Because unbleached diapers retain much of their natural cotton oils in the fiber matrix they are softer and more durable than bleached cloth diapers. Unbleached prefold cloth diapers must be washed at least 2-3 times after you receive them before they become absorbant. We recommend washing the diapers in hot sudsy water and drying them on high heat and repeating as many times as necessary for the diapers to become absorbant. You can test the absorbency by making a pocket of the diaper and slowly pouring 1/2 cup of liquid into the diaper. If the pools and does not soak in fairly quickly, keep washing. Depending upon the detergent you use and the hardness of your water and the natural variations in cotton materials you may have to wash these up to 5 times before they become fully absorbant. Do not under any circumstance use fabric softner as this causes the fabric to be coated and thus repels moisture. Despite the added effort necessary to break in these diapers, they are extremely popular and by most accounts well worth it.

Features of the Medium size - Medium diapers are for infants, approximately 13-18 lbs. Babies generally grow rapidly through this size so if your making your first purchase and your baby is already half way through the size range consider the large size which will fit most babies down to 16 lbs.