Nightime diapering for older child

[kdaisy]

DS will be 3 in April.  He wears underwear all day, but still wears a diaper at night.  (Once in awhile he will wake up to tell me he has to use the potty, or will even hold it all night.) 

We have always used prefolds and covers with him.  Right now he is in a Thirstie cover or a Bummi cover.  But for the last two or three months, every time he pees at night, it soaks right through, his pjs are soaked as is the bed.  We co-sleep and I am tired of sleeping on towels or pee or both.  The wetness also keeps him up which leads to a lot of nighttime nursing.  I have tried doubling him up or putting on a thicker diaper, but he protests a bulky diaper and will just take it off.

After almost three years, I told my my husband to go buy some disposable pull-ups.

Does anyone have any thoughts?  Is he just a super wetter or is this normal? 

TIA

[eilonwy]

I'm in exactly the same place with my 34 month old. He's dry most nights but when he goes we float right out of bed. I also went with the sposies (the extra-absorbent nighttime pullups, even). I don't think he's a super wetter, but he's a big fellow. My older daughter *was* a super wetter due to a kidney problem and I used to pack her into several layers of diaper (like a hemp fitted with a regular prefold and a hemp flat in a pro-wrap) before I finally gave up and went with the sposies. It's not even an option to pack Bear in that much unless I buy bigger covers, and I'm reluctant to do that when he's not likely to need nighttime diapers for much longer. If I thought we would be at this for another year or two I might reconsider.

If you absolutely can't stand the pullups, you can try wrapping the fully-nighttime-diapered tush in wool soaker pants. They're comfortable year round and they could reduce your laundry dramatically. :)

[coyotemist]

My 2 year old (37-38  pounds) has similar issues.  Sometimes it helps to add another doubler, but not all the time.

I've heard that pull-ups are LESS absorbant than diapers (because they are meant for potty training, not overnights), maybe you should see if 5's or 6's will fit? 

[kdaisy]

Thanks for the replies.  It is good to know others have experienced this with cloth.
 

Originally Posted by coyotemist 

I've heard that pull-ups are LESS absorbant than diapers (because they are meant for potty training, not overnights), maybe you should see if 5's or 6's will fit? 

I was wondering this, having no experience with disposables.  What do you mean by a 5 or a 6?  Is that a size of disposables?

[coyotemist]

Originally Posted by kdaisy 

Thanks for the replies.  It is good to know others have experienced this with cloth.
 

Originally Posted by coyotemist 

I've heard that pull-ups are LESS absorbant than diapers (because they are meant for potty training, not overnights), maybe you should see if 5's or 6's will fit? 

I was wondering this, having no experience with disposables.  What do you mean by a 5 or a 6?  Is that a size of disposables?

yes, as opposed to buying pull ups.

We are currently using XL Fuzzi Bunz and Motherease Toddlerease.  We are down to leaks twice a week or so.  Personally, I refuse to spend money on sposies unless I absolutely have to.  But when/if I do, it's the diapers instead of pull ups.  They are just more absorbant.

[MayasMama88]

I would recommend the Sized (Large or XL depending on your LO's size) FuzziBunz with a hemp insert. The microfiber insert that will come with the diaper might do the trick, but just in case you may want to pick up hemp inserts or some hemp doublers to go with the MF. We use FuzziBunz almost exclusively and they've done a great job at keeping leaks at bay. Plus, they're super soft and will last you for YEARS (in case you have another LO, or want to pass them along to someone else).

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

When DD was around 3, and still wet at night, we used a sized-up Thirsties fitted, with a hemp doubler underneath, and then a cover (generally a ME Airflow I think). It seemed to contain everything. We could also get away with a BumGenius with a MF and hemp insert, but I think your DS might be too large for those now?