Prefold Basics – Diva Fold

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The Diva fold is basically a reverse newspaper fold.  When I started cloth diapering, I couldn’t see a use for a prefold that fastens in the back…until I had a toddler.  

The benefit

fastens in the back so it’s very hard for babies to remove themselves

When to use it

With a boingo or a snappi, you always need to use a cover.  Those teeth are sharp.  If you have a cover that that you baby can remove himself, you need to make the snappi or boingo inaccessible.  If you fasten it in the back, most babies will not be able to remove the Snappi or Boingo.  I personally use it when my baby is napping in a hook and loop (velcro) cover without pants.

I can’t exactly show you a full step-by-step on this fold.  It’s not the easiest fold to put on as the baby is laying on her stomach instead of on her back.  Applying this fold one handed while trying to keep my toddler from running away wasn’t exactly easy!  This fold is a backwards newspaper fold, and we do have a step by step tutorial here.

The prefold I am using below is a large Imgaine “Smart Fit” (trimmed) prefold.  My toddler is about 28 lbs.  Since this is a trimmed prefold, I do not have any extra material to fold down in the front (or on her back – this is a tricky fold to explain!).

Lay your prefold out on your changing surface

If you need to fold up any excess length, do it now.  Fold both sides of the prefold in toward the center, as in the picture below.

Go find you baby and convince her it’s a good idea to lay down on her stomach for a diaper change, centering her belly button at the very top edge of the prefold.  This is possibly the hardest part of the fold.  It is also the part I couldn’t get a picture of due to the extreme wigglyness of my toddler.

Fold the diaper up between her legs (she is laying on her stomach here)

Fasten the diaper in the back.  I’m using Boingo clips.

One side

And then the other

This is how it will look from the back fully fastened.  You will still want to use a cover with this fold.

Becky

Becky has been married for 12 years and is a SAHM to 3 girls ranging from 2-8 years old, all of whom were cloth diapered.