Leaky Diapers
See also: Night-Time Potty Training ... Fitting Diapers on Big Kids ... Toddlers taking their Diapers Off
Archived Q&A and Reviews
17-mo-old Wetting Through Double Diapers
Nov 2008
Our 17 m.o son wets through his diapers every night. This is different than needing a new size. He's a big guy;34lbs and ~3 ft. He doesn't fit into Huggies Night Time - they only go up to 5. So, we have been using a Huggie Reg.Diaper Sz6 with a nighttime Pull-Up 3T-4T over it. He still wets through them both and every am the poor guy is drenched. I don't want to limit the amount of water he drinks. So, anyone who had the same problem and had a solution that worked or any ideas on what we can do/buy/use for leaking? Thanks in advance. ellen
We had the very same problem with my now 5 year old and my toddler. I was baffled. There was really no other choice but to move to a disposable diaper called ''Goodnights'' by Huggies. He should be able to wear the S/M at 34 lbs--but I would buy a small bag just to test it. They hold alot of pee. There is just no training a child that age to pee at any given time. I have no idea why my boys do this. No help from my pediatrician who said, ''dont give them anything to drink within 3 hours of bed'', (which was impossible--maybe 2 hours). Anyhow, it didnt work either way. Somehow they save peeing until they are asleep. I sometimes wonder if is the warm and comfy aspect of being in bed that does it. They pee the most right before they get up. My son will be fine in the diaper until 6:30 or so and pees as he is waking, gets wet and screams. We used to change his diaper in the middle of the night (he is a very deep sleeper) just so that there would be capacity for the morning deluge.
No way to sugar coat it, nighttime potty training is going to be a huge bummer-we are still not through it, but getting better.
I'd also like to recommend a product we use that is two layers of flannel with a rubber layer in the middle. We put two or three layers of this on the bed and then if he gets the bed wet, we dont have to change the sheets, just take one layer off. I had to buy it by the yard on the internet though. We used something called ''the ultimate crib sheet'' until he was in a big bed then switched to these. Good luck. Cate
Huggies Overnight diapers do go up to size 6 - I just bought some for my daughter at Babies R Us in Emeryville (I thought they stopped at size 5 too!). She's a little bigger than your son, and they fit her just fine. They're the only diapers we've found, including double-diapering, that keep her dry overnight about 95% of the time. Not perfect but much better than anything else we've found. Good luck!
Cloth diapers for leak-free sleep?
July 2008
With our 4mo son, we use pocket-type diapers for nights and naps (bumgenuis, fuzzibunz) but I am frustrated by the way they often channel/ leach the pee to any touching blankets or clothes (though they do a great job of keeping the actual diaper area dry.) Otherwise, we do 60% diaper free/ elimination communication/ IPT, uncovered cloth for at home awake time, disposables for outings and travel. We are not yet ready to do EC at night. My ideal solution would be fabric or other non- disposable, keep him feeling dry, and not leak into the surrounding wraps. Any ideas or tricks to keep our blankets out of the daily laundry? Thank you! LCB
Have you tried any kind of reusable diaper doubler? They are simple rectangular lengths of cloth, often microfiber terry, that you can lay in the diaper to soak up extra moisture. When our son was your child's age, we used doublers with disposables at night and the doublers seemed to do the trick. Our son is now 10 months old and we use Fuzzibunz at night with a cloth diaper in them, which works for us without leaks. If we did have a leaking problem with Fuzzibunz, I think the doublers would work fine as well.
Our son began leaking almost nightly around 4m/o, so I can empathize! My husband and I devised a solution that kept him dry through the night (10 hours): 1. Put him in a disposable diaper, taking care to point the penis down. 2. Put a cloth diaper over the disposable. 3. Put a waterproof diaper wrap (we used LiteWraps) over the cloth diaper. Yes, it's a lot of work, you will use one disposable diaper every day, and your son will look like he's got a giant butt. For me, it was better than doing laundry all the time or (even worse) having my son wake up because he's drenched in his own urine! Good luck. Brook
Woolens! Hard to believe, but very effective. We bought ''Aristocrats'' Longies which are a wool cover that covers the legs too. The we put a zippered PJ over all.
I didn't believe until we tried it. The first washing is important to soak it with lanolin disolved in water. If it leaks off the bat wash it again. Once it is ''seasoned'' it works wonderfully. Before we used Bummis and got leaks every night (but were very happy with Bummis during the day.) We got leaks with the woolens once every 5 days or so but it was not nearly as soaked. More like a little on the PJ and maybe a spot on the sheet.
Oh, and I am allergic to wool, and I was worried my eczema prone kid would be too - no problems, so very soft. They kept him warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The original high performance fabric!!!
Woolly Believer
you pretty much mentioned the two most absorbent cloth diapers. i can't remember the post, but have you tried those extra inserts?
cloth just don't hold as much, so i've decided to use disposables overnight - it didn't seem environmentally healthy to wash the sheets and mattress pads all the time. i use tushies which still leak some times, but i hear Long's Drugs generic diapers are great, if you're okay with SAP (polymer salt used in almost all disposables).
also, see if you can make your little one go pee before going to sleep to decrease the amount overnight. and see if you can take your baby to pee almost right after waking up - i think babies (at least when a little older) pee when they wake up, not while they sleep. as they get older, earlier-trained babies seem to pee more and more each time. mellow early trainer
Try wool soakers or wool pants - they really work! Here is one source I like: http://www.betterforbabies.com/organic_wool_diaper_covers.html If you don't know about it yet, there is also a yahoo group for East Bay EC'ers. (look for EastBayDFB) cheers! Pamela
Overnight diaper for 17-mo-old that won't leak?
