Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Great Search (Prefolds)

I hope you are enjoying my Great Diaper Search.  This is part five of my six part series going over all the diapers that I plan to test out when our newest addition arrives.  I originally didn't plan on writing a section on prefolds, as I did not plan on trying them out.  It just seemed like a lot of work, too complicated, and frankly intimidated me.  After lots of research though I realized that they aren't as complicated as I thought and are what a lot of families use due to the fact that it is one of the least expensive options that you could go with when it comes to cloth diapering.


Prefolds are rectangular shaped flat cloth diapers divided into three sections with the middle section having an absorbent pad already sewn in.  These are probably what most people think of when they think of cloth diapering.  They come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses as well as materials (cotton, hemp, bamboo). Prefolds are not waterproof on their own so they will need a cover.  Some of the pros of using prefolds are that they are the least expensive option, they are the fastest drying, and they are very versatile in their use (can be used as burp cloths, rags, or an insert or doubler in your other diapers).  Some of the cons of using prefolds are that they require a separate cover in order to be waterproof, and they do require some time to learn how to fold them.


Originally I did not plan on using any of the prefolds as I had mentioned before, but I've decided to try out a few as backups in case I run out of my other diapers and if they don't work out I can always use them as inserts in my other diapers.  Here are the prefolds that I have decided to try.



Cloth-eez Prefold Diapers (aka: GMD Prefolds)
To many in the cloth diaper community, I find that these are the ONLY prefold diapers they will buy.  They are known for being the most absorbent, durable, and well made that you can find.  They are made from 100% cotton, and can also be purchased in organic cotton.  These diapers come in six different sizes from preemie to extra large giving you the best fit on your baby.  They are also a 4x8x4 ply diaper which means that they have 4 layers of fabric on the outside sections and 8 layers of fabric in the middle giving them superior absorbency.  These diapers retail for about $15-$39 per dozen depending on the size.  Click HERE for more info.


Babykicks Hemp Prefold Diapers
I wanted to try out the Babykicks Hemp Prefolds because of the high absorbency of hemp.  Hemp is more absorbent than cotton and is also very durable and naturally anti-microbial.  These prefolds are a 2x3x2 ply diaper, which means they have two layers on each side secction and 3 layers in the middle.  Because hemp is so much more absorbent than cotton, you can use less layers of fabric which gives you a trimmer diaper.  The downside to hemp is that it is more expensive than cotton and takes longer to dry.  These diapers retail for about $5.99 each and come in 4 sizes.  Click HERE for more info.


Snappi Diaper Fastener
Now I know that the Snappi is not a prefold diaper, but I wanted to put it in this section since I will be using it with my prefolds.  Back when our parents or grandparents used cloth diapers the only option for holding them closed were diaper pins or nothing at all.  Now we have the Snappi which is a T shaped fastener with grips on each end that hook into the fabric creating a snug fit.  They come in a variety of colors and two different sizes.  The Snappi retails for about $3.95 each.  Click HERE for more info.


With that I'm now on to research the last part of my Great Diaper Search. My next post will be about diaper covers and which ones I will be testing out when our newest addition comes this fall.  Hope this series is helping you out and you are enjoying my Adventures In Fluff.  

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