PFs questions

[kozachka]

You've converted me, CDs are the way to go. Even DS seems to like his Happy Hempy (thank you Lori). No more struggles to put a diaper on, keep my fingers crossed. I'd like to completely switch to cloth.

We need more diapers FAST. So far I've bought just two (the other one is a BittyBuns fitted) and you can't do too much with that :LOL:. I am also trying to get an Apron Strings fleece pocket for night use. The ones I think I like are either on custom order or not even open now. Plus I am not sure how DH will take to my new hobby of buying cute diapers. So I am thinking of ordering a dozen of PFs and couple covers to tie me over while I am building up my fitteds/pockets stash. But most of the info on PFs I found is for newborns and we are well past that stage :)

Can anybody clue me in on whether I'd be able to just fold a PF into a cover and put it on DS? I'd prefer not to snappi since my little wiggler has very little patience. Can I pre-stuff covers so that they are as easy as fitteds to get on?

Which PFs would I need? I presume size Large would be fine if I don't snappy since DS is currently 21.5 lbs and those should work up to 25-28 lbs. depending on the PF type. Premium or regular? I am leaning towards regular for trimness. And finally does it matter whether I go with Indian, Chinese or European? Hopefully we won't have to use them for too long so the cheaper CPFs would be fine although for a few more $$ I might as well get Indian if they are truly better.

Please let me if this idea going to work. Forgot to mention, DS is not a heavy wetter, more like a light to medium one. He is 14.5 months and on the go most of the time (so I am not sure if PF will stay in place). Waist 17.5-18", rise 15", thigh 11".

Elena, mom to Thanksgiving boy

[mudder17]

Congratulations! Isn't fluff fun? :)

Okay, you can certainly trifold a prefold and lay it in a cover and then wrap the diaper around your son. For a dryer feeling, you can lay in a fleece or microfleece liner on top. Just get a yard of microfleece or fleece from your local fabric store and cut out rectangles or hour glass shapes (although if you're trifolding, rectangles should be sufficient and easier to cut). Can you "prestuff"? Sure, as long as you have enough covers.

If your DS is a fairly light wetter, regular Europeans should do the trick (although I don't know if Euros come in regular). Here's my take on the difference between the three (I've tried all three). The Euros are a tighter weave than the other two, so they take a little longer to break in, they tend to hold up longer, and they are trimmer. The Indians are the loosest weave, in my opinion, but the most absorbent, at least initially. They tend to be bulkier than CPFs, but they are also smaller after washing (they shrink more than CPFs). If you're trifolding, IPFs may be the way to go because the smaller size will be less bulky. HOWEVER, I can't remember which ones come in regular and which ones don't. If only the CPFs come in regular, then I would just go with those.

There are a couple ways you can trifold. IF you trifold perpendicularly, it will make it shorter, and most of the absorbency will be in the center of the rectangle. If you trifold parallel, it will be longer, and you can fold down in front for greater absorbency in front. The reason I don't normal trifold is that (well, the first is that I don't have any good wrap-like covers that I can trifold in) I have premiums and I'd have to do it the parallel way folded down in front because DD is a heavy wetter and a stomach sleeper. I find when I trifold, it's pretty bulky for her in front. HOWEVER, I also haven't played around with it that much because I prefer to snappi everything. Lots of moms who trifold say it's very easy and works quite well for their toddler.

The only thing about trifolding is that you will need a wrap type cover like proraps (nice and cheap if you're doing this temporarily), green earth, bumpy's, bummis, etc. You can also trifold in a fleece wrap like a sugarpeas cover, if you want to get the cover for future fitted diapers and you prefer a more breathable option (I do).

HTH!

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 11 months and counting

[Kate888]

Welcome to the world of CDing :) I started CDing my first baby when she was 1 (using mostly fitted and AIOs) and am now researching PFs for baby#2. I used PFs briefly with baby#1 and didn't have to use pins or snappis.

There are several no-pin options:
Here is one:
http://pages.ivillage.com/ulrikedg/id4.html
Here is another one: you can find lots of diapering info here
http://diaperpages.com/stepbystep.php
http://diaperpages.com/

Hope this help a little! Have fun :)


Kate
Mama to Maya 2-17-02 and Polo (my big black dog http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/dog.gif
and baby "bubble" (a BOY) due 5-11-05
http://lilypie.com/days/050511/0/12/1/-5/.png (http://lilypie.com)

[new_mommy25]

We've been using the same regular standard CPFs (4x6x4) on Noah and they are still plenty absorbant enough for us. I trifold the wide way and lay it in a wrap. That seems to work well for us though DS is a light wetter and I change often. Also, you can prepare your prefolds/covers ahead of time if you have enough covers. I do that for my DH. It makes it a lot easier for him.

