When researching modern reusable cloth diapers for your new baby, you will likely find a laundry list of different "must have" features. This article discusses all the reasons why we believe that a Tummy Panel should be at the top of your list.
Tummy panels are well loved by many cloth diapering families, but what is a tummy panel and do you really need one?
A tummy panel is a section of water resistant fabric—typically made from either Polyurethane Laminate fabric (PUL) or Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)—that lines the inside of the diaper along the belly. This extra panel of fabric combats leaks by preventing the diaper lining fabric from coming in contact with baby's clothing which causes a type of leak called "wicking."
Tummy Panels can be various shapes and widths. At Kinder, our pocket diapers include a curved tummy panel with fabric that matches the exterior print of the diaper. Kinder's tummy panels are a generous width to ensure that the diaper's interior fabric never comes in contact with baby's clothing.
Tummy panels are common in pocket style modern cloth diapers, but may also be found in some All In One (AIO) styles and even some diaper covers have them as well.
What are the benefits of a tummy panel in a modern cloth diaper?
This extra water resistant barrier helps prevent moisture inside the diaper from wicking onto baby's clothing. It can be tricky to make sure that the diaper lining is always pushed inside the diaper in a diaper that does not have a tummy panel.
If the soft absorbent fabric inside the diaper comes into contact with the baby's clothing, urine may gradually seep or wick to the outside of the diaper, causing a slow but frustrating leak.
In diapers that do not have a tummy panel. the interior fabric lining of the diaper can creep up and peek outside the outer water resistant fabric. However, when a tummy panel is introduced, the wicking layer of the diaper is now safely tucked inside the diaper, below a 1-2 inch layer of water resistant fabric. This helps eliminate this issue of urine wicking onto clothing by keeping the lining tucked inside the diaper, where it belongs.
A tummy panel is awesome for belly sleepers who are the most prone to leaks along the belly during naps and overnight. This extra 1 inch or so of water resistant fabric can help baby sleep sounder, for longer.
We recommend tummy panels for babies that are heavy wetters and tummy sleepers. Cloth diapers with tummy panels are great for every day diapers, long car rides and especially night time wear.
Do you have a tummy sleeper that's often wet along their belly in the morning?
Try adding a cloth diaper with a tummy panel to your night time routine. If your child is still experiencing lots of tummy leaks while sleeping after introducing a tummy panel, you likely need more absorbency in your pocket. Boosting with a natural fiber insert like hemp, cotton or bamboo can help improve absorbency.
We do not recommend using microfiber as this material is very prone to compression leaks.
