I started researching cloth diapers, and I ended up getting a dozen regular size prefolds from Nicki's Diapers and a small introduction pack of Econobum diapers with 3 prefolds and a cover. (no affiliate links for either). I also got a 2 pack of Snappis, which look like the things you use to hold Ace bandages on, but with an extra piece.
Once everything arrived, I was excited to give it a try. Yes, excited. I had wanted to cloth diaper from the start, but was talked out of it because it's too hard and I'd have more laundry to do, etc. etc.
I watched a few youtube videos to see how to do it, and I managed to get the first one on CM. I put the cover over, and we were good to go. Right? Nope. You need to prep the diapers, or they're not going to hold much. Oops!
I prepped the diapers by washing in hot water and drying 4 times. I only used soap the first time, though, as I didn't figure I needed to actually wash them 4 times. It worked, the prefolds fluffed up nicely and worked great! By the time I took the first one off and went to put the second one on, no more rash! I was so excited and quite happy with cloth diapering.
A couple of weeks after I started, though, I decided that Daddy needed to know how to change her diapers, just in case. We only had about 4 disposables left for emergencies (I didn't buy more when I bought the cloth). I sat him down, handed him CM and a diaper, and told him he was going to learn.
Now, most Dads apparently don't like the idea of cloth diapering, and need something that's basically a disposable made from cloth (an All in One). I didn't know that. Daddy didn't know that. I showed him once how to do a prefold, and that was that. Really. He's still grossed out by the poopy ones, so I almost always get those, but he's more than willing to help change her now.
Since the first couple of weeks, we're gotten many more cloth diapers, as we can buy one or two at a time. She now has enough to make it through 2 days without me having to wash them. Right now we have 12 prefolds, 21 flats, 1 All in One, about 10 pockets and 5 covers. I've also made a few diapers, which I'll share in another post because this one is getting quite long.
I was warned I wouldn't like cloth diapers, told it was too much work and gross. I tried it anyways, because I hoped it would help with CM's rash. I absolutely LOVE cloth diapering, and couldn't imagine going back to disposables. I'm actually kind of dreading using them on our upcoming trip, but we won't have access to a washer for 6 days, so we can't cloth.
If you're interested in cloth, like I was, you don't have to spend a ton of money to get started. A dozen prefolds will get you through at least most of a day, and if you enjoy it you can order more and branch out to other kinds of diapers as you want. I recommend just buying one or two of each kind to see what you like before you invest your money. I did start out with a dozen prefolds, but they have multiple uses and can always be used as burp cloths if I decided I didn't like cloth or preferred a different kind. Right now, though, I always reach for either prefolds or flats.
~~Mommy
