I'm going to bust out and ask 'cuz I don't see a thread -- BEST PREFOLD?

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I've searched for about a week on MDC to see if I could find a comprehensive tread that compared all the different type, fabric and brand of prefold but haven't found the information I'm looking for.

Will you knowledgeable mamas share your views on prefolds such as:

Green Mountain Diaper Prefolds

Under the Nile Prefolds

Little Lions Prefolds

Indian Prefolds

Chinese Prefolds

Bummis Prefolds

Diaper Rite Prefolds (I hear these may be hard to come by at some point - retail distribution issues?)

Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefolds

Babykicks Hemparoo Fleece Prefolds

Polar Babies Hemp Fleece Prefolds

Clover Organic Velore Prefolds

Swaddlebees Bamboo Prefolds


I mean - that's a lot to choose from, no?? I'm ordering on-line so it's not like I'm limited by what I can find at home. Please help!! I'm not new to CDs but I am new to any kind of choice -- we just did a diaper service the first time around...and that was when I didn't even know how to use the internet.

[SubliminalDarkness]

Green Mountain Diapers. No question.

[macandcheese]

Little Lions also has Indian prefolds (bleached and unbleached) for good prices in their clearance section. They are seconds, but the ones I got look perfect to me. 14 weeks until I have a baby to test them out—but they came highly recommended by some ladies on this board.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I'll add them to the list, thanks, mackandcheese!

[Coconut Chronicles]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

Green Mountain Diapers. No question.

GMD organic prefolds are awesome.

[ChetMC]

Sold Out

Originally Posted by macandcheese

Little Lions also has Indian prefolds (bleached and unbleached) for good prices in their clearance section. They are seconds, but the ones I got look perfect to me. 14 weeks until I have a baby to test them out—but they came highly recommended by some ladies on this board.

I tried ordering seconds two days ago and the site said they were all out of stock at the checkout.

[cristeen]

For a NB, UtN all the way. But they are narrow and outgrown early, and the next size is toddler (and very difficult to find). They're stretchy, so give the absolute best fit.

2nd choice is Bummis, but they have a similar size issue - they only come in 2 sizes. They are bigger than the UtN in infant size, so will last longer. These are the thickest and most absorbent.

At a year, we still use both of these at night inside a pocket.

We do have GMD organic reds, and i have not been as thrilled w them. My DS can pee right through them like paper (he's a super-soaker). They dont have the thickness or absorbency of the other 2, and i often add a doubler when i use them, which i hate doing in pfs. I have 1 UtN toddler, and i can just get such a better fit w it, in part because of the stretch, and in part because the center pad is narrower and actually fits my DS better.

Of what you listed, those are the 3 we've tried. I'm curious of all the people that rave about GMD PFs, how many have tried other brands? Because i seem to be the only one who doesn't adore them.

[lunita1]

Originally Posted by cristeen

For a NB, UtN all the way. But they are narrow and outgrown early, and the next size is toddler (and very difficult to find). They're stretchy, so give the absolute best fit.

2nd choice is Bummis, but they have a similar size issue - they only come in 2 sizes. They are bigger than the UtN in infant size, so will last longer. These are the thickest and most absorbent.

At a year, we still use both of these at night inside a pocket.

We do have GMD organic reds, and i have not been as thrilled w them. My DS can pee right through them like paper (he's a super-soaker). They dont have the thickness or absorbency of the other 2, and i often add a doubler when i use them, which i hate doing in pfs. I have 1 UtN toddler, and i can just get such a better fit w it, in part because of the stretch, and in part because the center pad is narrower and actually fits my DS better.

Of what you listed, those are the 3 we've tried. I'm curious of all the people that rave about GMD PFs, how many have tried other brands? Because i seem to be the only one who doesn't adore them.

I've used a variety of cotton prefolds -- some from long ago that were Chinese and some that were Indian (bought 8-12 years ago), some newer Little Lions prefolds, and some GMD.

I have to admit, I love the sizing of GMD prefolds. I really like being able to pin or snappi and have them reach easily around the baby's belly. If I had to get more (I don't, I have a lot!) I'd get GMD again (unless money was really tight, then I think Little Lions seconds would be my first choice.) I've only ordered seconds from GMD though. They're so expensive otherwise!

I really don't see a difference from brand to brand, otherwise. They're all pretty much the same. I actually see more difference from one batch of GMD to the next (not sure what's up with that, but the more recent brown-edged ones I bought are softer than the red-edged ones I got 4 months ago... both sets are seconds). The texture, thickness and absorbancy of the others is about the same, but because of the shape I do end up with a thicker more absorbent pee-zone with the other brands because I have to fold down the front so it's doubled up there. I don't know how long they'll fit around my baby's waist, though?

[TheGirls]

we love our Indian Prefolds. They're soft and still look like new after one child anyhow. DD was diapered the Infant size from birth and the Premium size from about 6 months/18lbs until she was 2y4mo old and potty trained. They still fit great around her waist, though she is on the slim side. I looked at GMD when I was first buying and ended up feeling very overwhelmed by the sizes. I really didn't want to have to buy 5 different sizes to get through, plus they are expensive! I think it may depend on whether you prefer a perfectly fitting diaper that needs replacing more often or a sometimes bulky diaper (I was still folding over DD's prefolds at 2.5years) that will fit for a long time. All DD's prefolds (which will only need a few additions to diaper the twins) cost less than $100.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Originally Posted by cristeen

I'm curious of all the people that rave about GMD PFs, how many have tried other brands? Because i seem to be the only one who doesn't adore them.

You aren't the only one.

And I would be curios if the GMD fans have tried a bunch of other brands?

I saw another thread where someone had the same issues with GMD as you've had. That's kind of why I started thinking that there may be some significant difference in the diapers.

