Chunky Thighs: How to Cloth Diaper Chubby Babies

While we get the question of how to cloth diaper a newborn and how to deal with skinny legs often, the other side, the chunky side, of cloth diapering can be just as tricky! Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered on how to fit a cloth diaper on those marshmallow legs - and if you’re really having trouble, you can always consult our Fit App or email delight@lilhelper.ca

Guest Post by one of our very own customers, Shannon!

Little sprout. Wee one. Littles. Smalls. Everything is TINY from the clothes to the toes, right? So there you are, moments after your little bundle of joy has arrived — except your wee one isn't so, well... little.

So, you are the proud parent of a {not-so-little} little one. Congratulations! Whether it was your secret Viking heritage or that extra helping of cake during the last trimester (you TOTALLY DESERVED it), you may never know. But what you *do* know is that now you've got to figure out how to cloth diaper little Buddha without any not-so-little leaks and a mountain of unnecessary laundry.

Can a Lil Helper cloth diaper fit my not so lil baby?

Okay: the name "Lil" Helper initially seems to dissuade you, right? You're far too clever for that. You know better. Of course you've heard about the grow-with-baby design. An adjustable rise, waist AND leg opening that will snugly fit your little giant from 7 to 35lbs? A diaper of clearly mythical proportions.

So how *DO*  you, exactly, achieve the PERFECT fit on your not-so-little squish? The good folks at Lil Helper get asked this question a lot. So they went to the source: a real, honest-to-goodness Lil Helper-loving mama with a bonafide Viking-sized baby. Moi.

Cloth Diaper Question (for real life):

"Hi! I need help with fit on my chunker. He's just over a year old, over 29 lbs, Buddha belly and chunky thighs. When I put the diaper on, the insert seems to tug on the snap in the front. The front always seem to have a gap no matter how many snaps I snap in. Anyway, any tips are appreciated!” — Cristina E.

The Answer:

First thing is first: your rise might need adjusting. If the diaper is coming up too high over your baby's Buddha belly and not fitting snug at the waist, that can make your fit wonky.

Wonky fit = leaks and gaps = bad news bear.

Just like some folks prefer the mom-jean high-waisted trouser or the hipsters in their low-rise skinny jeans,  each body is different. LH's design is adjustable to accommodate every baby's body type. To adjust your rise, use the three rows of snaps  located on the front of your diaper. Using the top snaps, match them to the desired row. (There are two different row settings, with each removing about an inch off of the length of your diaper's rise.) Optimally, the top of your Lil Helper Cloth Diaper should sit comfortably just under your baby's paunch, at the hip line, without any plumber's crack at the back.

Avoiding Leg Leaks and Red Marks

Next, fiddle with the leg opening for those lovely chunky thighs --- use the three vertical snaps along the front to get them snug but not uncomfortable. They should sit in the uppermost crease of the hip/leg --- not in a lower crevice --- I know, it's sometimes hard to get them in the *right one* on Michelin babies. ;)

Last, there's the waist. Those handy flaps are stretchy and can overlap --- if there's a gap at the top, making them snap over top of each other can do the trick. Again, just make sure the waist is sitting on the hips, below the muffin top and the Buddha belly.

And there you have it folks! The perfect fit for your not-so-pint-sized baby! Doubtless there will be obstacles ahead for your future physical pillar of society --- small doorways, little rental cars and too-short showerheads. But with Lil Helper, cloth diapering won't be one! Now go forth, and do great things. You will tower above others in your knowledge. Both literally and figuratively.

Need more of a visual? Check out this video of Mohammed explaining all the snaps!

Get Cloth Diaper Fit Help

And when in doubt, reach out to delight@lilhelper.ca - babies grow and change so much, we are here to help!