Oct 2007
I'm in search of an overnight diaper that actually won't leak for my 17 month old son. He wears G diapers during the day but he needs something more absorbant at night. He occassionally poops at night too (and when he does, boy does he!) and I'm getting really tired of having to wash sheets and pjs every morning. My first preference was a chlorine-free diaper but we've tried Seventh Generation & Tendercare in a size bigger, a size smaller, his regular size, neither seems to work. So I'm realizing that ANY diaper I can find that works, chlorine free or not, will be a God send! Any suggestions?? Thanks all :) Feeling like the wash lady
Huggies Overnights always worked well for our heavy-wetting son. Sorry I don't know of any more eco-friendly options. Tried cloth, but...
I've tried all the name brands and the only one that works for my daughter is the costco brand. annon
I was a cloth-diapering mom who wound up using Target's store brand diapers at night. I had no issues with them at all. And they were less expensive than many other brands. I got lucky in the end...my son toilet-trained before he turned 2. Leakless
Our 23-month old weighs 27 pounds and has been in Huggies size 5 for a few months, with no leaks! Finally! (Huggies run a little larger than the others, I find.) Smallers sizes seem fine, but I realize now that the bigger the diaper, the more absorbent material (duh), and he was ready for that. Also, I've read here on BPN about overnight inserts, and keep that in the back of my mind for the next time he seems to need an upgrade of sorts. best
Babies R Us carries inserts for diapers - basically a big maxi pad that you can put inside the diaper to increase its absorbancy. I don't think that it's chlorine free, but it helped stop my daughter's diaper from leaking at night. Melissa
When my first child was around this age, we used Huggies Overnites (or something like that) -- they were in a purple package. They really worked. I did EC with my second child and that got her to pee on cue before bedtime and stay dry during naps and sometimes overnight. At some point when your son is sleeping deeply, you can try ''lifting'' -- taking him to pee right before your bedtime, but this might only work if he has some familiarity with the potty. I do recall this nightime leaking stopped when we quit the bedtime bottle/nursing action -- think about cutting back on liquids after dinner? It's hard if it helps them relax before bed, but they do outgrow this stage. There are also some great washable waterproof pads that are easy on and off for laundry. Montclair Mommy
Overnight diapers leaking - 17 mos old
Feb 2007
My 17 month old sleeps well at night--about 12 hours straight through--if he stays dry. However, we've had problems because the diapers we use can't keep up any longer with his urination, and when he get's wet, he wakes up and so do we. Right now we're using huggies supremes at night and he's wearing 2 layers of warm pajamas (we don't really have heat in our house--another story for the House & Garden digest) but his clothes still ends up wet by morning. He's ok right now with the mutiple layers because he doesn't get cold but as it gets warmer, we don't know what we're going to do. I value my own sleep and so any advice from BPN on how to extend those diapers would be much appreciated. He does get 4 oz of milk right before bed but usually he doesn't have much liquid for a few hours before that. Any other diaper brands? Double diapers? Other ideas? The diaper is so full that it weighs a ton and practically drips by the morning because it is so full. Thanks
hoping to protect my sleep
We had the same problem when our big guy was a baby. We put him in nighttime diapers AND a kushies diaper liner - they are sold at Baby World (or were back then.) This did the trick. Good luck.
We have had good resuts with disposable ''Diaper Doublers.'' They're absorbant rectangular pads, similar to the absorbant portion of a disposable diaper. They go inside the diaper and add to the diaper's absorbtion capacity. See http://www.healthpursuit.com/Luvs.html. Jeff
We had the same problem. Huggies Supreme don't work at night, use the Huggies Overnights. They are more expensive than the Supremes but worth it. They still get really full but hardly leak anymore. When i get my son ready for bed I change him into the Overnight diaper. I keep the Supremes for daytime use.
We had the same problem w/our older son. My sister recommended putting a maxi pad in his diaper which helped a lot. We also put him in a larger diaper at night. He was normally in a size 3 during the day, and a 4 at night. Been There
Huggies makes overnight diapers, and these work for us (Huggies Supreme didn't). If that doesn't work, try the overnights in a size larger than his usual size. Chelsea
I had this exact issue with my now 16 month old son. We also put him in a couple layers to keep warm, he also slept about 12 hours, and seemed to always wake up soaked! I didn't want to change his dietary intake because he was happy and healthy, so we bought diapers one size larger in small packs for use only at night. Hope you find something that works for you! Denise
We've been down this road. Here's what works for our boy: a Pampers Cruiser with a pull-up on top--it helps hold the diaper in place and then it's much less likely to leak. anon
We have had a very similar issue with our now 21-month-old, and while I would not say that we found the silver bullet, here are some of the things we've tried, usually in combination:
-You can find ''Huggies Overnights'' (purple bag) at some places, including Andronico's and Target. These are slightly thicker, though alone they're not enough for us.
-We're in the habit of changing our son's diaper before we go to bed-- yes, he sleeps right through this!-- as he goes to bed at 7 and we're up a few more hours.
