My New Love: Prefolds!

Yes, I said it prefolds are my new favorite type of diapers! You may say why in the world do you like those ugly things, or if you know nothing about them, you're going, what the heck is that? I am going to answer both questions.

Prefolds are the original cloth diaper. You can generally buy the Gerber brand prefolds in stores everywhere, but these are NOT diaper worthy, no matter what Gerber claims! Prefolds are a rectangular piece of fabric (cotton, most of the time) that has a thicker layer in the middle for more absorbency. They used to be pinned together with diaper pins, but that was before the invention of the Snappi (a really awesome contraption)! They come in many different sizes and material for you to choose what works best for you!

Now, on to why I like them:
-Cheap, cheap, cheap! Prefolds are virtually the cheapest way to cloth diaper. They start out at only $1.00!
-EASY- Yes, I said easy! I mean this in two different ways. First, they are easy to wash and keep clean. Prefolds are the least likely to cause you problems as far as stink/ammonia/washing routines. Also, once you learn to use them, they are super easy and fun!
-Can dress them up any way you want! They are usually just plain cloth which is so not fun! You can dye them, sew embellishments on them, etc. You name it! I haven't done this yet, but plan to after the move so be expecting some pictures of my finished products!
-They are trim fitting, especially if you have the correct size!

Have I mentioned these things are CHEAP! I like Green Mountain Diapers Unbleached prefolds. Check them out at Greenmountaindiapers.com for them. They also sell other types of diapers. Cottonbabies.com also has some good prefolds!

So, you may ask how in the world you work a prefold. Well, I was going to make a video, but little Emma is NOT in a good mood today, so no video from me, but there are plenty of videos on Youtube! My favorite fold is the Jelly Roll, which is a little complicated at first, but it works the best for us. There is also the angel wing, bikini twist, etc.

Prefolds need a cover! They are obviously not waterproof since they are just cotton, but you can get covers anywhere and everywhere! Now that you know all about them, here are some pictures!

Gather your materials! Above are covers. The top two are made by me and are fleece. The right one is called a fleece soaker and has to be pulled up over the diaper. Ask me, and I'll make some for you for cheap! :) The bottom is not made by me. It is a Bummis Whisper Wrap. 

Below is the prefold and a Snappi that holds the diaper together. These cost like three bucks a piece.

I took a picture of the back of the Snappi so you could see how it works. It just grabs on to the material. Easy as pie!

Here is Emma modeling the prefold and Snappi in a Jelly Roll fold!

And here it is with the cover! 

Still have questions? Feel free to ask! Next week, I will talk about cloth wipes!