist tabs, be sure to get a snug fit (tabs crossing over for newborns & skinny belly infants, touching for infants & almost touching toddlers)
• Be sure to always start the shell in line with baby's belly button to get a high enough rise.
• Add a mini pod for naps or bed if your child is a tummy sleeper.
• If the pod is too close to the top of the shell you will get wicking onto clothes out the top of the shell. (Be sure to have the pod end 1 inch below the belly button and have the shell line up over it so that the middle of the aplix strip is in line with the end of the pod.)

Leaks out the top back:

Possible Causes:  Waist could be too loose, Rise isn't high enough in the back, Pod Repelling, Not enough absorbency (when sleeping on back)

Solution:  

• Start with the shell in line with the baby's belly button, bring the pod up and fold over, while holding the pod down with one hand pull the shell up and over the pod with the other hand. 
• Be sure to pin down the pod with the shell and that the pod is in line behind the aplix strip on the front of the shell.
• Be sure to secure the waist tabs snug across the belly.
• If the pod isn't soaked when your take off the diaper repelling could be the cause and you would need to strip your pods.
• If they are soaked then you need to add a mini pod or add absorbency somehow to the diaper for naps and bedtime when child is laying down.

Leaks out the legs:

Possible Causes: Legs too loose or too tight, if the leg elastic is too tight this can cause compression leaks (especially in seated position for long periods of time, car seats, bumbos, baby carriers, strollers) Wing drooping, Not enough absorbency, Pod too low in front, Pod not tucked into the shell causing wicking.

Solution:  

• Let out the legs to fit 2 fingers snuggly between the baby's leg and the shell or follow the slide2size formula to size the leg elastic.
• Be sure to have the pod up as high as 1 inch below belly button approximately and pinned down with the front of the shell.
• The shell shouldn't be resting on the thighs (pictured above "wing droop")
• If the shell doesn't completely cover the pod and edges are exposed this will cause wicking onto clothes, be sure to tuck in all the pod all around the legs when putting on a diaper.

Newborn Poop Leg Leaks:

Cause: Its runny, slick & shoots out fast, its basically butter (churned up breastmilk or formula) the pod in most cases already is saturated with urine or just cannot absorb the stuff in enough time before it rolls down the length of the pod and onto the shell where it quickly finds its way out. If in a seated position can be caused from compression.

Solution:

• Putting the shell in the dryer for 15min on high to seal the sewing seams.
• Changing often (especially with poops)
• Adding additional absorbency (easy way to add a bit of absorbency without bulk for a newborn, use a baby washcloth or cloth wipe behind the pod).
• Making sure fit is good -no inserts shifting or legs too tight causing compression leaking.

Even with all of these things, it can still happen but newborns do outgrow this stage (and some never have this issue to start with). When changing the diaper make sure the legs are down and not curled up in their lap. If curled up when securing the diaper, once they kick down, the pod will also go down and leaks will happen.

Testimonial:

When LO was really little, we had issues with leaking out the top back of our one Omni. The wetness was wicking to the outside of the diaper because the PUL was rolling under instead of the fleece providing the seal. I eventually figured out that the legs needed to be a little looser so I could pull the rise higher and make sure that only the fleece was against the skin, not letting the PUL roll in. 
~ Sarah D. 


Did you forget to read Day One? Click here to read about: Prepping & Repelling

Check back tomorrow to read about the 5 Culprits of Pod Leaks. http://bit.ly/17Nl4dP 

Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 1, Prepping & Repelling

This week we are talking all about LEAKS.. Well cloth diaper leaks that is and how to diagnose your leaking problem and solve it! Everyday this week we will be talking about different culprits of leaky diapers. We know it can be a deal breaker when it comes to constant leaking diapers, that's why we have narrowed down the 5 main reasons diapers leak in plain English. After you read this series of "Fix your Leaks Week" we hope it will give you the confidence to keep cloth diapering as long as your child is in diapers! So lets get into it!

Today is all about leaks caused by repelling either from insufficient prewashing & drying or from other causes.

