Cloth diaper liners, a must or just fluff?
Liners can be a great addition to any cloth diapering routine. Cloth diaper liners are liners that are designed to lay on top of the diaper closest to baby's skin to catch solid poop. They are meant to make it easier to dispose of the solid poop and therefore make it easier to wash the diapers. Use of liners is often recommended when using diaper creams or ointment to protect the diapers. Liners are not inserts, they don’t add additional absorbency. Liners can be found in disposable and reusable options.
Using a liner can help in catching solid poop after the baby is 6 months of age when they have started eating. Liners do not not aid in diapering a breastfed baby, as their poop is water soluble and it only seeps through the liner.
Should I use disposable or reusable liners?
Choosing between a disposable or reusable liner depends on your preferences and goals. There is no one right way. If you choose to use cloth diaper liners for convenience, disposable liners might be ideal. But if you use cloth diapers for economical or environmental reasons, reusable liners may be a better choice. Some use a mix of both, reusable at home but disposable liners when out of the house or when traveling.
What are liners made of and how to you use them?
Disposable liners are often made of bamboo viscose or ricepaper, and come in big rolls of 100 liners. If soiled, the poop should be dropped in the toilet and the liner thrown in the trash. Disposable liners are not flushable, no matter what it says on the packaging. Flushing liners can block up your toilet and cause great damage to your plumbing system. We would always recommend disposing of the liners in the trash, just like when using disposable wipes.
Reusable liners are usually made of wool, silk, cotton, athletic wicking jersey (awj) or fleece. You choose what fits your baby, your goal and budget.
Fleece liners are economical and can even be made at home by cutting up a yard of fleece fabric or fleece blanket. As fleece will not fray, no sewing is needed. Fleece liners are very affordable and give a stay dry feeling. We would not recommend using fleece liners during summer months or when living in a hot and humid environment, as fleece is not breathable and can cause heat rash. Some children are more sensitive to fleece fabric.
Athletic wicking jersey liners can be found from a few retailers. Although that awj is a synthetic fabric like fleece it is more breathable, and often recommended for more sensitive children and during summer months. Awj is the fabric used in many running t-shirts. You can make them at home by buying awj by the yard or by cutting and sewing old running shirts made of awj.
Cotton liners are an affordable option to prevent diaper cream staining your diapers. It is not a stay dry option, but a natural option more aimed at protecting your diapers. Cotton liners can also be helpful to protect your child when you have a child that is sensitive to synthetic fibers, and all your diapers are pocket diapers with suede cloth or fleece closest to the baby.
Silk liners are believed to have natural healing properties and to be anti-inflammatory. Raw silk liners are very delicate and should not be washed with your diapers, but hand washed after each use, with a mild wool wash or a bar of olive oil soap.
Wool liners make an excellent stay dry liners, especially for overnight. Few manufacturers make wool liners for diapering. Wool is different in a way that it is both absorbent and repelling at the same time. For wool liners to work, the liner needs to be tucked well up against baby’s skin with enough absorbency under neath, to make sure the liner wicks the moisture to the absorbent layers. It is recommended to wash the wool liner right away after each use. When using overnight liners, it is recommended to wash the liner with a little vinegar to counteract the ammonia in the morning and then hand wash with wool wash or olive oil bar soap. Wool liners should not be lanolized.
Just like with disposable liners, the poop should be dropped in the toilet, but then the liner should be cleaned of any 3D remnants of poop and washed as normal with your diapers. Except wool and silk liners, which should be hand washed. Reusable liners are often helpful when using diaper creams, cloth safe or not, to help with wetness sensitivity, help with poop cleanup and to prevent staining in your diapers.
Some find that the liners tend to bunch up and move around in the diaper and cause you more laundry, with a poopy diaper and a poopy liner. It is therefore important that the liner is large enough to cover the whole diaper area, and the rest that goes out of the diaper should be tucked in before the child is dressed to prevent wicking.
In conclusion, liners are not a must when cloth diapering. But they can be useful for protecting your diapers, and make cleaning easier. Some swear by them, others don’t. The most important thing is that your child is comfortable, clean, and happy.
