confused about prefold options

[zomigi]

My DD -- first baby -- is 8 weeks old and I'm going to start cloth diapering with prefolds and Thirsties covers primarily. But I'm confused about all the different types of prefolds.

Bleached or unbleached? (Chinese or Indian, right?)

Standard (4x6x4) or premium (4x8x4)?

A bunch of specific sizes or just a batch each of smaller and larger size to last from now until potty training? I guess getting all the different sizes is more expensive, but is the convenience worth it?

[Llyra]

You'll want to start with infant size, and then have the regular size for later. Not every kid makes it into toddler size, so don't buy those until you need them. There are a million options but they all work fine, so don't agonize! All the new sizes that green mountain offers, for example, are great, but no matter what you buy it'll work. Those are mostly designed to be shorter and wider, because a lot of babies grow out of the width of a diaper a long time before they're big enough for the length of a diaper. You can get a few of each, and see which you like best. But they all work just fine!

The indian prefolds are softer, but for us the chinese ones have been more durable. As far as thickness, the 4-8-4 are bulkier, but more absorbent. If you get the 4-6-4, you might have to double up for nighttime or long car trips and stuff like that, but you'll still get very good absorbency with less bulk. I like my 4-6-4 prefolds the best.

The unbleached take longer to get ready-- more prewashes are needed. But they seem to be more durable, and softer as well.

[zomigi]

Ok, so bleached does not equal Chinese, and unbleached does not equal Indian? You can get unbleached Chinese, and these are the most durable?

[Mama~Love]

Originally Posted by zomigi

Ok, so bleached does not equal Chinese, and unbleached does not equal Indian? You can get unbleached Chinese, and these are the most durable?

Yes, you are correct. My experiences have been similar to Llyra; my Indain prefolds have worn out a lot faster than my Chinese. I prefer unbleached, as they haven't gone through the bleaching process, so less chemicals to worry about.

So, yes, you can get Chinese and Indian in either bleached or unbleached. Some people just like the whiteness of the bleached ones, others prefer the natural look of unbleached.

I prefer the 4x8x4 layering myself, my kids are heavy wetters. I'd just buy the size you need right now, then buy the larger size when you need it.

HTH!

[Michigan Mama]

I use unbleached Chinese 4x8x4 and they have held up really well for us.

Whether you buy infant and regular now or just infant now is really a personal preference. But since your dd is already at 8 weeks, it might not be a bad idea to have some bigger ones on hand already - that way you might save on shipping, too. Some babies outgrow infant pf's around 3 months or so, so that might mean you'll need a bigger size in around a month or so - for some the infant size last a lot longer. Depends on how your baby grows!

I agree that i wouldn't buy toddler. My ds is past 2 yrs and we still use regular premium on him. He's sort of petite so I doubt we'll ever use toddler.

[zomigi]

I don't really know if my baby is a heavy wetter or not, because I have no other babies to compare her to! But I will say that we've never had pee leak, and we often go several hours without changing her diaper. Her poops, on the other hand, are huge, because she only does it every few days.

Her next pediatrician appointment is Wednesday, so we'll see how big she is then, but I'm guessing she's about 11 or 12 pounds.

[nursingmom]

Usually Chinese is more durable and last longer than Indian.

Ply (4 x 6 x 4 ) is less aborbent and less bulky.
Ply (4 x 8 x 4 ) is more absorbent and more bulky.

The prefolds can come either bleached or unbleached. For unbleached prefolds, you have to wash in HOT water at least 3-5 times before first use. Unbleached diapers have natural oils and wax that needs to be removed with these multiple washes.

My best friend just has Infant (4 x 8 x 4) size (can last from infant all the way up tp 20 lbs) and Premium size (4 x 8 x 4) (can last from 4 months up to 40 lbs).