How to Fold Flat Cloth Diapers
As many people try to incorporate earth-friendly habits into their lifestyle, one of the changes new parents may want to make is using cloth, as opposed to disposable, diapers for their little ones. Cloth diapers reduce waste and are "green" because they can be reused until the baby is potty-trained and can even be saved and reused for future children. Safety pins are generally no longer used; basic cloth diapers come with Velcro tabs for fastening. However, if you have an older pair of flat cloth diapers that you want to use with pins or Snappis (a plastic alternative to pins), there is a simple technique you can employ to keep your baby dry.
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Instructions
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Lay your square, cloth diaper flat on an even surface. Grab the top right corner of the diaper and fold it down to the bottom left corner so that the diaper now resembles a triangle.
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Reposition the diaper so that one end of the triangle faces you. Grab the top right corner and fold it over to the top left corner, forming a smaller triangle. Repeat this process until you have a triangle that is the right size for your baby, understanding that infants will need smaller surface areas for their diapers than older babies.
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Lay the triangle-folded diaper on your changing table surface or on the floor. Lay your baby down on her back so that her bottom is positioned in the center of the triangle and so that the longer edge of the triangle lines up across the baby's lower back.
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Bring the bottom point of the diaper up through the baby's legs and lay it near his belly button. Grab the left and right points and pull them together so that they touch the center point near the belly button. Fasten the three points together with a safety pin or Snappi.
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Tips & Warnings
If choosing to use safety pins, be very careful that you do not poke your baby. You may want to practice on a doll first until you become comfortable with the wrapping and fastening motions. When trying for the first time on your baby, do it at a time when your baby is calm, fed and content.
Wrap a waterproof diaper cover over the cloth diaper to prevent leaks. Diaper covers are available that fit over your baby's legs and pull up like a pair of underwear.
References
- Photo Credit Baby playing in Diaper image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
