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Getting Started With Cloth Diapers
 It's true that there are many different cloth diapering options available, and things can often seem rather confusing but we can help make getting started with cloth diapers easy!
If you are going to be using cloth diapers full-time we recommend the following as a cloth diaper starter kit:
14-18 pocket diapers, all-in-ones, or fitted diapers (more if you decide to use prefolds - about 24)
If you are using pocket diapers, you will need the same number of inserts (plus a 2-3 extra for night-time use)
Diaper Pail Liner
If you decide to use fitted/prefold diapers you will need to add about 6-7 covers to this list.
The number of diapers that you need depends on how often you want to do laundry. With between 14 and 18 you will need to do laundry every day/every other day (consider 10-12 changes/day for a newborn). More diapers = less laundry, but you don't want to wait too long before washing as the odour can build up. Any absorbent material can be used for a pocket diaper, but if you use the manufacturer’s insert (or one made specifically for that diaper) you will find that you get the trimmest fit, and best leak protection.
The diaper pail liner - this is a big one! We use a diaper pail liner inside a standard kitchen garbage can (one that has a foot pedal to open). When it's wash time, just pull the liner bag out of the can, head to the laundry room and dump the contents of the bag into the washing machine by turning the bag inside out. Toss the bag in the wash with the diapers. It's that easy. We like to have two pail liners on the go so that we're not waiting for the one to be taken out of the laundry to start filling the diaper pail again (but you don't have to!).
We sell combination packages (both full and sample packages) to help you out with this.
Good Things to Know About Cloth Diapering/Tips for making it work
Using cloth diapers can be easy but the decision to cloth diaper has to be a family one. Ask yourself the following questions:
Who will be doing most of the diapering?
What's important to us - cost, environmental factors, etc?
Will we be using cloth diapers 100% of the time? 50% of the time?
Will our caregivers use cloth?
We have found personally that cloth works for us because we've made a commitment to using cloth for both cost and environmental reasons. It amounts to a couple of extra loads of laundry a week (even for Steph, who is cloth diapering with twins!).
Some things that we find helpful:
A diaper pail liner - makes it easy to transport diapers to the wash. When you use a diaper pail liner in your diaper pail, you are using a "dry pail". Some people use a "wet pail", where they soak the diapers prior to washing them. It's personal preference, but we find the wet pail system to be a lot of work (emptying the wet pail, cleaning it out and such). We find that doing a pre-soak or rinse in the washing machine (without soap) followed by a hot wash with soap eliminates the need for a wet pail (make your washing machine do all the hard work!).
Folding/prepping your diapers when they are clean. This one is all about personal preference. I (Kristi) do very little to organize my diapers once they are clean. I pull them out of the dryer and toss them into a bin (inserts in one bin, covers, pockets, etc into another). I don't pre-stuff my pockets or fold a thing. Steph on the other hand likes a little more organization. She stuffs pockets as she's putting them away. She finds that this way she can quickly grab a diaper and go, it also ensures that her husband (who loves cloth diapers) gets the right diaper combo on every time.
Keeping your washing machine clean. Every so often you can run a little bit of CLR or other like cleaning product (always check the labels for this!) through your washing machine. Directions for running CLR through your washing machine can be found on the CLR manufacturer's website. You can also run a cup or so of vinegar through an empty wash cycle to get the same effect.
Avoid diaper creams/lotions, etc. They can cause build-up on your diapers and affect diaper performance. You will actually find you don't need to use these products with cloth diapers. The breathability of cloth (and the fact that people tend to change diapers more when using cloth) generally leads to less diaper rash. Which means no need for the creams!
Don't beat yourself up! Sometimes, you can't always use cloth. Remember, every little bit helps both financially and environmentally. Whether you are using cloth 100% of the time or 50% of the time - you are making a difference!
My child is already almost a year, is it even worth it for me to start using cloth diapers?
Have you ever thought to yourself that you would have liked to use cloth diapers, but now that your child is 9 months old, it's really too late to begin? Cloth diapering can begin at any age!
Not only would you still be helping the environment by limiting the amount of disposables you send to landfills, the cost savings would still be enormous. Take for example the following.
You use 10 diapers a day. A pack of disposables containing 40 diapers costs $ 16.99. You decide to purchase 16 pocket diapers with inserts and a diaper pail liner for a total of $399.50. Your cost savings in 6 months would be $328.22, in 10 months the savings will have increased to $813.36 and in a year the savings will amount to $1055.94.
*Cost calculations obtained at www.thediaperpin.com*
Read More...
Why Use Cloth Diapers
Cloth Diapering Options
Diaper Fast Facts
Diaper Washing/Care Instructions
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