Leaking from not enough prewashes is very very common. We can't tell you how many people have suffered from leaks, only to have everything resolve on its own mysteriously in a week or 2. It's simply because the diaper wasn't absorbing properly due to the lack of prepping. Prepping simply means washing pods several times before using. This is only necessary when buying new diapers.

SoftBums recommends:  

Prepping Tips:

WASH IN SEPARATE LOAD:

• It is best to wash your NEW shells and pods in a separate load from your other diapers when prepping. 
• Always prep microfiber (DryTouch pods) and bamboo pods separately, the reason for this is natural oils secrete from the bamboo when prepped that can get on the microfiber easily and will cause repelling.  
• If you only have 1-2 NEW diapers to prep, you can prep them in a load with your bath towels, just be sure to use cloth diaper safe detergent & 1/2 the recommended amount for the load.

WATER LEVEL HIGH!

• Cloth diapers are small but highly absorbent. The most important thing is to make sure all your diapers are covered and saturated with water. The more water you have in your washer for them to agitate in, the cleaner they will get. 
• If you have a top loading washer, this should be easy peasy, just set your washer to water level high! 
• But if you have a fancy pants front loading washer, or an HE top loader, you may have some trial and error ahead of you to get things just right. Any issues you've heard of with front loaders, all stems from just trying to trick the washer into adding more water! Most people find adding wet towels to the washer helps or pouring tap water in with a bucket into the drum with your cloth diapers (making them feel heavier.)
• These settings are for the "LG Front Loader" : First Cycle: Cold Speedwash no detergent - no spin - heavy soil. Second Cycle: - BULKY - stain cycle  hot- EXTRA rinse with 1/2- 3/4 tbsp. detergent. (Having it not "spin" out also makes the load heavier and gets the washer to add more water than usual to the main wash!)

Disclaimer: Always check your washer manufacturer's washing recommendations to avoid voiding your warranty.

Prepping Testimonial: 

We were having leaking issues with our 3 month old. First we loosened up the legs, but we were still having some leaks. For us it turned out to be that they were leaking through the seams. I threw the shells in the dryer on high for 20 minutes...I had to do it twice...and we haven't had a leak since! Thought I would share in hopes that it would help...I know its frustrating! ~Mallory C.

2) Repelling due to wrong detergent or fabric softeners.

SoftBums' Diaper Detergents recommendations:

• Eco Sprout
• Lulu in the Fluff
• Rockin' Green Soap
• Country Save
• Purex Free and Clear

(Please note babies with sensitive skin will also want to avoid optical brighteners and enzymes.)

Natural detergents may seem like a good idea but they often contain softeners or oils which leave a coating on fabrics and may impede the absorbency of diapers.

Detergents to avoid for these reasons include:

• Dreft
• Planet
• ECOS
• Seventh Generation
• Ecover
• Bio-kleen

Note: Homemade detergent is a great solution for your family's clothes but it is not recommended for cloth diapers.

Using fabric softeners can cause repelling. In the cloth diaper world using fabric softeners on your diapers is a big no-no, but what a lot of people don't realize is there is a chance if you use fabric softeners with your clothes the softener can get backed up in the washer and continue to add softener into every wash including your diaper wash causing repelling. Sometimes its better just not to use fabric softener at all in your washer or use it very infrequently.

How to fix your repelling problem: You need to strip your pods to remove any buildup of detergent/ softener or non cloth diaper safe creams. In order to do this you need to send them through the washer several times with and without detergent to get them stripped of the residue that is stuck in between the layers of material preventing them from absorbing.

• Hot Water Strip: So, lets assume the shells & pods are dirty and you are going to start the stripping process.  
  1. Load washer with dirty diapers, shells, pods, wipes, pail liner
  2. Wash on Hot and Water Level HIGH with 3/4 the recommended amount of detergent
  3. Wash on Hot and Water Level HIGH with NO Detergent
  4. Wash on Hot and Water Level HIGH with NO detergent
  5.  Pull wet diapers from washer, and sniff them.  They should smell fresh and clean.  (if they still smell a bit fishy, repeat #1 - 3, but only use 1/4 the recommended amount of Detergent. Rinse an additional 1-2 times.
• Stripping with Bleach
  1.  Fill washer with DryTouch pods only with Hot and 1 cup of bleach (if you do not want to use bleach, use 1-2 Tablespoons of baking soda), let agitate to mix and then stop for 2-4 hours and let soak
  2.  Wash on Hot and High water level 1-2 times

         3. Line dry in the sun if possible.

DO NOT BLEACH YOUR SHELLS NOR YOUR NATURAL FIBER PODS. Bleach will breakdown the materials on your shells and bamboo pods too easily cutting the life of use in half.

