I’m participating in the 2017 Flats and Handwashing Challenge  hosted by Cloth Diaper Revival. This event focuses on the very real and viable answer to cloth diaper your children.

When it comes to flats, I’m usually #teampadfold. I love a simple, easy-to-use, pad folded flat (or even prefold diaper). You make it up as you fold, and end up with a nice neat pile of diapers ready to be matched up with your favourite cloth diaper cover.

But, then there are little babies, and for me, little babies are better suited to a folded on flat. Why?

A) Folding on a flat reduces bulk. Larger, thicker, flat diapers (like receiving blankets in my toddler stash) tend to be bulky when pad folded to the right size compared to a folded on flat diaper.

B) Folding on a flat diaper also helps contain the poop. Newborn babies, especially breastfed babies, have nice liquidity golden poops and a folded on diaper gives an extra barrier.

My Favourite Fold: Happy Anteater Fold.

Original credit to the Happy Anteater fold is due to Mothering from the Maelstrom  – You can find her YouTube tutorial here.

It’s easier to watch a video, or check out my photos. If I was to verbally describe the Happy Anteater fold…

• Start with a large SQUARE flat (If its a rectangle, make it a square).
• Fold it in half, and then half again.
• Grab a single corner of the flat (where all the edges meet) and drag it out and across to form a triangle.
• Flip it over, so the triangle is now on the floor/table/lap.
• Roll/Fold up the remaining square into the middle of the diaper.
• Fold the triangle arms up next to the centre of the flat to form ‘ears.’
• Fold them once more, or roll them when on baby.
• Lay baby onto the middle of the flat.
  • Fold the middle up.
  • Roll up the edges.
  • Bring the ‘ear’s’ across to secure with a Boingo or Snappi.

 

5 Reasons to LOVE the Happy Anteater Fold

1) I can do the Happy Anteater fold on my lap without too much difficulty. It doesn’t require  empty floor space or table to fold.

2) I can easily unfold a pad folded diaper to a Happy Anteater Fold. I pad fold my diapers by folding in half, and half again. This is essential the beginning steps of the Happy Anteater Fold.

3) I’m less likely to experience flat diaper shorts (as indicated in the video).
4) Majority of the absorbency is in the center of the Happy Anteater fold giving a trim tush, and absorbency where I want it.

5) It’s easy to boost. Roll or Fold in your favourite booster and its good to go. (NEW STASH ADDITION: I’ve been boosting my FST with a GroVia Wipe)

We’ve been boosting this fold because a FST (Flour Sack Towel) is not enough absorbency for Little Miss. I either add an additional GroVia wipe in the middle of the diaper (I boosted all of my newborn aio cloth diapers with them) or use two FST together and fold as one. I fold the two together, rather than adding it the centre of the diaper to spread out some of the bulk.

Current Laundry situation.

What is your favourite flat fold? Are you team pad fold? Or do you have a love of folding diapers?

Don’t worry; much like the rest of the laundry in my house, my freshly washed flats are currently in a pile on the couch.