Cloth diapers are a good way to diaper on the cheap. Compared to the cost of disposables over your baby’s and toddler’s diapering career, cloth tends to run cheaper. However, the initial outlay of money to develop a cloth diaper stash can feel rather appalling to an expecting family, especially if you’re becoming a stay-at-home mom or spending some time at home with your baby after the birth.
If you’re willing to put a little bit of effort into cloth diapering in order to cut costs, then the prefold is the way to go. Contrary to their name, prefold diapers do not come pre-folded. You do the folding. The diaper is a long rectangle, and you fold it to make the inner part of the diaper. There are numerous ways to fold a pre-fold, so don’t despair if you’re not an origami expert. Practise on a larger baby doll before your own baby arrives. Baby dolls tend to be much more cooperative and easy to practise on than real babies!
Prefolds come pre-designed with a thick, absorbent area in the center. The layers of the diaper are sewn into place. The diapers may have 6 to 8 layers in the middle and 2 to 4 layers on the sides. Choose different thicknesses based on your needs – you might choose a thicker diaper for night time and naps.
Once the diaper is on the baby, you need to attach it with pins or other fasteners to make sure that it stays on.
To make a pre-fold waterproof, it needs to be paired with a diaper cover. Covers abound, from custom covers in various themes to commercial brands like Thirsties. Diaper covers can be nylon or other waterproof material, or they can be natural wool. Knit or crochet your wool diaper covers or make them yourself from upcycled sweaters to really save money!
Prefolds have another advantage over all-in-ones or pocket diapers. Because they are a rectangle of fabric, they tend to be very simple to wash and dry. They can even air dry, as long as there is enough air flow across the thicker center section.
For those who are on a tight baby budget or who rely on air drying for laundry, prefold diapers are an economical diapering option.