# Prefolds vs Inserts



## no drama mama

Hi all!

I'm going to be a first time mommy at the end of April and am planning on cloth diapering. I've done a ton of research and thought that I decided on hemp prefolds and various covers but now I'm reading that prefolds might not be best for newborn poo. What's your preference and what's easier - prefold or inserts? Also, are the diaper sprayers worth it or is the "dunk and swish" in the toilet just as effective?

Thanks so much!


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## deafgal

I dealt with cloth diapers and I dont think I like either. I just rather fold them myself as it is easier to wash them. at least for me. its hard to wash between layers in prefold and inserts seem pointless because you have to wash the whole thing anyway. In my humble opinion.


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## sausages

If you use a liner - you can get disposible or reusible it will make getting the poo off a bit easier. I used sposies for the first couple of weeks with both mine, because i didn't want to deal with sticky meconium on cloth. :lol: You could use a sposie liner though and that should catch most of it then you just flush the liner. :)


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## discoclare

When you say inserts do you mean like an insert in a pocket nappy or do you mean an insert for a hybrid system like the Flip stay dry or g diaper?


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## flubdub

Can't really advise on the actual nappies as there's loads of pro's and cons to any nappy and it's really about what suits you best. Also, not sure if you are aware, hemp takes ages to dry, it may even take longer than bamboo, but don't quote me on that. It also goes very hard like cardboard if not tumble dried. 
If you are planning on breastfeeding, you don't really need to rinse the poo off before washing, as it is so runny anyway. Only when they start eating solids and the poo is harder do you need to rinse it off. My LO is just nine months and only just now have I had to rinse the nappies off. HTH :)


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## Rachel_C

Were you planning on pad-folding the prefolds to make an insert shape? You can always fold a prefold into a nappy shape (there are loads of different ways if you Google it) and either pin it or use a nippa/snappi (not sure if you can nippa hemp, I haven't tried, but you can nippa cotton prefolds) - this will improve poo containment a lot and make them good for newborns. 

Inserts are generally a bit quicker to put in as you don't have to fold them into a pad or nappy shape but only by a few seconds. They won't be great for poo containment at the start. I'm just starting to use inserts now my LO is 12 weeks old and has stopped pooing more than once or twice a day.

If you want the most versatile option to use from the start, prefolds will be better as you can use them both ways.

Inserts are available with more choice though - you can get microfibre, bamboo, hemp, cotton... but prefolds are usually just cotton and sometimes hemp. 

I'm not quite sure what deafgal meant by it being hard to wash between the layers of a prefold. You just shove them in the washing machine like any other type. They're not hard to wash at all. Inserts aren't pointless once baby stops pooing so often or once poo is more solid. Using inserts in covers, I would probably use three covers per day with my 12 week old.


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## Rachel_C

Oh and yes, hemp can go hard but hemp jersey (or whatever it is that Thirsties use for their prefolds) is different and doesn't go hard.


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## deafgal

the prefolds I used had stuffs trap inside. thats why I was not too fond of them. I like using flats


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## Rachel_C

Are you in the US? I thought prefolds were flats over there? Or do you call terries flats?


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## no drama mama

discoclare said:


> When you say inserts do you mean like an insert in a pocket nappy or do you mean an insert for a hybrid system like the Flip stay dry or g diaper?

I have no idea. lol! I think I'm talking more about pocket diapers or just regular old covers but I'm clueless!


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## no drama mama

Rachel_C said:


> Were you planning on pad-folding the prefolds to make an insert shape?

Yes, I'm sorry, I was thinking of using the prefolds as inserts.


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## no drama mama

Rachel_C said:


> Are you in the US? I thought prefolds were flats over there? Or do you call terries flats?

Yes, I'm in the US. These are what I was looking at:
https://www.thirstiesbaby.com/products/diapers/duo-hemp-prefold/

And this is the type of cover I was looking at:
https://www.econobum.com/cover-detail.php

I think what's so attractive to me about the prefold is that you're not limited to the type of cover (or so it seems) like you would be with G diapers or another system like that.

Two more questions:
1) Are disposable liners universal, meaning can I use those liners with any cover? And are the biodegradable ones really biodegradable and if so does it really make a difference since they'd be sitting in a plastic garbage bag? I don't think we could flush since we have a septic system. I suppose we could compost the pee ones but we'd still have to throw the poopy ones away.
2) Are the thirsties hemp/cotton blend prefolds able to be dried in the dryer or do they need to line dry?

This is all so overwhelming!


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## deafgal

the prefolds I used in US had a thick middle and thin on the side. It looked like it use some kind batting in the middle. It's Gerber so that's probably why it didn't work out so well for me.


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## jenstar

Disposable liners- you can use any ones with any nappy. Some are bigger than others, some are flushable, some are softer than others, most can be washed if wet only to get couple more uses out of. So basically pick whatever ones you fancy! I'm in UK and I like bambino mio ones for softness and flushing away. (I'm on mains water though not a septic tank.)

Prefolds- you can tumble dry them if you wish. (Things with elastic and PUL are different and don't like a lot of tumble drying.)


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