Why I love prefolds

You know how even though you love them all, all of the time, some days you sort of like one your kids just a little bit more than the others? (Don't even pretend this isn't true, unless all of your kids are under age three, in which case it just isn't true YET.)

Well, this is how I feel about my cloth diapers. They're all lovable, but some days - depending on my mood and how the poop is going in my house - I like some more than others. (Should I stop here and apologize for constantly talking about poop? This is primarily a cloth diapering blog, so you're okay with that, right? Good.)

Today, I was in a prefolds sort of mood, and let me tell you all of the reasons why:

1. I really am not in a good laundry place this week (had tons of company and therefore tons of extra laundry last week), and cotton prefolds are among the most forgiving of diapers when you are trying to stretch your washing routine beyond the usual every 2 days or so that many diapers require. Everyone's experience is unique, but my prefolds are completely agreeable to being washed just every 4 days or so. That means laundry only twice a week (or a little less), and every once in a while I just need that break.

2. Due to aforementioned laundry issues, I have a pretty random collection of covers clean right now... some pockets, some snapping Flips, some velcro-ing Bummis covers. Guess what! My prefolds work with all of them.

3. We were out and about a lot today, which means the Peanut was going a little longer than usual between changes. Another reason to love prefolds: they can hold an amazing volume of wee-wee. I'm not saying one should strive to stretch out the time between changes, but when you know it's going to be a little longer than you'd like, a prefold with a fleece liner to keep a stay-dry feel against baby's skin is an absolute recipe for success.

4. I also had the chance to give a fluffy little gift to a dear friend's new baby today, so I made her a diaper cake with 8 prefolds, 2 covers and a bunch of wipes. For a bunch of reasons, I think prefolds make a fantastic gift for someone who's never used cloth: the laundry and poop care are pretty easy with prefolds, they're super absorbent so your friends won't be daunted by leaks while getting used to cloth, they're inexpensive which allows you give a decent stash of prefolds without breaking the bank, and - if all else fails and she simply doesn't want to use cloth - they can easily be re-purposed for other baby and household uses.

5. And finally - I love a fluffy baby butt. I do. I admit it. Some people like diapers that give a nice trim look, but I like a puffy little bottom that shows off to the world that we are a cloth diapering family.

So. Those are the five big reasons why I love my prefolds. In closing, let me pay prefolds a tremendous metaphorical compliment: Prefolds are the Ellen DeGeneres of diapers (have I ever told you how much I love Ellen?). They are low maintenance, they get along well with everyone, they put on a great show, they make even the newest visitor feel right at home, and they love to dance (anything that makes a bottom as big and fluffy as a prefold can must love to dance, right?).

And that's why for today, prefolds are my favorite diaper!