Due to some creative minds’ innovation, even cloth diapers are modernized to last long or be more o fast absorbent, but have you ever wondered what a prefold cloth diaper is? The method of how to prefold diapers is easy. If you fold a flat cloth diaper and try to sew them together, you get a prefold. Back in the day, prefold cloth diapers were thin, so a child’s excrement would easily leak, but thankfully, we have better technology and understanding to optimize the resources we have. Now, we can buy or create thicker and more absorbent prefolds.
Most sewn prefold diapers are rectangular and are sewn with layers and blends of either cotton, flannel hemp, or bamboo fabric. For convenient folding, two lines of stitches create a trifold or a ‘pad fold.’ Extra layers of fabric are usually added in the middle portion. Other prefold cloth diapers do not have any stitching in the middle and have equal layers in all areas.
What is a Prefold Cloth Diaper? – Reasons to Use It
What is a prefold cloth diaper? They are practical alternatives to your usual disposable diapers since prefold will not take a toll on your budget. You spend less on disposable ones since prefold diapers are reusable.
You need to wash them for it to be reused, and its bonus quality is that it dries pretty fast compared to usual diaper inserts in the market.
You usually need at least twenty-four pieces of prefolds. Wool covers are also important to create a working and waterproof ‘diaper system.’ The prefold cloth does the absorption while the wool cover keeps it in place and is the one worn by the child. You can immediately insert another one for diaper change; however, you may want to include the cover in the laundry if the whole diaper gets soiled. If that happens, it is advisable to have at least eight wool covers that you can alternately use when some of these are in your washer.
How to Use Prefold Cloth Diapers
If you ever purchase a prefold, its usual first appearance will most likely be flat and wide. After several washes, the prefold tends to shrink and fluff, which means it is prepped for usage and is preferable.
As previously mentioned, it has two lines of stitches for convenient tri-folding. That way, it can easily fit in wool covers. You can also fit them in pocket cloth diapers, but these kinds of diapers are not reusable after getting wet since these are lined mostly with natural fiber. You have to wash them if you want to use them again.
Keep your stash organized by placing your prefolds on a stash, so you can easily get one when needed. You can also try putting them inside pocket or wool covers, so you do not have to insert the prefolds every time you change diapers.
The Pros and Cons of Using Prefold Cloth Diapers
Besides knowing what a prefold cloth diaper is, you might be discouraged at first since prefold cloth diapers seem to be differently used from a typical disposable diaper, but do not fret. A good thing about these is that it is easy to use; you have to put them inside the wool cover or pocket cloth diapers, and your child can wear them already. You do not have to use pins that may prick the child’s skin. You may also opt to manually wrap the prefold around your child’s bottom and secure it with a tool called ‘snappi.’ Then you can put on the wool cover to make it waterproof.
Other parents worry that it is bulkier to carry since prefold has more layers compared to disposables. It is because they are more absorbent. It depends on your children’s behavior. If they frequently or excrete pretty heavily, it is advisable to use the more absorbent prefolds. You do not even have to worry about washing it because it dries pretty well, too.
Since prefold cloth diapers are reusable, they may come at a higher price than the commercial disposable diapers; however, if you consider how much you will be saving from buying fewer disposables and more of the prefold cloth, you are investing in quality items that will last. They are also made with natural fibers like cotton or flannel, which is good for the usage of children with sensitive skin.
One thing you should also take note is that prefolds are not the one-size-fits-all type. They come in different sizes for every stage of your child, and every brand of prefolds has its sizing. It means that you might need to shed a little to afford bigger ones when your child grows, although you need to buy ‘all’ of the sizes beforehand. Check if the diaper perfectly hugs your child’s bottom and if your child is comfortable wearing it. Otherwise, you need to avail prefolds that are one or more sizes bigger. Get more tips on cloth diapers.
Conclusion
Knowing what a prefold cloth diaper is becoming essential to parents nowadays. Using disposable ones, they have come to realize the practicality that comes with the usage of prefolds. Thanks to the creative minds of our times, those were meticulously improved to cater to the needs of both parents and their children.
They now come in different sizes and thickness, so there is a wide array to choose from. These diapers are also budget-friendly since you can wash and reuse them, unlike the disposable ones. It may seem like a task to always wash them, but you might realize that it is a good investment in the long run.