-Two solutions we've used for ''diaper liners'' (a needed product if I've ever known one): Maxi-pads: cut a slit in the back so the liquid can go through; G-diaper pads (available at Elephant Pharmacy, online, and maybe at Whole Foods?), which work really well.
-This isn't a diaper solution, but we've been really happy with a sleep sack as another warm layer. And the fleece kind stays warm even when wet.
I hope some of these will help keep your son dry at night! Another mom of a night pee-er
Try ''Huggies Overnights'' -- They are hard to find (try Target or Wal-Mart) but we never had any leaks once our son went to those...and he was a big night time pee-er! tinkle free
We went through the same thing with our 15 month old. We were using Huggies supreme and had terrible leaks during the day as well as overnight. I was so mad I gave the entire box away. Now we are using Pampers Cruisers (size 4 which is a bit long in the crotch area) and have not had any problems. If you haven't tried the Cruisers already it might be worth a shot! I hope this helps! Good luck! Nicole
We have had the same problem with our two boys and it was awful! We had to change clothes, sheets and blankets in the middle of the night. But things are finally getting better with our 17 month old. We use huggies overnights, and we put the front of the diaper higher than the back so it absorbs more. We have also weaned the amount of milk he gets at night (less than 5oz) and that seems to help a bit. And we are planning to wean him off to no milk at some point, but our oldest is off milk completely at bedtime and even he had leaked in the past (but I think it's because of the way he sleeps).Hope that helped at little, hang in there. My boys leaked also
We had that same problem with our 13 month old. We now double diaper with a size 5 or 6 diaper over his regular size 4 Huggies Supreme. We haven't had a leak in the morning since then. I can often re-use the outer diaper in the event that he hasn't overflowed the first. Chris
I found that when my kids leaked it was time to go up a size in diapers, even if the diapers still fit. Larger diapers have more absorbancy. I would also try double diapering. Good luck! dry eye mama
We too had a similar issue with our daughter. We now use Overnite diapers (by Huggies), which do the trick for 12-13 hours at night. They have extra padding at the front of the diaper to keep leaks to a minimum. Hope this helps. Shauna
Safeway sells maxi-pad type things for diapers called ''Diaper Doubler's'' that we use with the Huggies overnights. They work like a charm. no longer waking up in a wet bed
We had the same problem until we switched to Huggies Overnights. They sell them at some Safeways and Babies R Us. Some tips for using them: try buying them one size bigger than his normal diapers - there is more absorbent material for a bigger baby. Make sure you put them on pretty tight and that you pull out the extra diaper material around his legs so it is not inside the elastic. Our son still leaks occasionally but it's usually because he drinks a lot before bed or if I put it on too loose. anon
We had the same problem with our son, just turned two. I think the solution is not expensive, ''overnight'' diapers, but a larger size. We bought the next size up, Kirkland (Costco) brand, and haven't had a leak-through since. You could even try TWO sizes larger, just for nighttime. heidi
You may want to consider Wool Diaper Covers. Sounds strange, scratchy and smelly, but they are none of that. We have been using wool diaper covers with leggings. See below website, they are made by Aristocrats (with or without legs) and various websites sell them. The wool is NOT scratchy and me and my baby are very sensitive! We actually use thick Cloth diapers underneath on our 19mo old and a fleece footed PJ over it all. The wool has a natural oil that is water proof. It keeps him warm in the winter and cool when it is warmer. The first time I used it it leaked, but then I washed it with a pea sized dot of Lanolin, and then I became a believer! It is the best. No Leaks, his bottom has no redness, no scratchyness on the legs and he stays warm and does not wake up in a cold puddle! During the day we lay the cover over the side of the tub and there is no urine smell, and it is ready the next night. Every month or so I wash it again with the Lanolin to coat the fibers. You may want to try this cover over disposables first and see. http://www.tinytush.com/images/Diaper%20Covers/aristocrats_longies.gif Or look at the Diaper Pin rating site under Aristocrats Wool Soaker. There are other brands too! And another tiny, silly ''Plus'' -it is fun to sing the ''Wooly Booly'' song to distract him while changing him! Good Luck! Woolen Lovin Mama
We had good results with Huggies overnight diapers (you can find them at Target and elsewhere), but our son only slept about 10 hours per night so you may need more for your son. I remember BPN parents recommending layering a second diaper over the first, perhaps even using a larger size for the outer diaper. Also, make sure that if he wears two piece pajamas, that the pants and shirt don't get tucked into the diapers (the waist of the diaper should be higher than the pajama bottom's waist). Cloth inside the diaper will cause the PJs to get wet very easily. good luck!
