Sizing questions galore!

Not sure if any of you remember me but I posted quite a bit during my pregnancy as this will be my first cloth diapered baby. Alex is finally here and a month old, prolly around 13 lbs. He was 9 lbs. 6 oz. at birth and 10 lbs. 12 oz. at 2 weeks so I am guessing he is just under 13 lbs. now... could be way off though. :-) I am so ready to start cloth diapering but I am not sure if his dipes fit him well... a few of the WAHM dipes fit great but I don't have enough to make it worth while to start putting him in those. The other brand I have is the Kawaiis and I heard they fit around 10 lbs. but that must have been a round 10 pounder b/c I don't think they fit Alex yet (although, he is a long baby, 22"s at birth). How many fingers should I be able to fit in between him and the dipe-- I'm always concerned I've got them too tight and he's getting a belly ache from them, lol. Also, it bothers me (prolly more than him) how much the dipes make his legs stick straight out to the side. Is this a sign that they are too big or normal? He literally cannot bring his legs together in the diapers. How many fingers should be able to fit in between the diaper and his leg? He's had some leaks but I'm not sure if that's b/c the dipes were too big or got to full (I'm still used to how much sposies hold). Thanks ladies!

Congrats on your little chunker! Mine was one of those ;). At 13 lbs I think you're pretty safely in the range where most OS diapers will fit (don't quote me though because I use prefolds). As for how a diaper should fit, I opt for a tighter fit. Less poo leakage that way. Pretty much, I put the diaper as tight as I can without leaving marks on her skin. Sometimes the cover will leave red marks on the inside of her thighs but that usually only when she's been sitting for awhile like in her stroller. My DD's little pot belly hangs over the diaper so I'm not worried about it affecting her tummy. I also never worried about the leg spread issue. I kinda wondered how she was going to stand with that much bulk between her legs but she didn't have any problem with that. I contemplated switching to pockets for the trimmer fit when she started walking but I don't think that's going to be an issue now.

How are the diapers leaking? Number one or number two? There are plenty of reasons you might be getting a leak but too full is rarely one of them (at least in my experience). Cloth can hold A LOT.

They were leaking pee up the back so it must have been a size thing?

I also think he's at a good weight where your OS diapers should fit. Not all diapers have a good fit on all babies, are you able to try something else to see if that's a better fit for him? Are your diapers new? They'll get more absorbent the more you wash them...maybe that's why they're leaking?

Is any part of the inner liner or the insert sticking up out the back so that its wicking? I've found with my Sunbabies I have to be pretty vigilant about making sure everything is well tucked in in the back because the pocket opening is so large. If interior parts are maneuvering out then the diaper is probably not tight enough. Could be an absorbency thing too. Is it leaking when he's in a particular position, say lying on his back in his crib? Try taking the insert and dropping some water on it to see if it sucks up the water right away. If the droplets don't soak in right away perhaps the diapers need to be prepped further. Some fabrics do need to 'mature' a little before they are fully absorbent.

The previous ladies have offered a lot of good advice. My only thought is making sure the diaper is tight enough. Diapers with two rows of snaps tend to get people off because they think that both rows of snaps have to match up, when you can make one row tighter than another row. Looks a bit funny in the tab area, but it allows a better fit.
Peeing up the back with a boy makes me wonder about whatever insert is in there and if it's repelling rather than absorbing. Common things that can make diapers repel are the use of non-cloth diaper safe creams, use of liquid fabric softener, or even dryer sheets. Using that stuff with other laundry sometimes causes a problem with cloth diapers. We use vinegar in our house for non cloth diaper laundry, so I haven't had personal experience with fabric softeners, but have heard others mention this.
Peeing up the back could very well mean that you just need to make the diaper tighter than previously and change a little more often. My son soaks the front of his diaper, but never the back though unless he's in it for hours like overnight or a long car ride.

We have been in cloth now all day and half of yesterday and NO leaks! DH's grandmother keeps commenting on how she doesn't like the diapers, that they are too tight, and they make my baby cry--- funny thing is, he hasn't cried all day and he's been in them all day... must have been her, lol. They are not leaving marks on him so I must not have them too tight and they aren't leaking so they must fit now. :-) YAY! :-D Pix to come!

Wahoo, I'm glad he is doing fine!

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Originally Posted by alwayssmile

We use vinegar in our house for non cloth diaper laundry, so I haven't had personal experience with fabric softeners, but have heard others mention this.

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I LOVE vinegar for house cleaning. Just curious, what do you find works best for cleaning dipes?

Yay for no leaks! Can't wait to see pics! :)

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Originally Posted by WonderWomanExtrodinare

We have been in cloth now all day and half of yesterday and NO leaks! DH's grandmother keeps commenting on how she doesn't like the diapers, that they are too tight, and they make my baby cry--- funny thing is, he hasn't cried all day and he's been in them all day... must have been her, lol. They are not leaving marks on him so I must not have them too tight and they aren't leaking so they must fit now. :-) YAY! :-D Pix to come!

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Good thing she doesn't have to wear them, huh? :ROFL: