If there’s one thing we know about babies it’s that they grow and change quickly! We designed our Esembly cloth diapers to be customizable so they can change and adapt to your baby through all their different ages and stages. From super-sensitive milk-drunk newborns who wake every 90 minutes to heavy wetting toddlers who sleep for 12 hours straight and eat cheeseburgers! Our cloth diapering system of diapers and liners have you covered!
In this blog post, we’ll talk about how and when to incorporate different diaper liners into your cloth diaper. The goal? To keep your cloth diapering fun and easy, whether you're starting from day one or gearing up for toddlerhood.
The Esembly Cloth Diapering Basics
The Esembly system is made of two parts: an absorbent Inner and a waterproof Outer.
The Inner (also known by some as a “fitted diaper") is made of soft and thirsty organic cotton. It’s ultra absorbent and extra gentle.
The Outer (this is the “diaper cover”) is what keeps all the moisture and mess contained. It’s waterproof yet breathable, and is oh-so soft, stretchy and trim-fitting. (And bonus: it can also be used on its own as a reusable swim diaper!).
For a percentage of your baby’s cloth diapering journey, the Inner and Outer is all you’ll need!
But for times when that’s not enough, we’ve got 3 Liner options.
Stay-Dry Liners
Stay-Dry Liner Basics:
- Stay-Dry Liners are used for moisture-wicking and stain preventing.
- Stay-Dry Liners can be used right at birth.
- Stay-Dry Liners are tissue thin and DO NOT add absorbency or any bulk to the diaper.
- Stay-Dry Liners are machine washable with your diapers, so no added work for you!
- Stay-Dry Liners are made of recycled polyester fleece.
Stay-Dry Liners are ultra-soft and tissue thin and are used to add a layer of moisture wicking to your diaper. Cotton and other natural fibers like hemp and bamboo commonly used in cloth diaper can feel damp to the touch when fully saturated. The vast majority of babies are completely unphased by this. If however you are looking for an extra layer of moisture wicking (to more closely mimic how a disposable feels) then Stay-Dry Liners are your answer. The fleece liners allows moisture to pass through and be absorbed by the cotton, but the surface stays dry-feeing to the touch.
In addition to moisture wicking, Stay-Dry Liners are also great at preventing stains on your cotton diapers! If your baby is a diaper artist you might want to try Stay Dry Liners. The poo stain doesn’t set into the fleece in quite the same way it does to that beautiful organic cotton.
You can read more about cloth diaper staining in this post.
It’s important to note that Stay Dry Liners are completely optional. If you prefer to only have organic, all-natural fibers against your baby’s skin then it is perfectly ok to stick with just the Inner and Outer.
Overnighters
Overnighter Basics:
- Overnighters are used to boost the absorbency of your baby’s night time or nap time diaper.
- Overnighters are not necessary until your baby begins sleeping in longer (approx 6+ hour) stretches
- Overnighters are made of 8 layers of absorbent organic cotton and 1 layer of upcycled Stay-Dry fleece.
- You can use multiple Overnighters for heavy wetters.
- Overnighters are machine washable with your diapers, so no added work for you!
When your little one starts clocking in those long awaited 6+ hour stretches of sleep, it's time to introduce the real MVPs of nighttime diapering: Overnighters. Think of these as your secret weapon in ensuring uninterrupted slumber. 😴👶
The Overnighters consist of a thick pad constructed from 8 layers of absorbent organic cotton, topped with a layer of "stay-dry" recycled fleece. Just like the Stay-Dry Liner, the fleece allows moisture to pass through into the cotton while maintaining a dry sensation, which is great for keeping your baby feeling comfy and dry all night long. We recommend starting with just one Overnighter, but if your baby is a heavy wetter you can increase it to 2 or even 3 Overnighters.
