Prefold experts?

[twirlygirl]

Hello!

I'm expecting baba number 2 in August.
With DD I used cloth from when she was 7 months til just over a year. I used mostly fitted diapers. I struggled when I went back to work when she was 10 months old as I was also suffering from ppd and I just didn't cope with the laundry etc.

Anyway, this time I want to try again, I'd like to use prefolds as I believe they dry easily and they are inexpensive. I'd like to start using them early on, ideally once the meconium is gone.

So, how many do I need? Ideally I would like to only wash once a week. What sizes? Which wraps are best? Last time I loved wee notions and thirsties wraps.

TIA

[Ifluffedthree]

I loved prefolds -- and fitted's.
They are far less expensive, easy to wash, strip, sun and dry. I did prefolds without a dryer for almost a year in the winter just hanging them -- it was not bad with only one in diapers.

I am also a fan of http://naturalbaby.stores.yahoo.net/afnikdiapcov.html

a really good cover. While they were around in the 80's I wish I would have known about them with my first baby 19+ years ago, it would have made diapering so much easier with her having a really good cover to work with. They were my bullet proof covers for at night with my super soaker sons.
I strongly suggest trying one. They have been around for 20+ years for good reason but get little recognition anymore due to the saturation of product available.

Best wishes finding a suitable set up for your upcoming baby.

[JamieCatheryn]

Once a week seems very infrequent to wash for me, but I guess it'd work if you don't mind some stains. At least 4 dozen prefolds, I'd say, probably more like 6 dozen with a young babe. Infant sized ones would be good to start with, then move on to premiums around 6 months until potty learning. Any diaper service quality prefolds are good, Green Mountain Diapers have specialty sizes that are a little wider than normal and are very good, I liked Tiny Tush as a source also. And like 20 covers with a young baby, that early bf poop gets on the covers and you know how often they do that. I like any velcro closed wrap with double leg gussets, Proraps were great for us and they are super cheap.

[twirlygirl]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn

Once a week seems very infrequent to wash for me, but I guess it'd work if you don't mind some stains. At least 4 dozen prefolds, I'd say, probably more like 6 dozen with a young babe. Infant sized ones would be good to start with, then move on to premiums around 6 months until potty learning. Any diaper service quality prefolds are good, Green Mountain Diapers have specialty sizes that are a little wider than normal and are very good, I liked Tiny Tush as a source also. And like 20 covers with a young baby, that early bf poop gets on the covers and you know how often they do that. I like any velcro closed wrap with double leg gussets, Proraps were great for us and they are super cheap.

Someone on another site suggesting rinsing all diapers a the end of the day in the washing machine and then putting them in a bucket and doing a big wash once a week.

Thanks for your advice.

[Pen_esque]

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I don't know what kind of machine you have but one day's worth of pre-folds fills up our washer (along with our 'pee catchers' and cloth wipes), so I can't imagine waiting a week to wash them. We have a front-loader, and I think US machines are generally larger, but still...maybe if you did a few loads on laundry day? Anyway, that wasn't your question!

DD is 6 months and has been in cloth since she has been out of meconium. She goes through around 10-13 (?) nappies a day. Funny I'm not sure. Tomorrow I'm going to count!

Anyway, we line dry them and by the time yesterday's nappies are dry, we're ready to put in today's load.

We love our prefolds with a nippa. So inexpensive, easy to use, reasonably trim, unfussy and versatile. They make a good changing mat in a pinch and DH grabbed one the other day to...um...mop up a wine spill. Yay, a new stain!

DD is in her second size right now, the yellow edged Little-Lions, and she has quite a bit of room to grow in these yet, but they are not too big and bulky for her 15 lb body.

We like the stacinator so simple and Mother-ease airflow wraps as they are a bit loose so air can circulate.

hth!

[twirlygirl]

Originally Posted by Pen_esque

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I don't know what kind of machine you have but one day's worth of pre-folds fills up our washer (along with our 'pee catchers' and cloth wipes), so I can't imagine waiting a week to wash them. We have a front-loader, and I think US machines are generally larger, but still...maybe if you did a few loads on laundry day? Anyway, that wasn't your question!

DD is 6 months and has been in cloth since she has been out of meconium. She goes through around 10-13 (?) nappies a day. Funny I'm not sure. Tomorrow I'm going to count!

Anyway, we line dry them and by the time yesterday's nappies are dry, we're ready to put in today's load.

We love our prefolds with a nippa. So inexpensive, easy to use, reasonably trim, unfussy and versatile. They make a good changing mat in a pinch and DH grabbed one the other day to...um...mop up a wine spill. Yay, a new stain!

DD is in her second size right now, the yellow edged Little-Lions, and she has quite a bit of room to grow in these yet, but they are not too big and bulky for her 15 lb body.

We like the stacinator so simple and Mother-ease airflow wraps as they are a bit loose so air can circulate.

hth!

Thanks Pen_esque, I did wonder about fitting them all in the machine.
Where did you get your prefolds in the UK? I notice Green mountain don't ship internationally. I think if I have to wash more frequently that I will cope better this time around provided I have a more straightforward birth experience. Also how do you get on with line drying in the winter? Do you just use an airer indoors?

[Talula Fairie]

I love prefolds! I do like to have some fitteds too for the runny poop stage, and an AIO or two for my lazy husband.