We had the same problem with leakage at night so we tried the next size diaper only at night and it seemed to work. Good luck! Katrina
I had the same problem when my daughter was about that age. I also used Huggies and even tried different brands, but none of them made a difference. The only thing I found that helped, were these diaper inserts that I found at Baby World on College Ave. I can't remember the brand name, but they look like those giant maxi pads they give you in the hospital after giving birth. They just go inside the diaper. They did work, although not 100% of the time, but it was certainly worth doing. You could also try cutting the milk down to 2 ounces before bed. I can't recall how long we used them. Maybe until she was potty trained at about 2 1/2. Good luck! mette
We had the same problem. We use GoodNites pull ups and haven't had a problem. I do have to say they are a bit more expensive than competing brands, but none of those worked. Good Luck
Safeway sells inserts for the diapers. I think they are called Diaper Doublers. They look like a maxi pad. They work great for night time and avoiding leaks. The bag used to be blue and is tucked in with the diapers. Sometimes it is hard to find. I would be looking and looking and they were right in front of me. The Safeway on Claremont carried them and the one on Pleasant Valley in Oakland. Berkeley did sometimes. a mom who had a leaky one too
I also use Huggies because they seem most comfortable. To be honest, I have found that Luvs hold the most fluids. So, I rotate diapers. Try Luvs at night. anon
whenever my son starts leaking urine or feces, i know it is time to go up in diaper size. seems silly, but as soon as i switch the problem is usually solved. if you are already at the max, maybe try a switch. i actually find costco diapers are a little bigger than the huggies. anon
Hi-We had the same problem with our daughter and still can (she is 26 months). We were doubling her diapers, but she would often still leak. What we did was put an asorbent disposable diaper on along with a pair of rubber pants. This has worked out well. She is waking with a very full heavy diaper,but it stays contained and we change her shortly after wake up. Hope this helps drier days
i definitely understand your desire to protect your sleep. 12 hours straight is a good long stretch though, and maybe your baby NEEDS one quick diaper change. it's seems possibly a bit extreme to expect him to go 12 hours with a diaper''so full that it weighs a ton and practically drips by the morning because it is so full''. maybe you can come to a compromise that benefits you both. another mom of a 17 month old
15-month-old waking up soaking wet
Feb 2005
My sister's 15-month old son wakes up in the middle of every night, soaking wet. He is wetting out the top of his diaper onto his clothes, and soaking them (and often the sheets as well). My sister has cut back on his fluid intake in the evening (he drinks with dinner at 6pm, but nothing after that). She has tried every kind of diaper, including the largest size of Huggies Overnight diapers. She even tried putting a Pull-Up over those, but they just don't seem to be high enough. She says it is impossible to ''point his penis down'' since it is so small; it just moves around. His legs are HUGE so he has to wear a big diaper. Any advice for keeping him dry at night? My sister (and her son) are so exhausted at this point! Many thanks. - Stacy
I have a son too so I know what she is going through. The best advice I can give is to wake him up & change him. Sometime in betwwen the time he wakes up, she needs to go check his diaper & if it seems sort of full, then she should change it, even if it wakes him. Shelly
I had the same problem with my daughter for months until I found out about diaper doublers. I found them at Albertsons. I think they are their Store brand. I think it has to do with the kiddos being between sizes...... I always found the peeing out of the diapers to happen when we were transitioning from one size to the next. The diaper doublers are like a giant maxi pad that helps to capture any extra pee-pee that might escape the diaper on its own. Good luck to your sister! Julie
BM leaking up out of diaper in the back
May 2004
I am looking for a solution to a problem that I have been having with my daughter's diapers. She is almost 5 months old and for about the past 2 months I have found that when she has a bowel movement of any size it tends to head straight up the back of her diaper and leak onto her clothing. She is wearing the correct size of diaper according to her weight and i put it on as tight as i can but it somehow makes its way up her back almost every time. Any advice or recommendations?! -constantly doing laundry
While you're trying out all the solutions mentioned in the archives, you might want to get some lap pads. These have vinyl on one side, flannel on the other, and are roughly 1 square-foot or larger. Put one in the car seat where the baby's butt & back go and if you have an eruption, at least you won't have to wash the whole carseat cover. And use them anywhere else it makes sense. Crib, bouncy chair... Mary
Try using Pampers brand. They are much taller and have more material in the back. anon
I found that putting a diaper cover, as used for cloth diapers, prevented a lot of leaking up the back. Good luck. sally
We had this problem with our daughter, too. At just about 5 months, we switched from Huggies ultratrims to Pampers, which were higher in the back. This helped a lot. Unfortunately, with the Pampers, she tended to leak pee every single night, out of the front! I started folding down the front (inward) at night and that fixed the pee problem. Then, at about 10 months we switched to Pampers Cruisers. The most expensive of all, but now we have no poop leaks and no pee leaks! It also helps that she's eating solids now and the poops tend to stay put a bit better. Good luck! leaky diaper veteran
I had the same problem with my 10 mo old daughter's diapers. I was using Huggies diapers from Costco (my older daughter used those exclusively with no problems). I decided to try switching brands to Huggies Supreme - they seem to have more elastic in the waist and legs. Although they are more expensive, I have had no leaks with them since. Maybe another brand of diapers will work better for you. anon
Try changing the brand of diaper you use &/or go up a size. We had this problem too, but when we moved from size 2-3 it got better. We also found that Pampers worked much better than Huggies. Good luck! Heather
We have found that the weight range printed on the diaper package is totally irrelevant. When poop started going up the back (or there were lots of leaks at night), we would switch to the next size up; this (almost) always worked for us. Pooped parents too
Diaper leaking during morning nursing cuddle
March 2004
After changing my 4 month old son's diaper, I pull him into bed with me to breastfeed. From about 6:00 am to 7:00 am, I keep him in the bed with me so I can hold him while we sleep. Both of us are on our side, facing each other. Over half of the time -- during our long cuddle only -- he wets himself, up through the diaper, through his clothes, and onto our bed. We use disposable diapers (Huggies), they are the correct size, and he doesn't leak any other time. He will fall asleep on his side and if I try to move him to his back, he wakes up and won't go back to sleep. (He sleeps on his back the rest of the night. It is just for the last hour in the morning that we sleep like this.) Any ideas on what I am doing wrong or on ways to solve this problem? I cherish our morning cuddle and don't want to give it up -- but want to stop him from wetting himself. Thank you for your help! New Mom
Try tucking his penis down before closing up his diaper, otherwise he'll squirt out the top. EM
Are you sure the wetness is from the baby? With my first baby, I went through a time when the bobby pillow was always wet near the baby's diaper area. But it turned out not to be the baby that was leaking... it was me! While nursing the baby on one breast, the other breast would let down and milk would drip onto the bobby pillow, right near the baby's diaper area. Once I figured it out, nursing pads stopped the problem easily! This may not be your issue, but you said your baby's diapers don't leak any other time. It's just something to consider! Happy Nursing
Huggies often leaked with my son when he was in size 3, so I switched to Albertson's store brand, and the problem went away. I think Huggies size 3's don't work that well for tummy or side sleeping. ''Back to Sleep'' doesn't always work. Good luck. Jennifer R.
