Cloth Diapering 101: Prefolds and Flats

What's a flat?

If you're like me, when you hear the term flat used as a noun, you think of a box of peaches. But when you're speaking of diapers, it refers to a single layer of fabric you fold and lay in the diaper cover. You can make your own, but I wouldn't recommend it. They are the cheapest type of diaper to buy, so it's not like you're spending big bucks in the first place. You can buy the cheap cotton flats sold by Gerber...but mine absorbed so little I kept using them for burp rags. I prefer my bamboo flat from Nicki's Diapers. To use a flat, you fold it until it fits inside your cover, snap the cover around the baby, and change the flat when it's wet.

How's a prefold different than a flat? 

They're both absorbent pieces of fabric....

A prefold is more than one layer of fabric. (So, you don't have to 'fold' it into layers.) I have used the Gerber prefolds and the Econobum prefolds. Both are cotton, but the Econobum has more layers than Gerber. So, when I want a trim diaper that I don't mind changing every few hours, I pull out the Gerbers.

How to Fold a Flat

1. Fold the diaper into fourths (half, and half again, making a square).

2. Fold the diaper into thirds. TA-DA!

Using Flats inside a Diaper Cover

This is the best part of flats-just lay it inside the diaper cover.

How to Fold a Prefold

1. Fold the fabric into thirds.

2. Fan one end of the diaper.

Using Prefolds inside a Diaper Cover

The Easy Way

1. Lay the diaper (folded into thirds) inside the cover.

2. Fold the front of the diaper back to fit inside the cover.

Pinning a Prefold

1. With the fan of the diaper under the baby's rear, bring the folded end up to the front.

2. Fold the top of the diaper down as needed to fit the baby.

3. Pin the fanned part to the front, making sure it is tight around the baby's legs.

4. Put a diaper cover on.

5 Things to Know to Cloth Diaper Successfully

I tried to research cloth diapers before buying. Much of what I read consisted of, 'try different things until you find what works for your baby.' While it's true that everyone needs to experiment to find their preferred style (all-in-one, pocket, flats, prefolds, hybrid, etc), there are a few things I wish I had known beforehand.

1. If you are planning on using a diaper to as part of an outfit, purchase several of the same color (all-in-one or pocket) so you can keep baby color-coordinated throughout the day. If you are using a cover, you probably only need two of the same color. (When you are using a cover, you only need to change the soiled insert or the fitted diaper.) Free tip: It's a good idea to look through baby's wardrobe before ordering diapers....

2. Bamboo is WAY more absorbent than cotton. It's totally worth the extra money.

3. Snaps are awesome, but be careful not to pinch the chubby baby leg fat in them. I've done this three times now....and felt AWFUL about it every time. That's a plus for velcro-no pinched babies. 

4. Usually you can just lay a prefold inside the diaper cover-it doesn't have to be wrapped around baby's rear!

5. Online cloth diaper stores have regular sales and coupons. Closeout colors and factory seconds sell for a reduced price. Building a stash doesn't have to be expensive!

Good luck with your cloth diapering experience! Sometimes it takes a few weeks (or months) to feel confident, but stick with it! It will eventually seem as easy as disposables. 

Cloth Diaper Review: Blueberry-Part 2

Besides my Blueberry diaper with the microterry inserts, I also have one with bamboo inserts. This diaper (Swaddlebees) has a cotton velour lining and cotton/bamboo inserts. The exterior is soft minky.


The best thing about bamboo inserts is their thinness. This helps the diaper be a lot more trim. However, the rest of the diaper has plenty of space....so you can stuff it with different inserts. I have used the microterry insert in this diaper with the same success as the bamboo inserts. I was shocked to find the bamboo to have almost the same absorbency as microterry. Basically, it absorbs as much as the regular microterry insert without the doubler. So, it gets a little soggy when used for overnight, but it doesn't get dripping wet. 

I really don't care for this diaper because it is so wide across the bottom. Unlike my other Blueberry diaper, it doesn't keep Little K perfectly dry all night, so I only reach for this one if it is the last thing in the drawer. I know I've never had a leak...but I'm not sure LK's really tested it in that area, either.

Bottom Line: A nice diaper for an older baby, but go for the microterry inserts if you want higher absorbency.

Cloth Diaper Review: BumGenius 4.0

The BumGenius is a one size pocket diaper. It comes with a one size and a newborn insert. The diapers are available in a rainbow of colors and hues. (I have a variety of greens and yellows.) 

The BumGenius is a nice diaper. There's nothing really outstanding about it, good or bad. The absorbency is decent. It works for overnight, although it's a little soggy in the morning. It contains breastfed baby blowouts 99.9% of the time. It's not exactly bulky, but it's not exactly trim, either. I think the best part of the diaper is that it can be bleached once a month. After the bleach washing, it looks brand new!

Bottom Line: The BumGenius is a good diaper. But if you can afford the extra money, get Blueberry diapers instead.

