You have your new diapers and accessories, now what?! Here are some tips to help you get started.
Be sure to read through the rest of the How It Works page for more detailed instruction and demo videos. The instructions we provide are designed to help you have the best experience with Esembly AND to ensure your new Esembly products live a nice long life.
Prewash:
- Prior to first use: Run your new diapers through a Heavy Duty wash cycle with hot water and 2 scoops of Washing Powder to rinse away the cotton oils so they are fully absorbent.
Diapering:
- FIT: Inners and Outers should fit cozy but not too tight. Asymmetrical snapping is perfectly acceptable and sometimes needed to get the best fit.
- LEAKING: Always make sure all cotton is securely tucked inside the Outer (any exposed cotton can lead to wicking and leaking).
- NEWBORN TIP: If there is a gap between your new baby’s tiny thigh and the diaper elastic, do a Ruffle Tuck! Simply snap the Inner on the smallest setting, then push the cotton ruffle around the legs inside the diaper so it plugs the opening. Secure the Outer over the Inner as usual. That little tuck will keep the mess contained while you wait for your baby to fill out a bit.
- WETNESS: Change baby every 2-4 hours, or immediately if they poop. It's normal and expected for the Inner to feel damp to the touch when fully saturated. (Inners are made of super absorbent, 100% organic cotton with no synthetic layers to mask the wetness.) This should not cause your baby any discomfort. If more moisture-wicking is desired, we recommend adding a Stay-Dry Liner.
- SLEEP: Overnighters are recommended to boost absorbency when baby starts sleeping in 6+ hour stretches.
Laundering:
- WASHING + DRYING: Every 2-3 days, wash and dry diapers as per the instructions outlined in the Laundering section below.
- NO SOAKING. NO SANITIZING. We do NOT recommend soaking your diapers in anything (even just plain water) or using the Sanitary/Steam/Allergen cycle on your washing machine. Doing so will prematurely degrade your diaper fabrics and elastics causing holes, leaking, and loss of stretch.
- POOPY DIAPERS: When baby is on a milk-based diet (breastmilk or formula), no rinsing, spraying, or pretreatment is necessary. Soiled diapers go straight into the Pail Pouch or diaper pail. Once your baby starts solids foods, we recommend adding Tossers or Stay-Dry Liners for easy poop removal. USE CAUTION if spraying or rinsing your diapers. Doing so can cause mold and mildew growth, along with damage to diaper fabrics and elastics (similar to soaking).
- STAINING: If you have a baby who likes to make "diaper art," we recommend laying diapers in the sun, or running an Optional Refresh with chlorine bleach (as per the instructions outlined in the Laundering section below) to remove the discolorations.
- HARD WATER: Esembly Washing Powder is formulated for use in both soft, normal, and moderately hard water. If your water is very hard we'd recommend adding Borax or Calgon to each cycle to soften it. Doing so will improve cleaning performance and will protect your diaper fabrics and elastics from the premature degradation that hard water can cause.
Skincare:
- CLEANING: Clean and dry baby’s skin at every change with Wipe-Ups and Wipe-Up Wash.
- AVOID: Do not use skincare products containing petroleum oil, mineral oil, cod-liver oil, lanolin, or high concentrations of zinc oxide or wax. Use of those products will damage your diapers causing intense staining and moisture repellency. All Esembly skincare products are "cloth safe" (meaning they are specially formulated to wash easily and effectively out of your diapers).
- SKINCARE: For daily nourishing, apply a thin layer of Everyday Balm. If rash is detected, switch to Rash Relief Cream and work a healthy layer into baby’s skin at every change until rash is healed.
Storage
- BAG: We recommend our Pail Pouch for storing soiled diapers until laundry day.
- PAIL: If using a diaper pail, choose the biggest one possible and avoid overstuffing. Your diapers like air circulation to "breathe." You can use the Pail Pouch to line your pail.
- AVOID: Never store diapers in plastic bags or airtight containers as this can cause mold.
- DRY: Always ensure clean diapers are FULLY dried before putting them away.