You don't have to wait until the meconium is gone. It doesn't stain in most cases. It didn't for me, and I cloth diapered #2 from day 1.

I, personally, would not want to wait a week before washing. I think diapers get a little funky after like 4 days or so. Plan to use at least 12 diapers for every 24 hours (my kids used even more than that in the newborn stage). I like to have 36-48 diapers, which is generally enough for me to wash every 2-3 days.

Also, ime, only up to about 36 or so diapers will fit into the machine at a time.

Wraps I like: Sugar Peas (wool or fleece), Bummis, Thirsties.

[Pen_esque]

Originally Posted by twirlygirl

Thanks Pen_esque, I did wonder about fitting them all in the machine.
Where did you get your prefolds in the UK? I notice Green mountain don't ship internationally. I think if I have to wash more frequently that I will cope better this time around provided I have a more straightforward birth experience. Also how do you get on with line drying in the winter? Do you just use an airer indoors?

I bought the pre-folds in the US and had them carried over by visiting family. I haven't been able to find good pre-folds here.

For the winter, we have two airers inside, one standy-upy kind, and another hanging from the ceiling in the stairwell (we love that one, out of the way and making use of otherwise dead space). But as we have ferociously hard water, we do usually pop the pre-folds in the tumble drier for a few minutes after they are dry to soften them up.

[Juliacat]

Originally Posted by Ifluffedthree

a really good cover. While they were around in the 80's I wish I would have known about them with my first baby 19+ years ago, it would have made diapering so much easier with her having a really good cover to work with. They were my bullet proof covers for at night with my super soaker sons.
I strongly suggest trying one. They have been around for 20+ years for good reason but get little recognition anymore due to the saturation of product available.

Those were the ones my aunt used on my cousins, who were born in 1983 and 1988. She knew about them because she was doing research for her doctoral degree in Japan! Lucky her, because she was committed to using cloth for environmental reasons and I don't think wraps were available in the U.S. back then, at least not widely so.

To the OP, I wouldn't recommend washing only once a week unless you plan to run more than one load. My daughter went through 10 diapers a day and I figured on having 3 days' worth to wash every other day and have extras on hand for line drying and emergencies. So, 2 1/2 to 3 dozen worked for us. I found the regular 4x6x4 size fit almost from birth to potty training, but not quite on either end. 5 covers will do in a pinch but it's nice to have 8 or so for bad poop days. I liked Bummis, Blue Penguin and Mother-ease covers.

[twirlygirl]

Thanks ladies!

Talula Fairie, does the mec not just stick to the diaper and not come off? I would imagine it would even stick to the fleece liner unless you used paper liners?

I'm thinking I'm not going to be able to wait a week to wash, 2-3 days sounds managable.

Pen_esque, I was afraid you would say that. The only prefolds I've seen in the UK that look reasonable are the Junior Joy ones, did you ever try them? Are the rubbish? I do have family in the States so it is possible that I could ask them to mail them over, I just don't want to have to bother people. We also have really hard water here in Kent, so will probably need to use the drier at times.

Juliacat, thanks!

So what did you guys do at night? Will a normal prefold need boosting? Did you use a wool wrap?

[Pen_esque]

Originally Posted by twirlygirl

Pen_esque, I was afraid you would say that. The only prefolds I've seen in the UK that look reasonable are the Junior Joy ones, did you ever try them?

I haven't tried those but I have no reason to believe they're not perfectly good.

Originally Posted by twirlygirl

So what did you guys do at night? Will a normal prefold need boosting? Did you use a wool wrap?

DD does not tolerate a wet nappy, so we just change her once or twice at night (I'm feeding her then anyway). This may change as she gets older, but I could always use one of the prefolds she's grown out of tri-folded as a booster.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by twirlygirl

Thanks ladies!

Talula Fairie, does the mec not just stick to the diaper and not come off? I would imagine it would even stick to the fleece liner unless you used paper liners?

I'm thinking I'm not going to be able to wait a week to wash, 2-3 days sounds managable.

Pen_esque, I was afraid you would say that. The only prefolds I've seen in the UK that look reasonable are the Junior Joy ones, did you ever try them? Are the rubbish? I do have family in the States so it is possible that I could ask them to mail them over, I just don't want to have to bother people. We also have really hard water here in Kent, so will probably need to use the drier at times.

Juliacat, thanks!

So what did you guys do at night? Will a normal prefold need boosting? Did you use a wool wrap?

it just washed completely out in my experience.

[Juliacat]

At night we used two prefolds instead of one. It didn't bother her any.

[AngelBee]

:

[Pen_esque]

As DD has just grown out of her size 1 Tots Bots, I just bought 6 more prefolds for our stash from Twinkle. I'll post back once I have an opinion of them.

[MoOnFiReGlOw]

Originally Posted by twirlygirl

Thanks Pen_esque, I did wonder about fitting them all in the machine.
Where did you get your prefolds in the UK? I notice Green mountain don't ship internationally. I think if I have to wash more frequently that I will cope better this time around provided I have a more straightforward birth experience. Also how do you get on with line drying in the winter? Do you just use an airer indoors?

Hello! I'm not in the UK, but I got my prefolds from Granitesmith on ebay (They also have a website at www.doodlestextiles.com). They sell THICK birdseye prefolds that are absolutely wonderful! And they do ship internationally (at least on ebay, I'm sure they do at the store as well)