Boosting Your Cloth Nappies

LET’S TALK MCN: Boosting Your Modern Cloth Nappies

Sometimes leaks happen. Especially when you’re using single cloth nappy inserts. But how do you know what inserts are better for boosting? There are many different fabric types, styles, and brands on the market for inserts, and not all of them perform the same task. Let’s take a look at some of the common types offered and their uses. 

Hemp cloth nappy inserts
Hemp is the slowest to absorb of all the cloth nappy inserts, but holds the most fluid. These are great fluid anchors for those experiencing compression leaks. It is usually a more expensive option.

Bamboo cloth nappy inserts
Bamboo inserts hold ever so slightly less than their hemp counterparts, but being a natural fibre it still holds a lot. This insert type is one of the most common on the market, with most brands offering this fabric type. This is very common in both 5 layer inserts, and trifolds.

Cotton cloth nappy inserts
Cotton is mostly used as prefold cloth nappies, or as boosters in the form of tea towels. It’s middle ground in both speed and capacity, making cotton a very versatile insert.

Bamboo charcoal cloth nappy inserts

Bamboo Charcoal is a mostly microfibre insert, with a bamboo charcoal fleece outer layer. They’re really good as a stay dry layer and to help with flooding, due to the fast rate of absorption. 

Microfibre cloth nappy inserts
Microfibre inserts are the best for flooders, those infants who hold onto all their wee and let go in one big flood. They absorb so quickly but hold very little, making them prone to compression leaks. A downside to Microfibre inserts are that they cannot be used directly against babies skin, as they’re so good at collecting moisture quickly, they will start to draw it out of babies skin causing a rash. Combat this by using a pocket nappy system, or by buying wrapped microfibre such as Bamboo Charcoal inserts.

Athletic Wicking Jersey nappy liners
Athletic Wicking Jersey, or AWJ, is a common liner or topper type more and more brands are offering. These liners and inserts using AWJ are great for babies who react to microsuede pockets or inserts topped with microsuede. Not all babies will react to microsuede, and it is still a great stay dry layer.

(Examples of common cloth nappy insert types on the market)

Cloth Nappy Insert Pairings
Creating nappy insert combinations that work for you and your family is mostly trial and error. Using the above table, you can create a cloth nappy that will last you the 2.5 hours brands say they can achieve. Most parents will opt for a variation of hemp or bamboo and a bamboo charcoal or microfibre pairing. This combination offers both quick absorption and a high fluid anchor. If you find your baby isn’t flooding, but expelling a lot of fluid over a longer time period, pairing cotton and hemp is another common combination. 

Try a large variety of types, sizes, and fabrics to figure out your preferred boosters. Lots of brands work better for some people, others for other people. Don’t get your heart set on one type just in case it doesn’t work for you. 

Learn all about cloth nappies in our modern cloth nappies guide or shop cloth nappies from our extensive range of styles from 16+ brands.