Night Nappy — Complete Guide to Dry Nights with Cloth Nappies

Most people who start with cloth nappies begin during the day. Nights come a little later in the decision — because they feel more uncertain. What happens over eleven hours? Does it leak? Does your child wake up soaked through?

The questions are fair, and the answers are actually fairly simple. This guide goes through how a night nappy works, how to put together a night combination, and what to do if it starts to leak.

Short answer: A night nappy is a whole, soft and flexible nappy sewn from the same absorbent fabric as our inserts. Inside it goes the same insert as in your other nappies — it's the combination of the absorbent nappy and the insert that gets you through a whole night. The night nappy has no waterproof layer of its own, so it's used together with a cover.

One thing to know right away: for some children, a regular cloth nappy does the job perfectly well at night, with a second insert folded lengthways where the wee mostly lands. Try that first — a dedicated night nappy is the step up for when that isn't enough.

What is a night nappy — and how does it differ from a regular cloth nappy?

A night nappy is a whole, soft nappy sewn from the same absorbent fabric as our inserts — it follows your child's body and soaks up a lot on its own. Inside it goes the same insert as in your other nappies, which gives the absorbency needed for a whole night.

There's one important thing to know: the night nappy has no waterproof layer of its own. It's always used together with a cover that provides the waterproof layer on the outside.

So you need two parts:

Night nappy with insert (the absorbent part) + Cover (waterproof outer) = a complete night combination

It's this system that keeps things watertight all night.

The night nappy fits 5–17 kg

The night nappy is one size — it adjusts with snaps and follows your child from around 3–4 months of age to the end of the nappy period. You don't need to buy a new size as your child grows; you adjust the fit with the snaps at the front.

The night combination — night nappy and cover together

You don't need a new cover for the night. You put on the night nappy, and then a waterproof cover over the top. That's all.

But one thing to know: the night nappy is thicker than a regular insert, so it needs a roomier cover to sit well. The Cover Comfort has that extra room. A roomier pocket nappy works too — take out the regular insert and use the pocket nappy as the outer cover. The Slim model, on the other hand, is too snug and doesn't work as well together with the night nappy.

The cover you use at night is the same Cover/All-in-one as during the day — read more in our guide to all-in-one nappies.

If you already have one of the roomier covers at home, that's all you need — you don't have to buy an extra one for the night.

Fit at night

The night nappy is soft and stretchy, and it's easy to get a good fit inside the cover. Night-time leaks are nearly always down to the absorbency running out — not the fit. But it's still worth keeping an eye on a couple of things.

Make sure no fabric from the night nappy sticks out along the leg openings or along the back. If it does, the wee is led out along the fabric and out of the nappy. The leg openings on the cover should sit along the inside of the thigh, and you should be able to fit two fingers into the waist.

If you need help with fit in general — this guide goes through it step by step.

If the night nappy starts to leak

The night nappy has worked fine — and then, without you really having changed anything, it starts to leak. The most common reason is that your child has got older and wees more per stretch. The absorbency that was enough three months ago isn't enough any more.

The solution is more absorbency, not a new nappy.

The booster tip: Fold 2–3 bamboo terry wash cloths and place them in the nappy where the wee lands first — they're made to handle exactly this. That gives extra absorbency right where it's needed, without making the whole nappy unnecessarily thick.

If you've added a booster but it still leaks — check:

• The fit (see the section above)
• The wash routine — fabric softener and fragrance residue gradually build up in the fabric and reduce absorbency. Try running an extra rinse cycle, and check that you're not using any fabric softener at all

Want the full leak troubleshooting — day and night — read why the nappy leaks and how to fix it.

Washing the night nappy

The wash routine is the same as for all cloth nappies:

• 60 °C, long program
• Pre-wash + extra rinse
• No fabric softener, no bleach

One practical detail: the night nappy is thick and soaks up a lot of water in the machine. Make sure the machine isn't overfilled — the fabric needs to move freely so the detergent reaches all the way through properly.

Air-dry. Inserts and the night nappy can be hung in the sun — it's an old trick against stains. The cover dries best indoors.

You'll find more on washing in our washing guide for cloth nappies.

How many night nappies do I need?

Your child has one night nappy per night — so you don't need as many as day nappies. As a guide:

• If you wash every other day: 3–4 night nappies is plenty
• If you wash every third day: 5–6 night nappies gives a good margin

If you need a fuller run-through of how often nappies are actually changed over the course of the day — see our guide on how often to change a nappy.

Sleep routine and night changes — when it makes sense to change

For most children the night nappy is a whole-night nappy — you put it on at bedtime and change it in the morning. That's the whole point of the system.

But there are two situations where a night change can be worthwhile:

1. Early in the nappy period — when nights are short

For really small babies (under around 4–5 months) who feed often, nights are rarely eleven hours long anyway. In that case you may already be up changing a nappy at a feed. Use that moment — a simple nappy change while half-asleep is much easier than sorting out a soaked-through pyjama change at 4 in the morning.

2. During transition phases — when your child is growing

As your child gets bigger and wees more per stretch, you may notice the nappy starting to become saturated before morning. That's often the sign to move from a regular day nappy at night to a dedicated night nappy, or to add a booster to the night nappy you already have. See the booster tip above.

Otherwise: leave well alone. Changing a nappy at night wakes both child and parent more than it solves — unless there's an obvious reason, wait until the morning.

Common questions about night nappies

How long can my child wear the night nappy without a change?
A correctly fitted night combination — night nappy + cover — lasts through most children's night's sleep. Exactly how long depends on your child's age, how much they wee and whether you've added extra absorbency.

Do I need a separate cover for the night?
No. The cover you use during the day — pocket nappy or cover/all-in-one — works just as well at night. You don't need to buy an extra one.

Can the night nappy be used during the day too?
Yes, but it's thick and can feel bulky when your child is moving about actively. Most people save the night nappy for nights and choose a slimmer day nappy for daytime. One exception is longer car journeys — the extra absorbency is welcome then if you want a little more margin.

How does the night nappy differ from adding extra inserts to a day nappy?
The night nappy is a whole nappy in absorbent fabric, made specifically for long wear — it absorbs a lot and holds it for a long time. Adding extra inserts to a day nappy works as a supplement (the booster method), but it's rarely quite as effective as starting from a night nappy when your child sleeps for a long time.

Is the night nappy suitable from birth?
The night nappy fits from 5 kg upwards, which for most children is around 2–4 months of age. Below that it can be too big and give a leaky fit — a regular cover with an insert works better for the smallest ones.

Get started with the night nappy

The night nappy is combined with the cover you already have — you don't need a new outer cover. Start with the night combination and adjust with the booster tip if it's needed further down the line.

Night nappy · extra absorbentNight nappy 5–17 kgA whole, extra absorbent nappy for a whole night's sleep. Used with an insert and a cover.See the night nappy →

Complete night combinationStarter Kit Night nappy & CoverNight nappy + waterproof cover in one package — everything for dry nights.See the Starter Kit →

Need more cloth nappies first? Our buying guide for cloth nappies goes through which model suits your everyday life.

By Emelie, Time Ahead Sweden