Step 1: Lay prefold horizontally under baby. Serged edges should be at top and bottom.	Step 2: Fold front of diaper up about 1/3 of the length. You may need to fold up more for smaller babies, or less for larger babies.	Step 3: Fold in the left front, while keeping the back fanned out.	Step 4: Fold in the right front, again keeping the back fanned out.	Step 5: Pull folded front up, and pull the back corners (wings) around to the front. Fasten with a Snappi.

washing diapers

When diapers are wet or soiled, throw them directly into a pail with no water.  If they are especially soiled, shake the solids off into the toilet, or rinse the entire diaper out into the toilet, then put it in the pail. If you are breastfeeding, it is not necessary to rinse your newborn baby's diaper in the toilet, just throw it directly in the pail.  Be sure to fold in any Velcro™ tabs before they go into the pail.  

Pour the contents of the pail into the washing machine, and run a cold rinse cycle.  Then, run a normal hot wash cycle with about ¼-½  the recommended amount of detergent.  Detergent build-up can hinder absorbency, and cause odor in your diapers. If the diapers need a little freshening up, add ¼ cup of white vinegar, or a little baking soda to the second rinse cycle. Vinegar is a natural fabric softener, a mildew inhibitor, and it also removes excess soap residue. It's not a bad idea to vary your drying methods. The sun is a natural whitener and sanitizer, while the dryer keeps the diapers nice and soft. 

Some special instructions:

Unbleached cotton, hemp, and organic cotton diapers need to be washed 5-7 times in very hot water and dried once before using because the natural oils in the fabric have not been removed through processing. These diapers include Unbleached Chinese Prefolds, Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers, Contours, and wipes, and all of the Baby Greens diapers, doublers, and wipes. You will want to use approximately 1-2 tablespoons of detergent for each of these initial washes. We recommend using a detergent that is free of bleach and fabric softeners. Fabric softeners leave a coating in the fibers of the diaper which decreases absorbency. Bleach weakens diapers and is not safe for baby's skin. Never use bleach on diaper covers.

nighttime diapering

 
 Diapering at night requires a system that will keep baby's diaper from leaking and keep baby's skin as dry as possible. To minimize leaks, we recommend using a good fitted diaper such as Kissaluvs or Growing Greens. To increase absorbency and keep baby's skin dry, we suggest using Baby Greens Fleece-Topped doublers.
Check out our Baby Greens here.

if diapers leak

 
 Cloth diapers should never leak. Leaky diapers can be attributed to a number of different reasons. The three most common reasons are:
1. Not changing the diaper frequently enough - This is a very common problem, especially for parents who have recently switched from disposable diapers to cloth diapers. Cloth diapers need to be changed about every 1-3 hours. Heavy wetters and newborn babies will require more frequent changes. Nighttime diapering is more involved, and will be discussed in the next question.
2. Poor sizing/fit - When choosing diaper and cover sizes, refer to the size suggestions provided for each individual brand. Most companies size according to baby's weight. Some factors that contribute to a poor fit and can cause leaking are diapers or covers gapping at the legs and waist, and diapers not being completely tucked into covers. A nice fitting diaper needs to be used with a cover that is neither too big nor too small. Ensuring a proper fit depends on a good combination of diaper and cover.
3. Detergent build-up causing decreased absorbency -  If diapers fit well, and are changed frequently, but are still leaking, detergent build-up may be the problem. It is a good idea to wash diapers every once in a while in hot water without detergent. This will remove excess detergent, and return adequate absorbency to the diapers. 

Have more questions? Email us at postmaster@littlesproutsdiapers.com