[nbrackman]

I do this all the time with premium cpf's, although lately since my daughter has been less wiggly (she just turned 18 months and became more cooperative at changing time) I can go back to snappying. She's skinny, so the snappying definitely makes for a better fit.

However, if you really just want to trifold, you may want to consider premium diaper service quality prefolds as opposed to "European," "Chinese," or "Indian." Gerber makes these (not the ones you buy in the supermarket, you can get them online too) and lots of diaper services sell them either new or used. They tend to be just slightly less quilty, just slightly shorter, than the standard premiums, but are more absorbent than standard (4x6x4) cpf's. At least that was my experience.

We had a diaper service for a while and those diapers (gerber dsq) were definitely trimmer to trifold but still quite absorbent. I wasn't happy going down in absorbency to chinese standards, but going up to chinese premiums gave us a little more bulk than I liked, so I started snappying more frequently.

Just my experience. Gerber or similar dsq prefolds are not particularly costly, so you can get a dozen or so and see how they work out. Paired with proraps, they are about as economical as it gets, and you can afford to buy enough covers to make your own "all in ones" (prepared covers w/trifolded dipes) to take out with you.

Good luck!
Nicole

[kozachka]

Nicole,

Thank you for suggesting DSQ prefolds. They seem the way to go. Other ladies seem to suggest CPFs as well (IPFs come in two sizes only from what I understand).

Where can I get them? I've seen some on eBay (from seller granitesmith) but not sure if they are the same thing. How many covers would I need for use with 12 prefolds? I am thinking 3 or 4 since DS poops stay contained for most part these days.

Elena

[kozachka]

Kate,

Thank you for the links, I've added them to my favorites. It's so much easier to imagine myself folding PFs based on these pictures :). Can't wait to test this system.

Elena

[kozachka]

Thank you, Eileen. Your description of various PFs has been most helpful.

Based on my research CPFs come in five sizes: preemie, infant, regular, premium and toddler. Regular and premium are almost the same size, 14" X 21" and 14.5" X 22" accordingly, but different weight. They are both supposed to work for up to 30 pounds baby. So if I were to buy CPFs regular size would be the way to go.

Apparently IPFs also come in several sizes too (according to granitesmith listings on eBay): preemie, infant/newborn, large and toddler. As you said Euros shrink the least; Indians shrink the most so Indian large only goes to 25 pounds :(, which is not good for me since DS is already 21.5 lbs. And I think toddler size might be too big for him.

So I might end up going with Euros in large, they fit babies from approx. 15 to 30 pounds, or even heavier, if the baby is tall. The ones granitesmith sells are 4x8x4 ply, same as premium CPFs. Would that make them as bulky or since they don't quilt as much that won't be the case? And they are more expensive if only by $4. I also don't like that they will require more washings to become absorbant.

All these choices make my head spin LOL! At least I narrowed it down to regular CPFs and premium Euros. Which should I buy?

Elena

[mudder17]

Yes, I would go with DSQ or CPF regulars. You can e-mail Teresa (granitesmith) directly and she will be able to tell you if the ones she has on eBay are the same thing. Whenever I buy from her, I always bypass ebay which is good for her and me. She doesn't always list everything she has on eBay, either, so it's always good to e-mail her and ask. She's very nice and helpful!

For the 12 prefolds--yes, 3 or 4 would probably be plenty. Even when Kaya was a newborn, I was able to get by with 4 covers, although I was snappi'ing (but she had runny poop).

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 11 months and counting

[kozachka]

Thank you for all your advice, Eileen. I e-mailed Teresa. She thinks that either large or premium EPFs would work best for us, mostly because of a trimmer fit. And she quoted me a better price for buying directly. WOW, you saved me a few $$ :D. The 4x6x4 large EPFs are not even listed in her eBay store.

Now I'll just have to order a few covers and I'll be set.

Elena, mom to Thanksgiving boy 11/27/2003

[mudder17]

Excellent! Isn't Teresa great? :) The EPFs weren't quite good enough for Kaya (she's a super soaker), but I have to admit they were trimmer than my other premiums.


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif Breastfed 1 Year -- Woohoo!