Our daughter's diapers (we used Huggies, too) leaked almost every day during our morning cuddle/feeding session until she was about 6 months old. We just relied on our mattress pad and lots of sheet changing. Even though we used the right sized Huggies, she just hadn't filled them out enough. At about 6 months, the morning leaking stopped, but we still had a fair number of poop blow-outs in the Huggies. We switched to Pampers (Baby-Dry?? Not the Cruisers), which seem to be higher in the back, and we have very few leaks of any kind now. (She's 8 months.) I think your leaking will resolve when your baby gets a bit bigger. Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) just reviewed baby diapers, by the way, if you want to check out their comments. No more leaks
Hi, I hope it's not to late to respond. What a drag. You're in the middle of a wonderful time, nursing and cuddling in the morning, only to have it ''interrupted'' by a leaking diaper. We had problems with keeping my daughter dry and found relief by using larger than recommended weight/size Huggies Overnites. They're so big and absorbant, they can hold alot. I hope this helps/. Good Luck
3Yo's diaper leaking overnight
Oct 2003
Hi, I have an almost 3-year-old. He isn't potty trained and is in diapers unless he's trying to use the potty when he's either naked or wearing undies. We moved him to a twin bed about a month ago, and the past few mornings, he's called for me in the mornings and when I go into his room and he announces that ''I peepeed on myself.''
He's not taking his diaper or PJs off, I'm thinking his diaper's already full, and it just doesn't hold the morning pee? He doesn't seem too upset, sometimes almost proud of himself. I don't care about the wet PJs, and I'm not concerned with his not being potty trained, but I don't want to have to change the bed every day.
I'm wondering if he's doing it on purpose, but can't figure out the motive, or can he just not help it? One night I tried the size 6 Huggies, and it seemed to have helped, so I will try to remember to put those on every night. Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what worked? Thanks. Mollie
Huggies Overnites! My guess is the bladder can hold more and the child can now hold the pee in for longer so it all comes out at once. I use Huggies Overnites even in the day to avoid surprise burst diapers. dry mom
I THINK YOU ANSWERED YOUR OWN QUESTION...:-)... USE THE LARGER SIZE DIAPERS FOR BED TIME. WHEN HE'S HORIZONTAL, ''LIQUIDS'' MAY RUN !!! HAVING A DIAPER ON THAT GOES A LITTLE HIGHER ON HIS WASTE WILL PROBABLY KEEP THE SHEETS DRY. OR, TRY USING THE PULL- UPS. GOOD LUCK !!! Been There Done That :-)
My daughter had the same problem with diapers at night once she got to a certain size (she didn't potty train until 3.5) Switching to the proper size Pull-Ups did the trick. We called them her special ''night diapers'' so I could potty train her during the day and eliminate the regular diapers without ever using Pull-ups during the day. Jill
Hi, My son was wetting his pj's and the bed every single night for almost 3 months. He had diapers on (He is 1 1/2yo), but touched his penis for confort, left it sticking up (even out of the diaper sometimes) and as a result the pee leaked out. Maybe this is what is happening with your son? The solution for mine has been to use one piece pajamas he cannot open on his own, so he does not have access to his penis. I was afraid he would feel repressed so I avoided this route for a long time, but I am very happy I did it, since he sleeps now a lot better because he doesn't get all wet in the middle of the night. No more daily laundry
My child is out of diapers, but I remember that every time a diaper leaked at night, it was because it was too small. You sounded like you thought he might be doing it on purpose - if so, you could try to make this event somewhat more boring. Don't get excited, at all, for example. And, you might want to try having him help you change the bed. Don't shame or be angry, just act the same way you do when you ask him to help pick up his toys. (He can pull out a corner of the sheet while you lift the mattress, etc.) Or you can say something calmly and regretfully like ''oh, darn, because we had to change the bed, I don't have time to play with you before breakfast'' or make pancakes, or watch a cartoon, or whatever he likes to do in the morning. I think it might be a good idea to take a little of the fun out of this particular trick!! Fran
There are diaper inserts you can buy to kind of bulk up the diaper- there are cloth ones and disposable I have seen some at safeway- they kind of look like big pads. Also, As an adult caregiver I have often used these plastic pads that are about 4X2 that you can use underneath your son if he still leaks. You can find them in the area where they sell depends Juliette
at some point our son started soaking through his night-time diaper almost every night. a baby expert of our acquaintance suggested double-diapering, which we did until he was done with the whole business (its been a couple of years) ... it never failed us. we just used 2 of his normal diapers (huggies, I'm pretty sure) and -- this is the important part -- cut a slit about two inches long in the back (that is, the outside) of the one we put on first, so that it could drain the excess pee into the outer diaper. good luck
Hi, My son had this problem too and I kept going into the next size diaper when it would happen. Then he got to the biggest ones and it happened on occasion. So, I bought these great diaper inserts made by Kushie's and it totally stopped. Now it's not a problem because he's staying dry at night. You can get them at Baby World OR, better yet, I have three rolls left - if you'd like them, email me! alison
Infant peeing out of diaper all night
July 2002
