Best fold for a newborn?

[Surreal]

So, I'm getting into cloth diapering, obviously, and starting out pretty cheap as I'm trying to make money stretch for me over my unpaid maternity leave. So far, I've got something like 40 or so prefolds, that'll fit a newborn. Went a little overboard with the amount, as I figure it would give me a couple of days between having to wash them.

Anyways, my question is, what's the best fold to use for a newborn, that might prevent leaking, and might be the most comfortable? I've heard some complaints of prefolds being too "bulky" for newborns, and wondered if there is a fold that works best in preventing such bulkiness on a newborn?

Also, last question... I know with newborns, it's not a bad idea to allow their little bums to breathe; helps to prevent rashes, or irritation, ect. So, is it necessarily a requirement to have a newborn wear a cover over the top of a prefold, or is it possible to swing it and just allow them to wear the prefold without a cover? How much of a mess am I looking at, if I just have the prefold on without a cover?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rachel_C]

I can't help with the folds as we've never really used prefolds but I know some of the ladies here do.

With letting baby's skin breathe, that applies to all babies/toddlers wearing nappies. I think most of us try to allow some nappy off time during the day to keep the baby's botty lovely! I'd normally do it just after LO has pooed as she's unlikely to poo again straight away. With a newborn though, you might not be so sure, so you might prefer to still use a prefold or other type of two-part nappy without the wrap just in case of explosions! I just used to put a couple of towels down on the floor, take LO's nappy off and let her roll around for a while. If you want to put LO in a prefold and carry on as normal (sitting on your knee etc), just make sure to change the prefold or put a wrap on as soon as you notice damp on the outside of the prefold. I quite often do that with LO now - I put her in a fitted nappy and only put a cover on when it's starting to get wet.

If you are concerned about air getting to LO's skin, have you considered a wool cover for the prefolds? Wool is waterproof when you top up the levels of lanolin but it also allows air to circulate and lets some of the wee evaporate off, keeping the nappy cooler. Fleece is pretty good too. You can get wool/fleece trousers instead of normal trousers. If you want something for under clothes, Disana pull on wool pants are great and cheap.

 

[Surreal]

If you are concerned about air getting to LO's skin, have you considered a wool cover for the prefolds? Wool is waterproof when you top up the levels of lanolin but it also allows air to circulate and lets some of the wee evaporate off, keeping the nappy cooler. Fleece is pretty good too. You can get wool/fleece trousers instead of normal trousers. If you want something for under clothes, Disana pull on wool pants are great and cheap.

I've heard of wool covers, but haven't been able to find anywhere in the states that sells them. Right now I've got a few plastic covers, but I *know* those suckers don't breathe! Do they tend to be pretty inexpensive? I might consider ordering them online, if I can't find something local.

 

[Rachel_C]

I'm 100% sure that there are US places that sell them. Have you tried WAHM sites? In fact some of the best places are in the US so you're lucky Hang on a few minutes, I'll get you some links!

 

[Rachel_C]

https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/disana.htm
https://www.asmallgreenfootprint.com/store/Diaper-covers-c11.htm

They both have the disana ones I used. They're not cheap but they last well and work well. You could also look on Etsy for WAHM made ones, or on the various nappy forums where loads of people sell preloved ones. Diaper Swappers is a US based site and has a wool section - https://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=24

 

[Surreal]

Oh! Well don't I feel silly, Green Mountain is where I bought my snappi's from, and yet didn't even consider to peek at their wool stuff!

Looking at them, they are a pretty penny... might invest in a few when I've got the money, though. Thank you!

 

[lynnikins]

https://www.clothnappytree.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=58766

this is the info you were looking at for folds

i just used them trifolded in the wraps or newspaper /boy fold with the ends spread out at the back to catch the newborn poo

 

[Aunty E]

Hmm. We use flat terries, but with newborn poop you will be wanting to use a cover, honestly! We never had a problem with rash or anything like that when Mog was a tiny and she never had any cover off time. We used Imse Vimse and Motherease PUL covers with no problems. As for folding, I would recommend that you spread the front and back out like a fan, buy a couple of nappi nippas and nippa the prefolds on when he's tiny. It'll be more stable and less likely to leak, especially if you then roll the nappy in around his legs, after nippa-ing but before putting the cover on. Just bear in mind that newborn poo leaks more, and you might find yourself rinsing off covers more than you think!