Day Three: Getting Started with Pre-folds

We had lots of wet diapers yesterday and a few dirty ones- and not a single blow out. I’m impressed. Even when wet, the diaper still feels pretty dry. I am going to do some experiments with different quantities of water in different types of diapers (BabyKicks pre-folds, regular pre-folds, Cotton-All-In-One, and a Pampers) I’ll post the results here soon.

Day Two: Getting Started with Pre-Folds

So far, so good. It’s a lazy day here at our house, so we haven’t totally challenged my folding and snapping skills. So far, I haven’t used any inserts and there have been no big blow-outs. I am not really concerned about it, though, because Prospector destroys any kind of disposable diaper when he does Number 2. He has ruined heaps of pajamas and onesies. I figure that anything has to be an improvement! We shall see.

Day One: Getting Started with Pre-Folds (continued)

So, I finished washing the diapers. As expected, they came out of the wash smaller and with a different texture than before. The BabyKicks folks had told me about that.

Here is a photo of a diaper I haven’t washed yet (left) and one that has been washed (right):

I managed to follow the directions on folding the diaper and I’ve got one on Prospector’s bum right now.

I think I need more practice before I take a picture of it on him. I’m not confident I did it securely enough!

Day One: Getting Started with Pre-Folds

I’m ready to be initiated into the world of cloth diapering. I’ve picked up a bit of a variety pack from BabyKicks. I have five (5) Pre-Folds, a variety of inserts and a snappi.

What the Heck is  “Pre-fold“?

When I saw a picture of a pre-fold I said “Ooooh. It’s a regular cloth diaper.” The plain ol’ rectangular cloth diapers from days of yore that today most people use as burp cloths, changing pads and to buff their cars. The BabyKicks Pre-folds are made out of hemp. They are thicker than the cotton kind I am familiar with, and have a different texture. They are off-white instead of please-bleach-me white.

Where do I begin?

First, I need to wash the diapers and inserts before I use them.

How do I wash these natural hemp diapers?

According to the care instructions area of the BabyKicks site, I need to wash the diapers and inserts three (3) times in hot water before I begin. Check out the care instructions about which type of detergents to use and additional information.

Do I need pins?

Apparently, this handy snappi device is supposed to do the job. We shall see…

Will this cloth diaper last through nap time?

Hmmm. I’m still washing…. but perhaps I’ll have some dry before Prospectors next nap to give it a whirl.

Do I have to stick my hand in the toilet?

This remains to be seen. I suspect yes. But I have some flushable liners leftover from my days experimenting with Kushies. I might try those… More to come.

How to Fold a Diaper (and put it on a baby!)

I’m a big idiot when it comes to some pretty basic life skills. We’ve been too coddled the past few decades! Nobody knows how to dance, make waffles or sew a button anymore. When I wanted to use cloth diapers, one of the biggest things I was afraid of was folding the dang thing!

Until I get organized enough to make a little video and some more information, here is a great flickr photoset on the subject. This procedure and the Snappi will work for folding ANY kind of cloth diaper, not just BabyKicks!

How to Fold a Diaper and Use a Snappi

The slideshow is great, but definitely go out to the set on Flickr. Each image has a caption and information. There is a special fold for boys and a special fold for girls.

I’ll post more on the subject when I get better at it myself!

Tags: instructions clothdiapers