Cloth Diapering Must-Haves: Fleece Liners

I have an “essentials” list of items and accessories that I would not want to do without as a cloth diapering mommy.  I would like to share the list with you sometime, but one item in particular has been invaluable to me recently: fleece liners.

Elaine usually gets a bad diaper rash when she is teething.  This past time, she also had an allergic reaction to my all-natural diaper rash cream.  This not only prevented her rash from healing, but made it much worse. 

The easy solution when dealing with a diaper rash (if you must use a cream, and especially if it is a medicated/prescription cream) is to switch to disposables.  That was not an option for us.  However, I did not want to risk ruining my costly pocket diapers, or void the manufacturer’s warranty.  So what is the solution when you must use a cream, which is typically a no-no?

Fleece liners.  These are also sometimes called Stay Dry Liners, Micro-Chamois liners, etc.  Basically it is a strip of stay-dry fabric, similar to the lining in your pocket diapers, that fits down the center of your diaper.  This thin liner allows fluids to pass through unhindered into the soaker beneath, and it also keeps the baby’s skin dry (just as the lining of your pocket diaper does).  However, any cream that rubs off of baby’s bum rubs onto the liner, and not your diaper.  You can then wash the liners separately to prevent contaminating your other soiled diapers in the wash.  If the liner is particularly soiled, you can throw it away.  They cost very little, but they protect the more expensive investment you have in your pocket diapers.

We used liners for over two weeks while healing Elaine’s rash.  I did not have to strip my diapers, and the warranty is still intact on all of them.  I just kept a plastic bag at the changing table, and if Elaine had been wearing cream I put the liner and the wipes into the bag.  I washed them about once a week separate from other diapers and clothes.  It was a small load, but it was worth it.  Then I would add the dirty diapers to the wash and allow the liners and wipes to go through another good wash cycle, even though they were already clean.

You can purchase fleece liners inexpensively, or you can make your own even cheaper.  I will share next week how I have made my own.