One thing I love about cloth-diapering is that there are so many options!  There are four major types of cloth diapers: prefolds, fitted, pockets and all-in-one’s (AIO’s).  There’s lots of variety within each type, too. Over the next few posts, I’ll be describing each type, some pros and cons, average cost and my personal opinion of it.

The first type is prefolds.  A prefold is a flat diaper that you fold onto the baby and secure with a Snappi.  Because it is just absorbent fabric, you also have to use a waterproof cover over it.

In case you’re having trouble visualizing it, I made a video showing how I put prefolds on.  There are many different ways to do it, so if my way doesn’t work for you, Google it and you can find other videos.

You’re going to have to excuse the fact that my model is a teddy bear.  This was the bear’s first Take, but it was Take 529 for me.  Neither one of the kids wanted to cooperate and be famous on my blog, so the teddy bear had to step in.

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Pros

Many people choose prefolds because they’re the least expensive option.  Not only do they cost less up-front, you can use them longer because you can fold them to fit your baby, so you don’t need as many sizes.  Another advantage is the fast drying time.

Cons

My biggest complaint about prefolds is that they’re bulkier than pocket diapers or AIO’s.  I need to make sure that my kids are wearing stretchy or slightly big pants in order to fit them over their diaper.  Some people dislike them because they require folding, but as I’ve said before: With a little bit of practice, you’ll be a pro!  You should also keep in mind that this is a two-part system…you also need diaper covers to go over them.

Cost

Basic prefolds cost $14-$32 per dozen, depending on which size you’re buying.  Most covers range from $7-$30.

My Thoughts

Prefolds and covers are the foundation of my cloth-diapering system.  I’ve dabbled in a little bit of everything, but prefolds have always been my standby.  We use them quite a bit when we’re at home, but not at night.

In the beginning, I bought these prefolds in the newborn and infant sizes (3 dozen newborns, 1 dozen infants).  If I had it to do over again, I would only buy the infant size.  They shrink and get all quilty when you wash them and both ended up being the same size, but the infant diapers are thicker and more absorbent.  I only used the newborn size for a very short time.

After Kelvin outgrew the infant diapers, I went straight to the premium ones and now use them on him and Ava.  Like I said, you can fold them to fit your baby, so there’s no reason to buy any of the sizes in between, since there isn’t much difference.

I would not recommend buying the toddler size unless you know the premium ones are too small.  I have a dozen toddler diapers and they’re HUGE.  I doubt either of my kids will ever wear them.

So to sum up…my advice if you decide on prefolds is to buy 2-3 dozen infant diapers and 2-3 dozen premium diapers and you’ll be set.

For covers, I bought Bummis, Litewraps, Thirsties, Proraps, Mommy’s Touch, and Wonder Wraps.  I did not like the Bummis at all.  They leaked every single time I used them.  I also did not like the Mommy’s Touch because the placement of the snaps caused red marks on the kids’ legs.  The Litewraps and Proraps were alright, but Kelvin outgrew them very quickly, so I didn’t use them much.  I loved Thirsties until I discovered Wonder Wraps!!

After I tried Wonder Wraps, no other diaper cover would do.  That’s all we have now because they’re awesome.  They never, ever leak and they fit great.  And the best part is that they’re one-size!!  You buy them when your baby is born and adjust them as your baby grows…you never have to buy covers again!

So in case you can’t tell, my recommendation would be to skip the other covers and go for Wonder Wraps!

(The cover shown in the video is a Wonder Wrap and I wish I would have shown you how to adjust them, but I didn’t think of it until later.  And I did not want to start all over again…that would have been Take 530, folks!  But you adjust it to smaller with the snaps on the front)

The nice thing about covers is that you don’t have to put them in the diaper pail after every use (unless they get poop on them).  I use two covers per child per day and switch back and forth between them (to let Cover #1 air out while Cover #2 is on Baby and vice versa).  If you’re washing every other day, you should probably have 5-6 covers per child.  I have 10 (five per child) and it works perfectly for me.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: This is just my experience with cloth diapering.  Different diapers work for different people.  If you have a thought to share about prefolds or covers, please share it in a comment!!

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