With that said, today's post is all about new moms. When I had my son, I decided to cloth diaper, and am still doing so, with my baby girl added to the mix. I came across a great deal in my diapering research: preemie prefolds from here for $12 for a dozen, and free shipping! While at first, I used them as newborn diapers (more on that below) there are other uses for these wonderful cloths if you are a new mom--and even a couple if you aren't!
First, if you've never seen one, here is what they look like after 2.5 years if washing:
They become about 10 inches long by 7.5 inches wide. They are soft, quilty, all cotton, and very absorbent. Do note that they only reach max absorbency after about 6 washes. I always threw them in with my towels for a few washes, then used them, though, so just know that they get better with time.
On to the uses!
1) Newborn diapers or boosters in disposable diapers
Yes, people do still cloth diaper! While you can certainly use these in the old-school way, with pins, I liked them tri-folded (simply keep the middle section viewable and fold under each of the thinner outer sections) into newborn diaper covers. These tiny diaper covers were my favorite and they are $4.99 each. You need about 6 a day in the newborn stage and at least a dozen prefolds a day for tri-folding and laying into the cover. I may do a more detailed post on cloth diapering later, but for now, googling cloth diapering will give you plenty of reading material. You could cloth diaper a newborn for under $100 total, though, which may seem like a lot...if you've never bought disposable diapers! If cloth is not your thing, you can still get use out of these in disposables by tri-folding them inside as a booster for older babies who leak through them. Wash them as you would any heavily soiled laundry, and with towels—hot water, plenty of soap, and an extra rinse.
2) Breast Pads
This is hands-down my favorite use. If you are breastfeeding, these will work very well for you. Simply tri-fold the prefold, place inside nursing tank or bra, and you are set! These are cheap, easy, and very absorbent.
3) Diaper Changing Mats and Burp Cloths
This is not new, but deserved a mention. These make great little changing mats when you need one and are ideal for wiping up drool.
4) Large Baby Wipes
These are so great for large messes. Fold in half, add some water and keep handy for big diaper messes. Nothing will clean as well as these!
5) Potty-Training Booster Pads
When baby potty trains, tri-fold these and place them inside undies for dribble protection. If you are handy with a sewing machine, you could even sew them inside underwear.
6) Cloth Napkins and Bath Wash Cloths
If you're not a new mom, you may be interested in these as cloth napkins or bath wash towels. They handle bleach very well, and are very absorbent. Great way to save money in the kitchen and bathroom.
7) Cleaning Rags
Once you've finished with these, and have no more use for them, these make the very best cleaning rags! Car, home, wherever, they are wonderful.
I hope this helps out a new mom! For $12, you have wonderfully absorbent, great quality cloths that will serve you for years to come!