*The beauty of cloth diapering at night is that you can customize absorbency based on how heavy of a wetter your baby is and/or how long your baby sleeps. If ever you find that one Overnighter isn't enough, you can try layering in a second Overnighter inside the Inner for added absorbency and see if that helps. If that works, great! If not, you can try adding in a third Overnighter (2 inside the Inner and 1 in between the Inner and Outer). We affectionately call this the “diaper lasagna”. 😂 Use as many as necessary while resting easy that they just get washed** and reused right along with your diapers, so no waste!
Check out this blog post for everything you need to know about washing cloth diapers easily and effectively.
Tossers
Tosser Basics:
- Tossers Liners are used to remove poop from the diapers before laundering
- Tosser ARE NOT necessary until baby starts eating solid foods. Diapers from babies on a milk-only diet (breastmilk or formula) do not need poop removed prior to washing and therefore do not need Tossers.
- Tossers are disposable* and biodegradable and are made of 100% bamboo viscose.
- Tossers are tissue thin and do not add any absorbency or bulk to the diaper.
Tossers provide an ick-free way to remove the solid poop from your baby’s diaper before laundering. Tossers are ONLY needed after your baby starts eating solid foods and the poop changes from that liquidy newborn stuff you had become accustomed to to a thicker, pastier poop. It is at this point that we recommend getting rid of the poop before tossing the diapers in your washing machine to ensure your cloth diapers get properly cleaned. Tossers are disposable* and make this poop plunking super easy!
Using them is simple – just lay the Tosser on top of the Inner and put on your baby as usual. Tossers will allow moisture to pass through into the cloth diaper but the Tosser will catch the bulk** of the solid poop. When changing your baby just discard the Tosser (along with the poopy mess) and put the cloth diaper in your pail to wait for laundry day. Use a fresh Tosser at each change.
Lastly , please note that Tossers can (and should) be discarded in the trash. If flushing, please note that while they are biodegradable, flushing any product (other than toilet paper) can cause blockage in some plumbing systems. We know most people flush tampons, “flushable” wipes, and other things of that nature without any issue, and our Tossers liners are no different. If you choose to flush, it’s at your own risk. 😬 Tossers are not septic safe.
*Yes, they are disposable which we know sounds “bad”, but the amount of actual waste is like 1/1000th of that of a full disposable diaper. And our Tossers (unlike any disposable/compostable diaper) are 100% biodegradable
**You may find that some poop sneaks past the Tosser and gets onto the inside of your Inner. That is totally ok! As long as the liner catches the bulk of the mess, your washing machine can tackle the rest.
How to Customize Your Cloth Diapers with liners
Keeping things as easy as 1, 2, 3 :)
When adding a liner into your cloth diaper simply lay the liner flat on top of your Inner then put the diaper on your baby as usual.
- When diapering a newborn on a milk-only diet your diaper will consist of an Inner and Outer OR Inner + Outer + Stay Dry Liner if you want the extra moisture barrier. No poop removal necessary, just toss it all in the washer and your machine will do the work.
- Once your baby starts eating solid foods your diaper will be made up of an Inner + Outer + Tosser. Alternatively you can use an Inner + Outer + Stay Dry liner instead of Tosser. Poop is very easy to plop off the fleece liner so Stay Dry Liners can serve as washable Tossersif you prefer not to use the disposable liners.
- Once your baby starts sleeping in longer sleep stretches, you’ll want to add an Overnighter or two to boost absorbency. No need for Tossers or Stay-Dry Liners when using Overnighters because they already have the fleece top layer.
Important to note: Our Esembly Liners can be used with all brands and styles of cloth diaper!
Takeaway
Esembly Liners enable you to customize your cloth diapers to help your baby through different stages (sensitivity, sleep and solids!). They are easy to use and easy to care for and make cloth diapering more effective and enjoyable!
Want to learn more?
Our co-founders host a free, virtual, Cloth Diapering 101 class every month to help cloth-curious parents get all the tools and information they need! You’ll learn:
- How to use the Esembly diapers and accessories
- How to easily and effectively launder your Esembly diapers
- The impact that your choice has on the planet, your wallet, and your day-to-day.
You'll leave with the confidence to Live Less Disposably and a 20% discount code to use on your first order. 🥳 We hope to see you there!
