Back to Basics

Back in the day mamas only had prefolds and flats to use when cloth diapering. Then along came sposies and then the magic of pocket diapers and AIO's. I say magic because these diapers have allowed moms who would otherwise be too intimidated to try cloth (me) to do it and also to make it easy for dad's and day cares to use cloth too. With so many new pocket and AIO diapers coming out, each with new and improved features to draw us in, its easy to forget about the beautiful simplicity of prefolds and flats.

When I first tried cloth diapering, I didn't know if I was going to like prefolds, but I got a few to try anyway. I looked around the net for tutorials on how to fold and use them and learned how to make a poop pocket. Then I actually tried using one on my baby and I can't say I was loving it. Prefolds have more of a learning curve and take a bit to get used to. Compared to my pocket diapers, I thought they were nonabsorbent and hard to use. I was pretty caught up in all the pretty and fun diapers at that point though.

During the next year as I continued to cloth diaper my son, I kept reading about GMD prefolds. I kept wondering what the heck they were because everyone was raving about them every time I saw the name. I couldn't understand why anyone would ever rave about prefolds, lol. That was until I decided I wanted to get back to basics myself. After having problems with microfiber stink with my pocket inserts, and the high price of the cute fitteds I loved, I decided it was a good time to try some prefolds. So I ordered a dozen of the famed GMD prefolds. As I anxiously awaited my prefolds to come I read some of the GMD philosphy about having all natural fibers for your baby's diapers. I was loving the thought of cotton and natural fibers for my little guy.

When my prefolds came I washed them and dried them and washed and dried them again. And again. Lol. Prepping my unbleached prefolds was a bit of work, but when they were ready I was very impressed. I loved them. They were absorbent, didn't leave my sons skin all wet, and the simplicity of them was adorable. I was in love!

I wasn't ready to convert my whole stash over to them, but I was ready to buy a ton for my new baby that was on the way. I knew that prefolds were the perfect answer for my next son. Simple, easy to wash, and cute. Plus I love using the snappi. So I bought 2 dozen of each size - newborn, small, and medium. Can I just say that pregnancy hormones will most defiantly cause you to go a little crazy when shopping! Wow!

And I was right about prefolds for my newborn. I spent a ton of money on some cute and a little expensive fitteds thinking they would be the best option, and I quickly learned how wrong I was. I had forgotten how often a new baby actually poops and pees. The first week he would poop every single time he ate. In those early days we (and when I say we I mean my husband) would change diapers sometimes 20 times a day! I felt like I totally wasted my money on the fitteds because he was only wearing diapers for such a short amount of time that it didn't matter how absorbent they were. Then as he got a little older and didn't poop every time he ate, I realized my little guy was a little fire hose. So the fitteds that I thought would be so wonderful and amazing didn't hold up any longer than the prefolds. Yikes!

So I have come a long way. From thinking prefolds were the worst thing ever to totally loving them. I am waiting on my order of organic prefolds from GMD right now. I am really excited! And I am practicing using flats also. I have successfully mastered the kite fold for my toddler and am loving it. Simplicity is beautiful.