Chinese Pre-folds

[Karenn]

So I can't believe it, but I'm thinking about cloth diapers. Want to know what finally swayed me? All of my friends with pre-schoolers are potty training. Guess who's having an easier time of it?

So, I've read a lot of the posts, and visited a bunch of the sites, and wanted to ask one clarifying question. (I know I'll have more later, but this is it for now.) Are chinese pre-folds just a variety of pre-fold with a special fabric? Or is there more to it than that?

Thanks,

[RiaHannam]

Hi Karen,
I'm a cloth diaper user too. I love DSQ (diaper service quality) prefolds, or more commonly known as Chinese prefolds. There are many brands, including CPF(Chinese), Babies Textiles (my personal faves), European and a few others. They come in bleached and unbleached versions, though I just like the bleached (not as much prep work to do on them). They are 100% cotton and come in sizes from preemie to toddler. I start with Infant sized (either 4-6-4's or 4-8-4's) for the first 4 mos or so then switch to regular (4-6-4's) or premiums (4-8-4's). The numbers refer to the layers in each section.
Not sure if this answers your question or most likely spurs more questions! Feel free to ask away.... I've cloth diapered since 1991 and am expecting again in May and can't wait to do it again!

Maria

[mama2be]

Maria,

sounds like you know your stuff when it comes to PF...I have some Europeans and Prowraps and am about to take the plunge with just those anyday now on a two week old (possibly 3 weeks old by the time I statrt. (9lbs 4 oz).

Have you ever tried the trifold method. I am afraid of the other fold and not ever "getting it"...

Any advice. The past two days his pee is getting all over his clothes with disposables with a Prowrap over them!!! He poops and pees like a champ!!!

I do have fleece cut to use also...

Thanks!!!

[RiaHannam]

Hi Neve,

Here are some sites that really help on how to use prefolds.

http://www.dy-dee.com/html/Folding/folding.html
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kfegelman/index.htm

Perhaps they will answer your questions and give you some good ideas too.

I find that disposables leak much more than cloth so I'm not surprised he is peeing all over the place!

Practice your folds first on a doll or teddy bear - so you can get the idea down pat, then just try it on your baby! You will be able to contain more mess in the pf rather than the cover if you secure the dipe first - like with a snappi. But try some of the folds in covers with that first link above. With all the diapers a newborn needs you will be a pro before you know it! And yes try the fleece liners if you like - it gives a stay dry effect - some babies hate that wet feeling - others don't really care. But if he starts getting red, he could be reacting to the fleece.

Proraps are great covers. Others I love are bummi sww's and bumkins with pf's.

Let me know how your first cloth experience goes - don't worry, you can do it!!

Maria

[egoldber]

Neve, since he was a big guy, he has probably outgrown whatever size you are using already and is ready for the next size. Sounds like you're ready to start using that cloth! :)

[Momof3Labs]

Neve,

Are you using newborn sized disposables? That's probably why he's leaking like crazy - those never fit Colin, and he was also 8lbs, 4oz at birth! We went straight into size 1.

[mama2be]

Actually while up in Virginia we had to make a stop for diapers he went thru them so quickly and Steve bought Walmart "newborns"...I had not read this or I would have gotten him to get a size up. BUT the Walmart ones seem larger.

It never occured to me that the NB might be too small...
Thanks I will be on the look-out for that...if these start leaking or once they are gone we are taking that "CD plunge"...