Real Nappies - Prefolds, HELP

I've just gone cloth, and in a bid to save money I bought some 'Real Nappies'. I did a bit of research etc and thought they sounded ok for the price. A bit of work, but I was going to use them while i built up to more MCNs.

But, eek, I am having trouble. Surely they aren't this bad...so i think maybe i am doing something wrong.
*They are bulky - poor little DS, he can barely walk without doing the splits. I am folding them in thirds, but the prefold seems so big.
*The poo goes everywhere and squishes out the side of the prefold and the cover on to his clothes/legs etc.
* The cover doesn't fit very snugly around the legs. It's kind of loose.
* They say to use a bio liner, but i can't get it to 'stay put'. It shifts in the nappy and bunches up completely and this doesn't help at all.

Anyone out there love their 'Real Nappies' and have some tips for us?? Please help me make them work for us a bit better.

TIA,
Jo

:)

I didn't use flats with DD cos they were too bulky on her. I can give you a tip on what I did with prefolds though and they worked great.

Fold it in thirds. Fold out the back half to form "wings". Fold the front bit up towards the middle to form a little pad.

Then, I wrapped the wings around her waist and secured them to the pad bit with a snappi.

And get a good cover. A good fitting cover will save everything - preferably with gussets like a mother ease cover. Can't go wrong with one of those.

I have some real nappies, but unfortunately I don't love them, ours are too small now for DD, and they were just too messy, her leags we way too skinny and then never fit right and we always has poo-splosions. We did fold them like Mel suggested above and it was a bit better, but I totally get the "splits" look!!

Good luck i hope you get some good suggestions/help
xxoo

What kind of covers are you using? Motherease Rikki are great. I think the key to successful flat/prefold use is a good cover...
Those liners are a bit useless once they're moving. The disposable ones also seem to hold a lot of moisture against their skin. We use microfleece (just cut some up from fabric we bought at spotlight) - they stay in place a bit better.
Do you sew at all? You can make yourself some cheap MCNs also - I've got a pretty good pattern that can be a pocket-type and bought some microfibre towelling from bunnings for the absorbent part. Even if you're a beginner they're super easy to make.

Mel - thanks for the folding tip - i have no snappis so i guess i might need to get some. I am using the covers that came with the prefolds - i.e. their brand Real Nappies.

Beema - thanks. DS is a skinny bub too.

Marcellus - I did think of making my own but the material is so expensive and my machine comes from the dark ages. My sister is buying a new machine to make some nice skirts for her for work, so maybe once she gets that I can borrow it and start getting creative. Can't believe you bought the fabric from Bunnings...how did you get onto that idea? Where did you get the pattern from? I saw loads on the net, but i was massively overstimulated by then so i gave up!

P.S So the upshot is i need a better cover - with gussets, so I'll buy a motherease one asap.

Mel - you should have said you sold that Motherease cover!!!
Anyway...so can i ask your advice please..
DS is skinny, maybe 9kgs now. But he's 13.5 months. Do you girls think I should go for the medium or the large Motherease Rikki cover? I'll just start with the one i guess. He's kind of an in-between size at the moment.
TIA
Jo

Sorry babe I'm not allowed to.

Anyway - if it helps, I use motherease on my kids - DS is 14kg now (but tall and skinny) and he is in a large.

Miss M has been in a medium for yonks, and is 9kg and skinny - so she'll be in it for a while yet.

I think i would still be able to fit DS into a medium if I had to.. :lol:

I found that motherease are really generous sizings - like, when Miss M was little, we went straight from newborn one to medium!!! And I'm guessing she has been in the medium for a fair few months now, and not really looking like getting out of them at any time soon!! :)

I don't think she would fit into a large though - I think the tabs would want to cross over each other too much - BUT - she is extremely skinny with no hips, butt or anything (unlike her mother!)

Oooh motherease covers are the BEST. We have NEVER had a leak using them.
DD is 7.5 kg and is in a Medium. She could probably still go a small for trimmer nappies, but I use BabyBeeHinds which are quite bulky so we need the extra coverage from the medium.

HTH

Yep, medium sounds right. L is about the same size as A, I guess. I would expect the medium to fit him for quite a while longer at this rate (am secretly hoping we'll TT before he gets to a large, but we'll see how over-optimistic that is).
I just use cheap fabric for the outer part of the nappy - any old machine will do to sew it - and the microfibre towelling for the inner/pocket insert. Actually works very well. Let me know if you want a copy of the pattern - My MIL sent it to me, apparently it has done the rounds through her family.

Thanks marcellus,
I bought 2 motherease covers from a most brilliant BB Marketplace Member!!
I am waiting on them to arrive and I'll see how much better we are going.
It's a bit of TMI...but DS was having a bit of gastro, and now that has settled it's much better with the prefolds.
I am going to pluck up courage and write to the maker of the prefold and cover and say that they need to improve the cover etc or else people will give up on them like i nearly did.

Anyway, thanks girls...things will only get better right?!

I tried DD on flats when she was younger and the covers I was using were horrible, they leaked every time. I changed to MCN's but on the occasion I will put a flat on her if I know she only has an hour or two before night nappy time and use it with a Maz 2-up cover and I haven't had a leak.

When I am getting together this babies stash I will be starting off on Pre-folds, hopefully for 3 months, I will be pairing them with Motherease Rikkis and Maz covers.

I hope that the Motherease covers work well for you :D.