Cloth Diapers

Reasons I started using cloth diapers:

1) Money--we save money on this one and all future babies!
2) I'd rather organic cloth be rubbing on my baby's bum than chemicals and plastic stuff.

Since this is my first baby and first attempt at cloth diapers, I decided to buy a little bit of everything and see what works best. So far, here's what I've learned.

1) There must be an art to properly placing a prefold in a liner because my liners almost ALWAYS get dirty, so I run through them as quickly as I run through the prefolds. Grrr.

2) The wool covers are cute, but they (along with most covers, even the "newborn" sizes) don't really work until the baby is older. If you're starting cloth diapers, I'd strongly suggest using disposables (Seventh Generation is our fav) until your baby is bigger, maybe 12 pounds? My baby's not that big yet, but I imagine things will stay in place a lot easier and leak less when she is.

3) Give yourself plenty of time to make the adjustment. We started on disposable, and even now, weeks into the deal, we're using disposables when we go out. Baby steps. Until I feel I have mastered cloth diapers better so that changes are quick and painless, then I will venture out with a diaper bag stocked with prefolds.

4) Brands I'm using so far--Bummis covers, ImseVanse flannel contour diapers and organic cotton covers, Aristocrats wool covers, organic prefolds--Gerber and SC Koon. I also have some Snappis to keep the contours in place--don't like them at all. I like that I'm not using pins, but these don't really hold anything.