My two month old baby boy experiences a leaky diaper at least three times/night. We use Huggies disposables at night, and I make sure to point his penis downward into the diaper to no avail. He would actually sleep longer during night feedings if he wasn't soaking himself and his blankets. He's exhausted and we are exhausted with the whole thrice nightly clothing changes. He's a big baby, who nurses constantly (he sleeps right next to me) and has HUGE pee pees. I had this same issue with my first son, and never figured out a solution. Does anyone have any advice/experience with this problem? Thank you Maya
Our little guy leaked a lot too. He grew so fast that we had to change diaper sizes quicker than we thought; when he started leaking several times in a row we just switched to a bigger size. But also what works is putting the regular diaper on, then a diaper one size larger OVER that one. All leaks should be contained in the second diaper. Good luck! Laura
I think it's more of a big baby problem than a boy problem - I went through the same thing with my daughter when she was about 6 mos. old. What a pain! It was no fun changing sheets, blanket, pj's in the middle of the night! My daughter has always been very tall for her age, but not chubby. What worked for me was moving up to the next size diaper. Even though I was using the size that was supposed to be appropriate for her weight, they were too short. The next size up was a little baggy, but with the elastic around the legs, it was not a problem. I never had a problem again after I made the switch. Good luck! Kathryn
This may sound crazy, but have you considered using cloth diapers at night? The advantage is that you can double or I suppose even triple them. Granted, my 10 week old doesn't nurse that much at night, but I'm amazed at how well the double cloth diapering works (I don't change him all night). I was using disposable huggies in the beginning, and I had some of the leakage up the back problem you mention. Also, I had some luck with the huggies by pulling them all the way up so that they were higher in the back. janet mack
We had the exact same problem with our son and I'll tell you what worked: Huggies overnites!! They are worth the premium price. Run don't walk, never a leak. Alexis
Believe it or not, I found cloth diapers to be better for nighttime. We always had leak problems at night with our infants if we used Huggies, but no problem with cloth. I think the small size huggies/pampers, etc. are just not abosrbant enough for a big nighttime pee. If cloth doesn't interest you, I would try the next size bigger disposable. There is a lot of overlap in the size ranges and I have found that when we start having daytime leaks with Huggies, moving up to the next size fixes the problem. Another option is double diapering at night (maybe put a bigger one on over the smaller one, if the big ones seem too big for your child). Karen Frasier-Kolligs
Have you tried Pampers? I had the same problem when my daughter was a newborn. I used Huggies and they always leaked. We switched to Pampers and have *never* had a leak in 2 years (though there has been the occasional poop blow-out). My unscientific observation is that Huggies are good for skinny butts and Pampers for round ones! Christine
What worked for us is putting him in the next size diaper at bedtime even if it seemed way too big. (Could still use normal size during the day). We also used Huggies. kj
Our son leaks out of Huggies, too; he does much better in Tendercare diapers (which we get from our diaper service; I've also seen them at Andronicos). They're made with cotton & wood pulp, instead of the gels that most disposables use now, so they're bulkier, but they work better for us. Tushies diapers, made by the same company, are even thicker. Good luck! Caroline
Try a product called ''Diaper Doublers'' You insert them in the diaper to add extra absorbancy. You may still have to change a couple of times a night but they should help out. I've seen Diaper Doublers at Safeway, Albertson's, various drug stores, etc. for $3-$5 for a pack of 30. Linnea
Hi. Our experience with this is based on having a girl so I don't know if this will help, but we switched to Huggies ''Supreme'' diapers for nighttime - and at different times we'd go one size larger than the ultratrims when she was in a transitional size. Hope that helps. Changed lots of sheets too
A familiar problem. We had this probelm twice, for different reasons. When my son was first born, it took some time to discover that you must make sure all of the white ruffle around the legs of the Huggies is turned outward. If even a small amount is turned in, the diaper leaks. The second time we had the problem, it turned out to be a result of faulty manufacturing. I had bought Huggies in bulk at Costco, and had changed so many wet sheets and clothes from that one bulk pack that I called the manufacturer to complain (you can find the number on the box). The phone rep said the if the diaper is very stiff, it has become fused in manufacturing and will not absorb liquid. I told her that every other diaper was stiff, and she took the batch number and confirmed that there had been other complaints. She then sent me some coupons for free boxes. If you these are not the problem with your diapers, try another brand or the next size up. The probalme may be in the diaper fit. You might also try Huggies Overnights that can absorb more. Carolyn West
My son had the same problem and for a while I bought diaper pads from Albertsons (I think they called them ''Diaper Doublers'')for approx $3.75 per 15. I finally realized they were basically just maxi pads only more expensive, so instead I bought the store brand full-size, bulky maxi pads which I put in his diaper every night. I think Trader Joe's makes a ''natural'' kind (without dyes and bleaches). I also used the heavier night diapers, though I don't think they make them for kids your son's age. I even tried double-diapering, but that did not seem to help. If you haven't already tried this, I hope it helps!! Signed, Waking Up In a Dry Bed
