Sunday, August 19, 2012

In Search Of: An Overnight Diaper That Works

A few weeks ago I wrote about how we'd been having some issues with Baba G not sleeping through the night. Most of my friends who know the details want to strangle me, because apparently we've still got it REALLY good compared to parents of other babies. Until we figured out a good nap routine, he'd been waking up two or three times throughout the night. However, now that we have naps sorted out, BG is now going down around 8:30 p.m. after his final bottle and sleeping until around 7:30 a.m. If he wakes up at all, it's usually only once, before midnight, and it's often because his diaper is really wet.

Which leads to the topic of today's post. When I told a few friends about this "soaking wet diaper" issue, they were like, "You know there are special overnight diapers, right?" And I was like, "Um, yeah, OF COURSE, duh..." but in reality I actually had no clue. We'd used Pampers Swaddlers when BG was a newborn and then switched to Pampers Cruisers once he got to a size 3 (he's now size 4), and I thought that's all there was to it.

Shame on me—the writer of a baby products blog inspired by how companies cleverly market things you don't actually need—for not knowing about this other kind of diaper that I really DO need. I mean, if something like the Peepee Teepee exists, then I should've known the major brands had already cornered the overnight diapers market.

So I went and got a box of Pampers Baby Dry about a month ago. They're definitely sturdier than the Cruisers, but they're still not getting the job done. So either there's a better overnight diaper out there, or Baba G is a freakish pee machine and no diaper is ever going to be able to keep up with him. I do realize that this COULD be the case. At least he's having fun with the box...

Proving that kids like boxes more than any fancy toy
All aboard the Pampers Express!

But seriously, if his diaper isn't sopping wet (to the point where his outfit is also damp) by the morning, then it's disintegrated. This has now happened 5 times. I told someone about this phenomenon and was relieved to hear she knew what I was talking about.

"Oh yeah, it dissolves into crystals, right?"

RIGHT.

Exhibit A:
REAL easy to clean up, too. Not.
What. The.

These Pee-Diaper Crystals are IMPOSSIBLE to clean up. I will still find them on BG 2 days later. It is maddening.

So if anyone has a suggestion for our dilemma (not feeding him right before bedtime probably isn't going to be an option for the time-being, though, so forget that advice) or has been happy with a different kind of overnight diaper, I'm all ears. I'm starting to realize that living in a city and only having a smaller-sized Walgreens and CVS within walking distance might be part of the problem. I have a feeling if I were to go into some huge baby store or Walmart or Target or something, there are probably hundreds of overnight-diaper options. Someone let me know!

Random side note: this diaper thing made me think of other products I wish I could find because something we have isn't up to snuff. So I'm going to start up another semi-regular column, kind of like Unsolicited Advice, called "In Search Of:" so that others out there can clue me in to a product I'd love to have but can't get my hands on.

4 comments:

  1. My daughter had the same Pee-Diaper Crystal situation and I thought I was alone in this!! We use the Baby Dry during the day and then found Pampers "Extra Protection Nighttime" Diaper that did the trick overnight. We get them off Amazon and while they seem no thicker, they do the trick for us!

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  2. Those gel crystals drove me crazy -- especially when I accidentally put one through the washing machine once. Terrible. Now we use Seventh Generation (no gel crystals). For overnights I just put two diapers on the baby. It's a little bulky, but he doesn't seem to mind. He hasn't leaked through once since we started doubling down.

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  3. Someone told us to use an overnight diaper one size bigger at night (we used a pampers one, but not the crystals one). It worked like magic!

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  4. WHAT’S THE POINT OF OVERNIGHT DIAPERS?
    Babies wake up throughout the night for all sorts of reasons, but if you feel like you have done everything you can to make them comfortable and they still can’t seem to stay asleep it may be their diaper that’s the root of the problem. It’s possible that the diapers you use during the day just don’t hold enough. An overnight diaper is more absorbent meaning your baby will stay comfortable and asleep.

    WHAT TO LOOK FOR
    MATERIALS IT IS MADE OF
    Over the last few years, it has become a concern of many parents that diapers may contain chemicals harmful to our babies. If this is a concern of yours, just make sure to check what your diapers are made up of. There’s plenty of natural diaper brands, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to find an overnight diaper you feel comfortable with.

    IS IT ABSORBENT?
    Cha-Ching! This is obviously the number one thing you are looking for the best overnight diaper to do well. The whole point is to keep your little one feeling dry. The most absorbent diapers have many layers, an extra absorbent core, and often times a water absorbent chemical. Don’t let this worry you too much, just make sure the inner layer of your diaper which actually touches your baby’s skin is made of a safe, soft material.

    WHAT’S THE COST?
    I know you want your sleep and you want your baby to be comfortable, but don’t break the bank on overnight diapers. Overnight diapers are going to cost a little bit more than your average pack of diapers, but you won’t go through them as quickly so it should even out.

    WHAT FIT IS BEST?
    I’ll say it just one more time, this whole thing is about making your baby as comfortable as possible. Being soggy is one problem and having a diaper that does not fit as another. You will want to ensure the leg openings and waist are stretchy and flexible.

    STICK TO YOUR BRAND
    Just because your diapers have not been making it through the night like you would like them to, does not mean you should abandon your daytime favorite. Instead, look for the nighttime version of these same diapers. You probably already know your baby is comfortable in them and does not develop a rash as a result of them, making this a smooth transition.

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