Cloth Diaper Review: Blueberry Part 1

 The Blueberry One Size pocket diaper is one of the most expensive pocket diapers available. But, you get what you pay for. 




The lining of the diaper is bamboo. It's not as soft as microfleece, but very absorbent. The absorbency is the best part of the diaper. It comes with a doubled insert and a single layer insert.

This is the only diaper Little K has used all night (11 hours) and felt dry in the morning. It's all thanks to the many layers of stuffin-see right! Word of warning: This diaper did have a poop leak out the back when it was over full. But, that could be user error-it might not have been tight enough.

The downfall to this diaper is that it is wide across-LK has to spread her legs for it. Also, the bamboo isn't very soft. So, I wouldn't recommend it for a newborn. However, width aside, the diaper is relatively trim when snugly fitted.

Bottom line: I would highly recommend this diaper in bamboo with the microfiber inserts. It works great for heavy wetters and bigger babies. I know I'll be adding several more to my stash!

Cloth Diaper Review: Best Bottom-Part 1

I purchased the Best Bottom diaper after reading several blogs recommending it for nighttime use. However, I have not purchased the overnight inserts or the doubler, so I can't comment on it's effectiveness for that length of time. Best Bottom covers are one size, but their inserts are sized small, medium, and large.

The Best Bottom is a hybrid diaper. You use snaps to secure the 'stuffins' inside the diaper. Sometimes, instead of using the inserts, I use a prefold inside the cover. In fact, my favorite insert for this diaper is a bamboo flat! 

I spent the extra money to get the hemp/bamboo inserts for added absorbency. Also, I've read the microfiber ones tend to leak after months of use. I'm happy with the performance of the hemp/bamboo insert. However, it does stain. 

But the best part of using inserts is the ability to reuse the cover! As long as the cover is not dirty, you simply unsnap the soiled insert and replace it with a dry one. I LOVE this system! Although, it should be noted that dear husband prefers pocket diapers.

This diaper is extremely well made, including double elastic on the leg holes. I have never had a poop problem with a Best Bottom diaper. Little K has typical breastfed poos, so that's really impressive-NO blowouts with this diaper. Sometimes the elastic will get a little soggy-I think LK would need the doubler to go more than 3 or 4 hours with this diaper.

Bottom Line: You can't go wrong with this one! Experiment to find the inserts (or fitted diapers) that work best for you.

Cloth Diaper Review: Charlie Banana

The Charlie Banana diaper is a pocket diaper. (If you don't know much about cloth diapers, that means it is 'stuffed' with pads (inserts) for absorbency.) It comes with two inserts and I use both because Little K is a heavy wetter. I have the size Small, although they also have a one size option.

 Notice how nicely the lining of the diaper cleans up. Staining is always minimal on these diapers. It is also super soft!

The Charlie Banana is great for containing a breastfeed baby's runny poos. I haven't had any problems. Although, the absorbency of this diaper tends to be less than my other pocket diapers. Little K completely SOAKED it through last night...which woke her up....so I'm steering clear of this diaper for nighttime use.

The best features of this diaper are the softness and the trim fit. Since it isn't a one size diaper, it fits more snugly and works great under almost anything. I also love the colors!

Bottom Line: A great diaper for a newborn, but you might need something more absorbent for an older baby.

Cloth Diaper Review: Fuzzibunz

When we decided to have a baby, I realized we would need to cut costs. Babies don't come cheap and upkeep is expensive! So, I convinced my Dear Husband to cloth diaper. Now, if you aren't familiar with cloth diapers, Fuzzibunz are a type of pocket diaper. A pocket diaper is stuffed with pads (called inserts) for absorbency. You put the stuffins in, snap the diaper around the baby, pull the stuffins out after the diaper is rinsed, and restuff the diaper after washing. (It's actually a simple process.) 

As you can see in the above photo, Little K's Fuzzibunz diaper was a perfect complement to her dress! It made a great alternative to bloomers, and I got compliments on how cute it looked! (We were just out for a few hours, but if you wanted to do this all day, you would need several Fuzzibunz in the same color.)

My Fuzzibunz are the One Size, although they also sell a Perfect Size. The One Size adjust with elastic in the leg holes. You can lengthen the elastic as the baby grows. The company provides you with replacement elastic for when the original gives out. The leg hole adjustment does a nice job, so the diaper can be relatively trim. I always use both of the inserts that came with the diaper because LK is a heavy wetter. If you can get by with one insert, the diaper would be even more trim.

I have had few problems with Fuzzibunz leaking. Notice how the soft lining of the diaper extends all the way to the edge....so if the diaper is overly wet, the moisture will seep to the outer edge and onto clothes/sheets. But the big one was one time we didn't fasten it tightly enough around the leg holes. LK had a breastfeed baby blowout straight out the leg. However, that was completely user error! If the diaper is snugly fastened, it does WAY better than disposables at containing those messy poos.

Bottom line: Fuzzibunz are a great fitting diaper and have cute colors. However, it's not my favorite because of the way the lining will let urine seep onto clothes.