My sister-in-law used to 'double diaper' her boys. It was the only way to get through the night she tells me. While the baby's weight is mid-way in the diaper size range, you can use the same size... one directly over the other. But as he grows toward the upper weight limit, try the next size larger for the outer diaper layer. Also, you might experiment with other brands - that worked for wet nights with my son. I've found some brands just fit better than others. Here's another thought: I wounder if a swim diaper would work. They are cumbersome when it comes time for changes, but they are designed to keep the products locked-in. Since they are more expensive than regular diapers, you might even try double diapering with the swim diaper as the outer one. It might secure the regular diaper and act as an absorbant safety layer. good luck. Linda
I had the same problem with my son! The best news is that they grow out of this, so whatever solution you find will only need to be temporary. I did find a solution that worked for me most of the time. I put a larger size diaper on, one with lots of elastic on the leg openings (I think maybe Huggies Supreme), and cinched in the waist. Inside the diaper I put a diaper doubler (looks like a maxi pad). (I also tried two diapers at once, but that didn't seem to work.) Then I put him in both an undershirt and a fuzzy sleeper (not cotton). The sleeper (from Lands End) seemed to seal in any liquid that leaked out of the diaper, which helped us because our biggest problem had been that the liquid evaporating on his skin would make him cold and wake him up (of course this was last winter, but it can still be pretty cold here at night). This should also help keep you dry since you are sleeping next to him! Good luck. Stephanie
we had trouble with huggies, and switched to pampers. someone told me later that huggies work well for girls and pampers for boys, i don't know if that is true, but once we switched we didn't have problems (and we had a ton of problems before that!).
We have found a great solution. A butt sweater. Actually - it's the wool Aristocrat diaper cover (can get at www.earthbaby.com/aristocrats.html). We wear it over one cloth diaper and our 3 month old has been dry all night for a month (when we started using it.) Plus, it's really fun at night to put it on and say, ''Who's wearing a butt sweater!!?!!'' :) Ann
Nighttime disposable leaks out the sides
Dec 2000
The disposable diapers I use at nighttime always leak out the sides because my baby rolls onto his side to sleep. Can anyone recommend a good disposable diaper that won't leak this way? Colleen
Here's a solution to the leaky diaper dilemma: We double-bag our son at night. First I put on an overnight diaper, which is 50% more absorbent. Then I put a regular ultratrim diaper on OVER the first diaper. It seems to work. I hope this helps. -Polly
In response to your question about leaking disposable diapers - I've always used Huggies and they seem to work really well.... What I've FINALLY discovered is that whenever my son has leaked, it has been because he was pointed in the right direction inside the diaper. Now that our son is in Pull-Ups, we've had more of the leaking problems because he is more likely to not be adjusted properly, from pulling up the diaper... Hope this helps! -Heather
We had the same problem with our child. The solution was two-fold: we tried bigger diapers and we began using diaper covers with the disposable diapers during the night. Huggies Overnites have worked best for us. We use cloth in the daytime but our diaper covers all have velcro. Our favorites are Bottom Buddies...more expensive but the velcro tabs are smaller. Perhaps the pants version of diaper covers would work better (similar to the rubber pants we grew up with). Obie
I always found that the brand names, Huggies, Pampers, didn't usually leak like the lesser known (Kirkland etc.) brand names.(We've been out of diapers for almost 4 years though). June
This is in response to the diaper (leaking) question. I recommend using Huggies Overnites. We had a terrible time keeping our son dry at night (we've always used disposable) until we tried the Overnite diapers. They really do seem to hold more and prevent leaking. Good luck! Katie
we've always used huggies without a problem. our baby is rather big, so maybe that helps the diapers stay snug amy
Our son's diapers started leaking almost nightly, until a kind friend gave us diaper doublers from Albertsons. These are pads you insert in the diaper for overnight use. Not one leak has happened since. Inbal
16-month-old pulling his penis up, peeing out of diaper
August 2003
My 16 month-old son touches his penis for confort every time he is tired or sleepy. I don't have a problem with him touching his genitals, although when he is a bit older and can understand me better I plan to teach him that you do it in private. But I do have a BIG problem, with the fact that, because he pulls his penis up while touching himself before going to sleep, he ends up peeing all over the bed every single night. I have to wash pajamas, sheets, and blankets daily, and sometimes I have to change pj's and bedding in the middle of the night because he is so wet.
I have tried a couple of things whitout much success. One is going in after he falls asleep, reaching inside his diaper and placing his penis facing down again. This has worked sometimes, but often he reaches again for his penis at some point during the night and still wakes up all wet. Other times, when I go in (about one hour after bedtime, to make sure he is deeply asleep) he is already wet.
