Maman Loup’s Overnight Cloth Diaper Insert Sandwich Recipe!

Since first creating my famous (or so I’d like to believe) Overnight Cloth Diaper Insert Sandwich recipe, I’ve tried other overnight cloth options, but I still go back to this combination. Even on marathon nursing nights, Cub wakes up to dry sheets (apart from drool).

I know a lot of Mamas swear by a solid fitted diaper and woolies, but I just never got into wool, and fitteds just aren’t my favourite cloth diaper style.

Maman Loup’s Overnight Cloth Diaper Insert sandwich is all sorts of awesomesauce because:

• It’s made of all natural fibers for easy laundering;
• Rather than having multiple layers of fabric all encased in a diaper, the inserts can all be separated for a good rinse, and each insert will be thoroughly penetrated by your detergent. (Night time diapers are one of the main culprits for ammonia build up.)
• Baby’s hips and waist stay dry, unlike in a fitted;
• Everything is actually dry after one dryer cycle;
• The sandwich will work with pretty much any cloth diaper cover, so you can choose the one that gives you the right fit;
• It’s a one-size-fits-most solution, rather than a sized overnight option;
• Renee at Lil’ Monkey Cheeks has everything you need to build you perfect overnight sandwich solution!

Ready for the recipe?

You’ll need Flip Overnight Inserts, GroVia Organic Cotton Boosters and AMP 3-ply Hemp Boosters, plus a cover of your choice.

I don’t bother with a fleece liner, and Cub hasn’t had any problems with irritation. I personally use hemp/cotton blend mama cloth, so I’m confident that it’s comfortable directly against his skin. Some nights I also apply Live Clean-brand diaper ointment if I see any redness starting, and it’s clear in the morning. (Live Clean is cloth safe.)

I’ve been using my “insert sandwich” in my Rumparooz cover and Best Bottom covers purchased at LMC. I’ve also found it works well in my AppleCheeks covers and AMP one-size Duos.

Renee asked me to give it a try with two other styles she carries: Blueberry Coveralls and Thirsties Duo Wraps.

Left to right: Blueberry, Thirsties Size 2, Rumparooz

The Thirsties Size 2 and Rumparooz covers are fairly comparable in terms of fit on Cub. Because it comes in two sizes, you might get a better fit on a newbie with a Thirsties Size 1, but if you simply want a one-size fit, you might prefer Rumparooz. I love that both Thirsties and Rumparooz have the cinched tummy elastic.

The Blueberry Coverall is the largest of the gang: it’s huge! I haven’t had to snap rise snaps on a diaper for at least a year… and I have to snap them up on the Coveralls. If you have an older child who’s in undies during the day and just needs cloth at night, the Coveralls should be big enough to fit!

Here’s Cub in his Coveralls:

What all three of these diapers (plus Best Bottom) have in common is the double gusset. This makes for a nice, snug fit at the legs, even though the insert sandwich is fairly thick.

For tummy sleepers, I’d recommend the Thirsties or Rumparooz covers because of the front waist elastics. If your baby has a long torso, you may find the rise on Best Bottom covers a bit low, which is why we’ve been reaching for them less often than the three choices above. Because my husband hates snaps, I like having at least one hook & loop option (in our case, the Thirsties).

On Cub, I find it’s the Rumparooz cover that gives the best fit with this insert combination, but I’m very happy with Thirsties and Blueberry, too. No leaks with any of them!

Overall, the cover you choose might come down to which brand offers the print you like best or the price point you are aiming for: they all work very well with my insert sandwich!

Since Cub is a toddler, and was already probably 25 lbs by the time I started using the recipe, I wasn’t sure how well it would work on smaller babies. I had my BFF Adrienne test it out on her newbie, who at 2 months old is 15 lbs. She loves it, and uses it every night with a Best Bottom cover. Her son is a super heavy wetter. (By the way, she just leaves the crotch buttons of his sleeper undone and then puts him in his sleep sack.)

Tips:

• I have found it imperative to my wash routine to rinse out and wring out our overnight inserts. I then put them in the diaper pail until wash day. (Washing every 2-3 days, I have never had any issues with mold, and I never put the inserts in sopping wet.)
• If you need a stay-dry layer, just top with a fleece liner!
• I use Live Clean Diaper Rash ointment on Cub most nights as an extra barrier, and it washes off just fine.
• You may not need all the ingredients when baby is small: the Flip overnight insert, folded down at the top to make it shorter, may be plenty!
• Choose the cover that gives your baby the best fit, depending on his or her physiognomy.  You want to make sure there’s no gaping around the legs, and a front waistband elastic will help for tummy sleepers.
• Little boy tummy sleepers may benefit from having the hemp booster folded in two and placed in the wet zone.

Disclosure: I received the Blueberry Coverall and Thirsties Duo at no cost to facilitate this post. All other “ingredients” were purchased by me, and while I do manage Lil’ Monkey Cheeks social media accounts, I receive no commission from sales.