Cloth 101: Prefolds and Flats

When looking into diapers, many people want to know what is the absolute BEST diaper of a certain style. This post is to show you why you really can't select one "best" diaper... there are many designs for the same type of diaper! This post will show you how "old fashioned" diapers are used today.

Prefolds

Above is a prefold diaper folded around "baby" (Obviously there is no baby there!) and held in place with a snappi. This doesn't take much time to learn, and can create less diaper laundry for you by holding poop in the prefold instead of it getting on the cover. (You should change the cover if it gets poop on it, otherwise you can keep using it!) This is trimmer than padfolding since the material is spread out.

Above is a prefold (left) and an example of one padfolded (also called "tri-folded") in a cover. You simply take the prefold out of the cover when wet, and replace it. You can continue using the cover for the entire day, or until poop gets on it... whichever comes first. This is very easy to figure out, though it can seem a bit bulkier, especially when compared to a prefold (or a flat) folded around baby.

 Flats

These final pictures show Squiggle in a flat with a Rumparooz cover (trim!), and the one below shows a flat diaper folded around baby in a modified kite fold and held in place with a boingo. The material I'm holding up I like to fold over the closure before putting a cover on baby.

As you can see, you don't have to use a diaper pin if you don't want to. You have the option of Snappis, Boingos, or nothing at all! The covers you select will be more important (in terms of fit) than anything else when it comes to "old fashioned" diapers.

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Post may contain affiliate links.

Snappi Review

A little over a year ago, I tried a Snappi for the first time. I was strictly a pocket-diaper user at that point, but my little guy had a rash, and I had to give him some air-time (as the entry points out). Since then I have gotten to use a Snappi many a time, and it got easier and easier each time.

I love how simple they are to use. When you first get them, you need to slowly stretch the sides out so they are a bit more elastic for you when you need to use them.

They have little tabs that can come down and over the hook parts so you can ensure that nobody gets cut or snagged on one when they aren't in use. This is a FANTASTIC feature, as Bobble likes to just grab things and run with them before I can grab him. He probably would have scratched himself up a million times by now if they didn't have those little protectors!



Through trial and error, I quickly learned the best way for me to use the Snappi is slide a finger between the diaper and Bobble when hooking the Snappi into the material. This allows me to ensure that I can hold the material up enough just in case I go through too many layers so I don't scratch any skin.

Snappis come in two sizes, Size 1 and Size 2. Size 2 is for toddlers. This image from the Snappi Website shows a comparison between the two sizes.

The Snappi has no latex, no silicone, and is CPSIA compliant. They are made from a stretchy, non-toxic material. Snappi Fasteners are inexpensive and help a parent cloth diaper for less by allowing for use of prefolds/flats and a cover instead of a more expensive pocket or AIO diaper.  A cover is essential over the Snappi® fastener to prevent it from catching onto something and coming undone. 

Snappi Fasteners are super easy to use. If you can use the fasteners on an ACE Bandage (or any of those wrap-bandages), you can use a Snappi Fastener. You simply hook into material, stretch, and hook the other end. Voila!

As shown on the SnappiBaby website!

You can follow SnappiBaby on Twitter, FaceBook, or Pinterest to keep up with all the current happenings. To find a Snappi Retailer, use the Snappi Store Locator found on their website.

Disclosure: The product mentioned above was provided to me by SnappiBaby for review. This did not influence my opinion of the product in any way. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.  

The wonder that is "Snappi"

Contemplate Cloth has a review and giveaway of the Snappi at
http://contemplatecloth.blogspot.com/2012/02/snappi-vs-diaper-pins-review-and.html
that ends on 3/13, so go check it out soon! The Snappi is pretty awesome as their detailed review will show (they have pictures), and as I can now attest to, having used it for the first time yesterday....

Yesterday morning my little guy woke up with a slightly red spot on his pee pee, so we wanted to let him air out a bit. My husband thought that just not putting a diaper on him and hoping he didn't potty would be a great idea. Honestly, I didn't think that would be so great. Okay, so we have mostly pocket diapers..... that won't work. We have some flats and covers..... don't really want to cover him though. Then I remembered I owned a Snappi. I own a Snappi. One. I originally purchased it so I could reach the free shipping ($49 and up = free shipping at Kellyscloset.com) for my diaper order. I never used it. In fact, I just thought it would be neat to have to show to people who think you have to use pins with cloth diapers still. I never really thought I'd use it..... at least not on our son (now 13 months). Maybe for the next one when they come along, but certainly not before then!

Well, of course, I was wrong. I searched the house and finally found it, new in the package. I opened it and stretched it out like recommended.... then realized I had no idea how to fold a cloth diaper other than the tri-fold (or pad-fold) to put in a cover. Let the learning commence! I wish I photographed (or even videoed!) my attempts at folding a diaper before I gave up and used the wonderful youtube.com to find a video for the origami fold. It worked great, but then getting my son diapered was a different story. SOOOOOOO wiggly! I finally got him diapered, snappi secured, and stood him up. There was a gap at his legs. I tweaked the diaper a bit and rolled the edges a bit too, then re-snappied.

Voila! I did it! No cover was put on so he could air a bit, and I told him to go show his daddy. I was so proud that I did this that I guided my son towards my husband. He toddled up near his daddy and I picked him up to show to my husband.... and noticed that the diaper was already wet.

Needless to say, he wet FOUR flats in those couple hours. I think he wanted to make sure that I didn't forget how to do the fold! I did accidentally scratch my son's hip with my second Snappi attempt, but not enough for him to cry. His eyes did get wide and he whimpered a fraction of a second.... cue guilt. Mega guilt. I looked and it wasn't that bad, but I decided that I would put my finger under the diaper to hold it away from his skin a bit before reapplying the snappi. I was using my OsoCozy flats, so it wasn't exactly a thick material... but that's what we wanted for breathe-ability.

All in all, I was very thankful that I purchased the Snappi. I didn't think I'd use it, but it was a lot easier to use than I could have imagined.

By noon, my son had no redness and was back in a pocket diaper.