Prefold nappy users. Talk to me about them.

[peaches27]

After a lot of research I think these are the ones for me. Despite all the bad press, I have a friend who lives locally who swears by Bambino Mio and her two friends with similar aged babies also use them.

There are other prefolds I know, and I have ordered some Bambino Mio off ebay to try. I have noticed there is also a Junior Joy brand.

My reasons for this selection are that a) have used terries before so these wont be too much trouble b) I want to bung them in the dryer in winter c) if I put them on the line I dont want them to take ages to dry d) they are economical.

One or two specific questions:

1. How crucial is sizing? Our LO is 13lbs so it seems daft to buy something that goes up to 15 or 16 lbs. Will the next size be alright?
2. If you go to the next size is there a way of folding it so it will fit appropriate wraps?
3. Are the various similar systems interchangeable? eg If I have a pair of cotton bottom wraps can I bung a Bambino Mio prefold in it?
4. Are these Junior Joy ones any good as they are cheap on ebay?
5. There is no 5 yet!!

Thank you for reading this far, go and get a drink as a reward, mines a vodka and tonic.

I don't use prefolds that often, however I can try and answer some of your questions, I'm sure other people will have something useful to add too :)

1. • not THAT crucial now that he is that much bigger, the early size probably fit beyond 16lbs depending on how chunky LO is. We have some larger Bambino and they are rather big, she probably won't be in them until she's a fair bit older.
2. We fold ours down at the front atm, primarily because she wets more at the front so it makes sense to have a bit of extra bulk there.
3. As far as I know, yes. We have Bambino Mio and have used them in our Kushies and our Popolini (sp?) wrap.
4. I think we have some Junior Joy ones, haven't noticed a difference..

HTH x

Thank you so much. I have got some Mio on the way but I acquired a couple of cotton bottoms wraps, and I am searching for more wraps. Not sure if to get small or medium though. Any more advice?

How messy is your baby? You really need something that fits around the legs otherwise everything will escape! Wraps are made to go over nappies (for the most part), so if you only have a prefold in they won't be as stretched, therefore a small might fit your little one for a while. I'd say buy one of each fairly cheaply and see which works.

Are you buying second hand? If so make sure you check the elastic.. Our favourite wraps are actually Kooshies, everyone says terrible things about them, but the legs are double elasticised and they seem that little bit larger!

Do you know about the nappy lady? She has a good classified page, as does the UK parent forum! Both might be worth a try, they can give brilliant advice too!
xx

yes, buy the next size up, just fold in the same way. there are different folds on the nappy lady website but I just used the normal folds once dd started solids

the prefolds are interchangeable with the wraps but having used both I'd say cotton bottoms are best, bambino mio scratched my dd's stomach and they don't really last

never used junior joy

prefolds won't do for nights though - I'd suggest buying a couple of \link{http://www.minkinappies.co.uk\minki} stuffables that you can put your prefolds in for a good night nappy, but will separate to wash and dry quickly

Our small Bambino Mio semmed to do us for ages and I still use them to stuff Fuzzi Bunz. Ds3 is 14months!
All the wraps are interchangeable and a good wrap is worth the money
You probably don't want to hear this Peaches but I mainly use stuffables ( Fuzzi Bunz, Wonderoos) and just use prefolds and terries as back-up but I do find terries folded in the kite fold more effective than prefolds for containment!

I use prefolds overnight on my 2 1/2 year old and they're fine. Not lovely in the morning, but the idea at this stage is to put him off nappies surely . Mine are Junior Joy large ones, and they're better than the thicker prefolds I also have. My favourite wraps are Proraps, which I think you can get from the Nappy Lady. There may be newer, better options but as I'm now dealing with my third toddler I'd like this whole business to be over soon and I refuse to buy anything!

My mumsie has bought me some Bambino Mios so I must use them now. I will be looking for ways to make them work for me. Also bought terries.

I am very pleased with my regular size Bambino Mios and have abandoned the terries. As you will see from the other threads I am using cotton bottom prefolds.

After initial washings using the tumble drier fluffed them up and made them more absorbent.

I have noticed they have a reasonable resale value on ebay too.

I use cotton bottoms large at the momenton my 18 month old, alongside my fitteds.
Like you I find they do dry much faster than my fitteds, and are very absorbent. I don't do terries because I can't fold them very well.
FWIW, I didn't get on with stuffables, I like them for a short period but don't find them reliable enough - peepee leaks happened at least once a week, compared to once every couple of months with a two part system.
I use my cotton bottoms with a nappi nippa, but it is more fiddly than just padfolding. On the other hand it holds in poop much better than a padfold and it makes the nappy more slim-fitting on the bum.
Are you boosting the prefold for nights?

Not boosting for nights, but she is still waking 4 hourly so its easy enough to change her. I have thought about it.

This has been my second day on Bambino Mios and Im still happy with them and we havent had any problems.

Can you explain how to use a nippa with a prefold please, maisie?

Hi Peaches here are some good links:
This one has a few folds that are good, the newspaper fold or the angel wing (I can't really see the diff personally, are like the folds I use)
\link{http://diaperpages.com/pf_folds.php\link 1}

This one has the same fold, but also suggests a way of boosting the prefold
\link{http://www.thediaperhyena.com/newspaperfold.htm\link 2}

And finally, how to do up a nappi nippa, you have to click on 'Fastening a Nappi Nippa' and it plays a video. Believe me it's worth watching rather than thinking you hate nappi nappas and can't them to work - which I did a bit to begin with.
\link{http://www.totsbots.com/nappies/demos/\link 3}

These links are fascinating ... and they lead to other links. Which I wish I had seen before. Particularly the links on how to make your own nappies using flannel fabric and towels. If I hadnt got such a stock I would have a go. I am thinking of making some of my own booster pads to boost the nappies up at night. I have a good machine with overlocker and sewing skills.

Thanks maisiemog! Youre a nappy genius!

In fact, thanks everyone on here. I used to think that as disposables were so good I would never even entertain real nappies again, but Im so glad I did. They are no trouble once you get into them.

One thing about the prefolds, our little girl always looks trussed up at the front in prefolds like its not comfortable for her to sit. I suppose its almost as if she has a corset on. Perhaps its the wrap (cotton bottoms). Or perhaps I need to try another fold for the prefold. What do you think Maisie?

Thanks Peaches!
I'm not sure about the 'trussed up" look. What fold is that with?
If you are nippaing, it's difficult sometimes to get a prefold with the width you need at the waist, without going up a size, then you end up with quite a long prefold. This means you need to do quite a big fold at the front to get the height right at the front and you end up with quite a lot of material at the front.
One way round, if you sew, is to use smaller shorter prefolds and sew some tabs on so the waist is wider.
Some people 'trim' their prefolds, which means they cut some of the length off so the prefold is a neater fit. Try a search for 'trimfolds' or trim + prefolds, I'm sure there's something on that.
What size of cotton bottoms wraps are you using? I use mainly cotton bottoms and I think they are great, but hate when I have to go up a size. We've been in medium for the past 12 months though (large at nights or over very tall nappies).
Hope there's something in there that helps.
In Retrospect, I think nappy wraps tend to look a bit bulky until babies are quite big, my ds always looked a bit drownded until he well over 6 months, now his wraps look OK.

Maisie, I have bought three Bambino Mio wraps (lite) and find them a lot better. They look a lot better around the tummy, less restricting, less like a corset somehow!

We are getting on fine with them.

Oh that's good, I'm glad you have a wrap you like.

There's a woman in my building who has been using bambino mio for a year, I don't know what wrap she has, but she seems happy with them.