Note:  You can use Dawn original blue dish soap 1-2 tablespoons (for a top load washer, 1T for front loader) instead of Detergent to strip.  (Dawn does void most washer's warranties, so if you don't want to void your warranty, you could handwash your pods with blue dawn in the bathtub, rinse a few times and then send them through a couple hot washes in your washing machine.)

• Another Stripping Method: Send your pods (not shells) to a local diaper service to be professionally stripped/cleaned.

Wrong Detergent Repelling Testimonial
My son leaked out of his SoftBums constantly.  It seemed like the leaks were going straight through the PUL, as if it wasn't waterproof. I knew I had the fit right, and I couldn't identify anything in my wash routine that could cause repelling. I decided to take a look at the detergent I was using. It turns out that the formula had a fabric softener built in. I realized that maybe the liquid wasn't getting absorbed quickly enough, causing leaks. Simply changing to a different detergent resolved the leaks immediately. Now his clothes always stay dry and everyone is happy :)  ~Megan

Fabric Softener Testimonial
We recently had our dryer die on us, and our washer was not that far behind so we decided to replace them both. I found a great deal on a used Fisher Paykel on Craigslist. It's a cool HE top loader that you can program everything on, including your water level! Perfect for cloth diapers!

Well, we thought it was perfect until I started getting leaks!!

The first time my baby's diaper leaked, I thought it was a fluke. She's 4mo old now and we've fixed all the kinks out of our diapering system so that we haven't gotten a single leak in months. So, I was shocked to find her sitting in a puddle when she woke up one morning! And then, it happened a second time, and immediately knew it had to be build up in my new/used washer.

We had smelled a stinky sweet smell upon inspection of the new/used washer when we first got it, and guessed it was softener or detergent build up. So we did 2 HOT washes with dawn and bleach and no clothes. Then we did a diaper load. It seemed to work great. And it was so fun to program new washes we kept washing more diapers!  Then I got a bit worried about the still faint smell of something and washed only clothes instead. But, it was too late for those 2 loads of diapers. We had inadvertently added someone else's left over fabric softener onto our precious diapers!!!!!

Once I figured out the culprit from the bad leaks, me and the hubby set apart to opening up the washer and cleaning every part, even the drum inside. It was kind of fun to take it all apart and put it back together. lol

The rest of those softener caked diapers we tried to use before we stripped them, but one after the other leaked in mysterious ways.

One time, she was laying slightly on her side and her outfit, and my leg got so wet but when I took her diaper off, the pod inside was only half saturated, and the shell looked like the wetness just seeped right through the fabric. Now I know this is not the case because 2 days ago I used that same exact shell on her at night with zero leaks.

Another time, the diaper felt totally wet on the back like it just poured pee right out the back of the diaper and the back elastic was doing nothing to stop it. And when I examined the shell after I got it off of her, the seam was all wet.  If I didn't know any better I'd have guessed it was leaking right out the seams!!!  This shell too was used previously with absolutely no leaks.

Now I've been successfully using cloth diapers on 5 babies now for a span of over 16yrs. I've tried every diaper, detergent, and method there is, all for the name of research. I've also helped thousands of parents successfully use cloth diapers on their little ones and my advice is always;
Leaks are normal at first  and cloth diapers are a learning curve. Keep trying! Your baby is worth it!

In conclusion. If you have unexplained leaks, please consider the fact that your washing machine has softener residue that got on your diapers. Please strip your diapers very very well and try NOT using softener or dryer sheets on your clothes.

Love,
Sarah
Owner of SoftBums

Check back tomorrow to read all about what may be causing leaks based on the fit of the diaper shell. http://bit.ly/14LahmG