You say UtN are stretchy? Are they jersey cotton? Can you tell me a bit more about them?

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Here's my big question...and maybe it needs a new thread or more research.

Who has tried the different variety of hemp prefolds??? What about the bamboo?

I have read what GMD has to say about it but other sites suggest that hemp is the "best". It's certainly the most expensive!!!

[ShwarmaQueen]

I've used GMD and LL's (both Indian). Admittingly, the GMD were a bit softer, but for the price, the LLs seconds can't be beat. I ordered newborn through toddler for under $100.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by IdentityCrisisMama

You aren't the only one.

And I would be curios if the GMD fans have tried a bunch of other brands?

I saw another thread where someone had the same issues with GMD as you've had. That's kind of why I started thinking that there may be some significant difference in the diapers.

You say UtN are stretchy? Are they jersey cotton? Can you tell me a bit more about them?

If the other thread was here on MDC, that was probably me. I tend to repeat myself a lot, since the questions come up over and over.

The UtN are 2 layers of organic cotton knit w 3 layers of organic cotton terry for the soaker pad. I can roll those outer edges so much tighter because they're only 2 layers, and then because they stretch, you can get a really good tight fit around the leg, which is the only way to contain BF poos. With UtNs, i dont think i ever had a blowout with the jelly roll, but the other brands are probably 50/50. And since we use wool, that's a pain. My UtN is the first pf i reach for if I'm down to pfs.

HTH

[SubliminalDarkness]

Originally Posted by cristeen

For a NB, UtN all the way. But they are narrow and outgrown early, and the next size is toddler (and very difficult to find). They're stretchy, so give the absolute best fit.

2nd choice is Bummis, but they have a similar size issue - they only come in 2 sizes. They are bigger than the UtN in infant size, so will last longer. These are the thickest and most absorbent.

At a year, we still use both of these at night inside a pocket.

We do have GMD organic reds, and i have not been as thrilled w them. My DS can pee right through them like paper (he's a super-soaker). They dont have the thickness or absorbency of the other 2, and i often add a doubler when i use them, which i hate doing in pfs. I have 1 UtN toddler, and i can just get such a better fit w it, in part because of the stretch, and in part because the center pad is narrower and actually fits my DS better.

Of what you listed, those are the 3 we've tried. I'm curious of all the people that rave about GMD PFs, how many have tried other brands? Because i seem to be the only one who doesn't adore them.

I've tried a bunch, still have a bunch. Basic Chinese prefolds, basic Indian prefolds, both bleached and unbleached, hemp prefolds, bamboo prefolds, Thirsties prefolds, etc. etc.

My absolute favorite are the GMD rainbow shorts, which I paid a pretty penny for because they were discontinued, and it took a long time before production of the reds picked up. They're supposed to be the same, and they are, but the rainbow stitching was just really cool.

Anyway, I really liked the sizing on the GMDs. And I think they've held up a lot better to washing, and they stain less somehow.

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

Anyway, I really liked the sizing on the GMDs.

Unless you have a long, lean baby like me! Then the usual 'they outgrow the width before they outgrow the rise' rule doesn't apply. You never know I guess.

He's also not a super soaker, so the LLs capri work very well for him (he's 20 lbs, 30 in.)

[SubliminalDarkness]

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

Unless you have a long, lean baby like me! Then the usual 'they outgrow the width before they outgrow the rise' rule doesn't apply. You never know I guess.

He's also not a super soaker, so the LLs capri work very well for him (he's 20 lbs, 30 in.)

Really? My son is skinny, but I always put him in "low cut" diapers anyway, so I guess that never bothered me. He's almost 4 now and he'd still fit in the rainbow shorts and reds.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

I've tried a bunch, still have a bunch. Basic Chinese prefolds, basic Indian prefolds, both bleached and unbleached, hemp prefolds, bamboo prefolds, Thirsties prefolds, etc. etc.

My absolute favorite are the GMD rainbow shorts, which I paid a pretty penny for because they were discontinued, and it took a long time before production of the reds picked up. They're supposed to be the same, and they are, but the rainbow stitching was just really cool.

Anyway, I really liked the sizing on the GMDs. And I think they've held up a lot better to washing, and they stain less somehow.

THAT'S the kind of post I needed to read!! I am going to me a mama that (hopefully) settles on one PF and then sticks with it so I was always kind of wondering how many other types of diapers those who rave about one have tried. I really wanted to see a post like yours to help me really deside.

Thanks a bunch, mama!!

Do you mind sharing what you prefer about GMD over Hemp PFs?

Why do you all think some of the diaper companies rave so much about hemp when they don't appear to be a favorite among parents??

[cristeen]

Hemp holds a lot of liquid, more than cotton. It's also really good for catchingstrong and fast streams for super soakers. The big drawback to hemp is that over time it doesnt get softer, like cotton, it gets rougher and scratchier. Right out of the box, hemp is soft and silky, but i have a couple brands of hemp dipes plus all my wipes that are so scratchy I'd never use them on a NB. They dont bother my 1yo, but they definitely bother me, especially considering what i paid for them.

[chel]

i'm one of those that like gmd but haven't tried others. i like the width of gmd and don't like bulky diapers (i never had to fold down). i guess one big reason for not trying other brands is that the gmd fit great so there wasn't a reason to get something else.
dd2 is outgrowing her current diapers and i'm open to other brands.

[Marissamom]

My DD's diapers are hemp (not PFs), and I'm really not wanting to do hemp again because they're hard to get clean. I always have to do multiple rinses and soaks to get the pee smell out. I don't have to do that with the PFs we sometimes use as inserts, they need one rinse and a wash, and I could probably skip the rinse.