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March 13, 2011

Prefolds Week

Its time to put all your worries aside. Go get a shovel and bury those cheap prefolds (that work best as burp rags) and safety pins you purchased from your supermarket and gear up for a week full if information that will lift your spirits up and show you that using prefolds really isn't that intimidating. We will bring you some great brands of prefolds that work well. We will show you HOW TO USE those prefolds with out any pins and much more!

Today we will tell you a little about how to keep your prefolds nice and soft, show you the differences between prefolds, contours and flats, and explain why you don't have to use a pin or Snappi. But first here is a little video that will explain the basics of prefolds and what different kinds there are available.

The Basics of Prefolds


  • How do you manage to keep prefolds soft? I purchased unbleached Indian prefolds with the understanding that they would get softer with each wash but they have yet to become soft like the sample in the store.
    • We always dry our prefolds in the dryer to keep them soft & fluffy. If we need to sun out some stains, I will put them in the sun just long enough to get the stains out, but then finish drying in the dryer.
    • Hanging the prefolds out on the line will cause them to get stiff, even on the most windy days. Throwing them in the dryer for 10 minutes after you take them off the line will cause them to fluff up and become soft again. If you are still having stiff/rough issues try changing the temperature on the dryer or putting them in the dryer when they are almost dry but still a little big damp.
  • Are contours and flats better than prefolds?
    • It really depends on the materials used. My mother in law used flats on her children. They were just squares of flannel that she had cut out of a large piece of fabric. Some materials are more absorbent then others, some are way thicker there for can hold more liquid. Contours might be a little ‘easier’ than prefolds because they are an hour glass shape and don’t need to be folded. You can simply lay them inside your cover and then use the cover to secure it on the baby. It really just depends on the parents preference and if they prefer to use one over the other.
  • What is the difference between a prefold and a flat?
    • A prefold is a rectangle piece of material. The middle is typically thicker than the outside. That's why when looking to purchase prefolds you will often see numbers like 4x8x4. These reference the number of layers on the diaper. The first and last being the outside of the prefold and the middle number being how many layers on in the middle of the diaper, where the most absorbency is needed. Flats on the other hand are usually just one big single layer of fabric square. They need to be folded multiple times to get to the size that will fit your baby.
  • Do you have to use a pin/snappi if using a cover?
    • No pins required! The pins and snappis are sort of extra added bonus’s. They work great for keeping the prefold wrapped around baby helping contain poo but if you don’t use a pin or snappi the prefold will still work just fine by simply laying it in the cover and pulling it up around the baby along with the cover securing it on.
  • What is the difference between cotton, Indian, hemp and Chinese, flats and prefolds...they all seem the same to me!
    • I am going to be honest here and say I can give you my basic understanding of what I know about these different types of materials but that would be kind of silly when I can direct you to diaperpin.com. They have a terrific post here (Prefolds 101: Understanding the Differences) on all this information. I was blown away by it and I hope it will help you understand these differences!