Airing our dirty drawers.

Or more accurately, the worn out diapers. A couple of weeks ago I received a new shipment of prefolds in the mail. The last batch we purchased were now very well worn and with a new baby on the way I figured it was time for a new set. See, I bought my last batch of prefolds more than 4 years ago. They were used as cloth post partum pads after I had my second child. Their main function was as nighttime doublers (to increase absorption) and were used for two kids simultaneously while being washed in heavy duty cycles every other day. Then my third child came along and the prefolds had another stint in the post partum cloth department while continuing to be used as doublers for two children and again being washed every other day.




That's a lot of wear and tear people, but these things are amazing. Since prefolds are simple, multilayered flat diapers there's no elastic to give out, no waterproof layer to wear out, no velcro to stop sticking. It's all absorbent cotton that as long as it's still absorbing works well even when it's ugly. How ugly? Let's take a look. I'll ease you into the ugly slowly. Here are the new prefolds. These are indian prefolds and all sizes are the infant sizes.




Notice the smooth, even weave and the lovely puckering. If you've never ordered a prefold diaper before they arrive larger and smooth. Then you wash them on a couple of hot cycles to remove any sizing and waxes to end up with a shrunken, puckered up, quilted looking prefold that feels amazingly soft. Which is why I will unashamedly say they work amazing as post partum cloth pads. So soft that the day that men decide to wear plastic underwear is the day I might reconsider cloth pads. Even then I likely won't. But that's a rant for another day.




Here is a prefold from my used batch. This one is the "medium" worn example since it's still pretty much intact and just slightly worn in a few spots.




These prefolds have four layers on the outer thirds and then 8 layers down the center so even when one of the outer layers wears out they are perfectly fine and still absorbent.




Now here's the down and out prefold. The one that's a testament to how much wear you can squeeze out of a diaper.




Yes it is that ratty looking in real life. Luckily, since I just fold them in thirds and stick them in an all in one diaper all I care is that the prefold is still absorbent. So yes, these were still being used. Despite the many holes, worn out patches and lifted up fabric layers, they worked like a charm. Not bad for something that cost at the time like $1-$2.




Now I just need to find a last resting place for the used prefolds. Any ideas? If all else fails I might just slice them up and use them to augment the stuffing in the kids' beanbag.