The Best Way to Fasten a Prefold

There are many ways to use prefold diapers.  The simplest is to just fold the prefold into thirds (called trifolding) and lay it into the diaper cover.  Then you just put the cover on your baby like you would put on a disposable.  So easy!  This is an effective way to put on prefolds if you know your baby is only going to wet.  Sometimes I do this if my baby just pooped and I know she won't do it again (haha, I've been wrong about this before).

a prefold trifolded and laid into a Thirsties diaper cover

a prefold trifolded and laid into a Flip cover

The problem is that if and when baby poops, it will almost always get all over the diaper and diaper cover and not stay on the t-shirt liner that you will use with my system of diapering.  So then you would need to clean the mess off of the diaper and cover because you don't want feces in your washing machine, unless it's EBF (exclusively breastfed poo, which washes right out in the washing machine). The other downside to just trifolding the prefold is that, since the prefold is not fastened to the baby, it will get heavy and sag when wet and stretch out the leg elastic on your covers faster.  Not to mention that you will not get a nice trim fit on your baby the same way you will with a fastened prefold.

The best way to fasten a prefold for ultimate containment (to keep poop off your cover) is the jellyroll method.  In my many years of cloth diapering, I have tried just about every method for folding a prefold, and I can tell you from experience, this is the best way to contain messes.  Here it is step-by-step with pictures using a purple-edged size small prefold from diaper junction, which you can find at Cloth diapers & diaper covers at Diaper Junction.

The t-shirt diaper liner that I would normally use with a baby who is not exclusively breastfed is not in this tutorial. You can also see this method with the t-shirt liner.

First, roll one side of the diaper in, starting with the bottom end, as pictured.

Then roll the other side in the same way. I actually do both sides at the same time and have gotten so quick at it that I can put a diaper on my baby this way in about 10 seconds.

 Next, lay your baby on the diaper with the more "rolled up side" near baby's feet.  

 Pull the bottom of the diaper up between baby's legs.

Fan out the front, pulling the sides tight.  You will see the "poop pocket" that is formed this way-so effective.

  Bring the back "wings" around to the front tightly.

 

 Grab your snappi with your other hand and secure.

 Fasten the sides first.

 Then fasten the bottom of the snappi.

Here it is with a pink snappi.

 Notice the great fit around baby's legs.

 Really, this method contains messes so well, better than fitted diapers I've used that have elastic around the legs. No red marks on baby's thighs either.  A custom fit every time!

 If you find that it is not tight around baby's legs, simply pull up on the front top of the diaper on both sides and the legs will snug up.

 Look at that tight fit around baby's back too; I've never had a blow-out up the back with this method. My diaper covers stay clean almost every time.

This size small prefold from Diaper Junction-see Cloth diapers & diaper covers at Diaper Junction fits my 14-pound 3-month old perfectly.  She also fits into the size medium, but I have to fold down the front.

The size medium prefold is so versatile, it fits my 30-pound 3-year-old as well.  She is potty-trained, but was happy to model diapers for me in exchange for a small reward of candy. :)  So here is the size medium prefold (green edge) on her, fastened the same way: 

 Trimmer, softer, less expensive, and more effective than fitteds!