I have also tried dressing him in one piece pajamas, so he cannot touch his penis at all. Two problems have arised with this ''solution''. The first one is that he gets very upset and starts crying loudly, and has a very hard time going to sleep (usually he goes to sleep on his own without problems unless he is sick, after the usual bedtime ritual); he also tends to wake up more at night and has a harder time going to sleep. As a result, the sheets may be dry, but our sleep is disastrous.
The second problem is mine. I am afraid to create negative feelings in him by ''repressing'' his self-fondling. I don't want him to associate genitals with something bad, or forbidden. This is important to me, because I was severely reprimanded and scolded as a young child for touching my genitals (of course, I was too young to know anything about sex otr to understand why this was so wrong); I grew up with lots of repression and guilt around sex (which later developed into self-destructive sexual behavior, but that's another story).
I wonder if any of you has gone through a similar situation with a son and how you solved it (I imagine, with girls would not be problematic, since they don't have a penis that can face up and pee outsaide the diaper). If you decided to go ahead with the one piece pj's, did it take very long for your child to get used to it and go to sleep without problems? (I am afraid it would take a very long time for my son, who has very low adaptability to changes and gets very easily frustrated). If you decided to stick it out, was this a phase that went away after a while? (it has lasted a couple of months already for my son). Any other ideas or solutions? I would really appreciate them. Laundry blues
My son went through a very similar thing. I had the same feelings--I was not opposed to the touching, but tired of the leaky diaper. For me the solution was one-piece jammies, but as I recall, it was winter time and I think the added warmth made up for the lack of access. I also used those big disposable bed pads, like you get in the hospital, under a sheet or blanket. It did not stop the wetting but made changing the bed easier and less frustrating for me. Now, a year later, he still likes to touch his penis (is there any male anywhere who doesn't?) but we don't seem to have as much problem with the leaks. It might be that as he has grown older, he has more bladder control--he's not potty trained yet, but still often wakes with a dry diaper. In other words, I bet things will get easier for you in time. been there
Heidi
Well, i have a girl, but a friend of mine with boys told me that cloth diapers and covers work better at night because the cloth is absorbant whichever way it gets hit, while the throw aways are olny absorbant in the part where the chemicals are. also try peeing him before bed. not like 'early forced potty training', just hold him in a little sqatted position over the sink or toilet or outside or something, and see if he need to go. if it seems like he needs to go but can't, you might try to help him relax, or distract him somehow. it works with some kids. then the pointing him down after he goes to sleep plan would at least work most nights. and don't stress too much about the body shame. it sounds like you're committed to giving your son a good healthy self image. he'll be fine. having a tired, stressed out, overworked mom who has to do an extra load of #@*$ laundry every morning is probably a more imediate concern. mexicalex
Try using a cloth diaper. The bulk will keep the pee from leaking out the top. Sophie
I feel for you! We went through this exact same thing (and in fact I posted here for advice and didn't get too much). What we did was get a big waterproof pad (about crib size) and put it in his bed. (We were having this problem mostly when he was already in a ''big boy bed'' at about age two. The problem with this was that it would get all scrunched up when our son moved around at night. Then we tried laying a sheet over the waterproof pad, and that helped some. The waterproof pads are warm though, so during the summer it was just too hot to use them. We did try the one piece pajama thing, and that worked for a while, until he figured out how to unzip them. Then we tried a onesie underneath, and sometimes he would still manage to get his hand into his diaper! I guess where there's a will, there's a way! I also felt bad when we tried to deny him of his comfort by zipping or snapping away his penis. So I guess I can't give you a magic solution. What happened with our son, is that eventually we could reason with him, and he would try to keep his hand out of his pants. And also, he started peeing less at night as he was moving toward potty training. So it just stopped being an issue. Incidentally, now 3 and a few months (and potty trained), he still sleeps with his hand in his pants, and still puts his hand in there whenever he's tired or needs comfort or has a pacifier in his mouth (which we're trying to get rid of too!)I've done what you mentioned, and explained that that's something he can do when he's alone. He understands, but still needs to be reminded quite often. Good luck. Hopefully it will phase out in a couple of months. anon
2-year-old son's hands in pants for comfort, making diaper leak
August 2002
Our 27 month old son regularly puts his hands in his pants (and in his diaper) for comfort. He mostly does this when he is going to bed or for naps, sometimes when he is being read to or watching a video. I don't mind that he does this if it comforts him, but what drives his father and me crazy is that when he does it, he pushes his diaper down, which then causes his pee to leak out onto his clothes and his bed. Many mornings he wakes up sopping wet, cold and needing his sheets changed. Is there anyone out there who has had similar experiences with little boys, who has suggestions for how to curb this habit or make it easier to deal with? Thanks! Tammy
My son is 3 1/2 and still puts his hand down his pants. When he was younger, I also had problems with him pushing the diaper down, in his sleep, and wetting the bed. I started putting him in one piece pajamas (Gap) which worked great until he learned how to unsnap them. The zipper type worked better. We also placed a bed cover (it was a 3x4 size pad), which was soft on one side and plastic on the other, on top of his regular sheets. We then placed one of his old baby blankets on top of the cover which is what he slept on. It did not stop him from wetting the bed, but it did make the clean up so much easier.