Part 1: Starting Simple with Prefolds

I'll start basic with the descriptions and give you lots of pictures, hope this helps anyone to clarify!!

This is the most basic, and cheap option to cloth diapering: A prefold and a snappi with a cover:

 How to do our favorite fold, the angel wing fold (the green wash cloth is just to cover baby parts for the photo!):

Start with the prefold under baby like shown

Then you fold one side in, then the other.

Bring this up over baby's front.

Pull the sides up.

Hook your snappi in on one side and pull taut towards the other side.

The attach to the opposite side.

Now pull the middle down and hook it in.

Put the cover underneath baby.

Pull the cover up and over the prefold and fasten.  Make sure you check baby's legs to make sure no prefold is sticking out from the cover.  If it is, just simply use your finger to tuck it back under the cover.

Voila! A clean diapered baby!

Here is another fold you can use.  This is called the bikini twist and is a bit more complicated:

Place prefold under baby like before.  Then take the prefold in one hand and begin to twist it.

Twist the front all the way around until it's flipped.

Pull up the front

Fasten with a snappi, then put a cover over it. 

This is the jelly roll fold.  It works well for containing newborn poo!

First start with the prefold under baby like before.  Then begin to roll the sides in towards the middle.

Keep rolling until you get to the thicker part of the prefold.

Repeat on the other side.

Pull it up, spreading the top out so its not rolled up (so you just keep the roll around the legs).  See here how the fold works like a little dam to hold everything in?  Then just put a cover over baby and go!

This is the easiest fold, and is great for babies once they are older and the poo is a little less runny!

Start by laying your prefold centered over your cover (this step is done without baby).  Fold one side over the middle.

Repeat with the other side.

Flip it over if you want (this puts the smooth side towards baby, and is how I like to do it).

Place the prefold and cover under baby.

Pull the prefold up, then the cover and make sure it's all contained.  You can see that this is a little bulkier in the front than the other folds, but it works.

These are a few folds we have tried.  I'm sure there are others as well.  Prefolds are great because they are virtually indestructible.  They are also cheap.  You can get a dozen for as little as $18.  I prefer the unbleached versions, but bleached is fine, too.  There is little difference between Indian and Chinese in my opinion as well.

One thing I will mention is there are lots of sizes of prefolds.  They make a preemie size, newborn, infant, baby, toddler - you'll see tons of different terms.  Preemie prefolds are generally quite small and thin.  They work well in the beginning for tiny babies (think twins), but newborns of normal size are best in a newborn prefold.  Infant sized will work, but you may have to fold down the back or front to have them not be so high up on baby.

My favorite prefolds are Green Mountain Diaper prefolds.  We used the orange edge newborns in the beginning, and they lasted us until about 3 months or 10lbs.  I now use the yellow edge Green Mountain Diaper prefolds and Tiny Tush infant prefolds on Claire at 4 months.  They fit perfect without having to fold down.  Green Mountain Diaper makes prefolds in lots of different sizes.  Some of mine were bought used, and they held up really well. 

You can have an entire stash of prefolds and covers to diaper from birth to potty training for under $200.  It's quite economical, and you can wash and dry them hundreds of times and they'll still be in perfect shape!