How does one use cloth?  Well.. it's much easier than you think!!

Most cloth diapers work similarly to a disposable diaper.  They wrap around baby, and either velcro or snap on, or are secured by something called a Snappi (little teeth grip the diaper so it stays on baby without poking him). 

• Types of diapers
• What about poo?
• What else do I need?
• How do I wash?
• What is your routine?
• Customer Service

What are the different types of diapers?

Prefold = Prefolds are the types of diapers I believe most people think of when they think of cloth diapers.  Prefolds need a cover in order to keep clothes dry, and some like to use a Snappi to secure the diaper on the baby before placing a cover over the prefold.  When my baby was younger I folded the prefold in thirds, laid it in a cover, and placed the diaper on baby that way.  Now that he is more active a Snappi helps keep the prefold secure under the cover.  If you prefer having a stay dry layer between baby and the prefold you can just insert a fleece liner which keeps baby even more dry.
Fitteds = Fitteds also need a cover under clothes.  They contour around your baby and are in the shape of a disposable, with a velcro or snap closure.  They can hold quite a large amount of wetness.  Occasionally I'll let my son run around in just a fitted without a cover.  It lets air circulate even more and then it's easy to tell when he's wet and needs a change.  If you prefer having a stay dry layer between baby and the diaper you can just insert a fleece liner which keeps baby even more dry.
Covers = Covers usually velcro over a prefold or fitted diaper and provide the waterproof barrier between baby and baby's clothes.  They can be aired out in between diaper changes if just wet, but if they become soiled make sure you wash them.  I own three covers and rotate their use with my prefolds and fitteds.
AIO = All in One, which basically means that all of the parts of the diaper are all sewn together already and the look of this diaper and function is very similar to a disposable.  All in ones usually have velcro or snaps that easily secure the diaper on baby.
Pocket AIO = This was the most confusing concept to me in the beginning.  But I truly love these diapers!  The diaper is all sewn together in one piece, but a pocket is left at the end of the diaper so you can add inserts and add absorbency to the diaper.  A very nice option.
Pockets = Pockets have two parts.  One part is an outer layer of fleece on the inside against baby and a waterproof lining on the outside.  Inserts are placed inside the pocket to absorb wetness.  Again snaps and velcro are usually used to secure the pocket.  When baby is wet, just pull the insert out of the pocket, secure velcro (if applicable) onto the laundry tabs so that they do not snag in the wash, and place in your dry pail so that you do not have to sort through wet diapers when washing.  When the inserts and pockets are dry just stuff them and they're ready to use!
OS = One Size diapers.  There are one size pockets, one size fitted, etc.  This basically means that the size of the diaper is adjustable.  Instead of ordering an extra small, small, medium, large, and possibly extra large for your baby this allows you to use one diaper from birth through potty training. 

What about poo?

Yes poo is an issue, isn't it?  It's actually easier than you might think.  And by cloth diapering you're ensuring the poo goes into the sewer system and not our landfills.  Anyway, if your baby is exclusively breastfed you don't need to do anything.. the poo just dissolves in the wash!!  How nice!!  For babies on solids, most poo will just plop in the toilet if it truly is solid.  Just dump it in the toilet and then take the insert out of any pockets and place in the pail.  You also have two other options.  Flushable liners can be placed in the diaper between baby and the fabric.  It catches the poo but the wetness goes right through.  I even reuse my flushable liners that have not been poo'd on.  I throw them in my pail and wash, hang to dry, and reuse!  The diaper sprayer is the ultimate in successful poo removal.  The sprayer hooks up to your toilet.  When there is poo just take the diaper to the toilet, spray the diaper (with clean water... not toilet water don't worry) and then you have a nicely poo-free diaper to put in your pail. 

What else do I need?

Number of diapers:
In general you should change your baby every two hours.  Small babies are up in the middle of the night, increasing the need to use more diapers throughout the day.  12 diapers/day for a tiny baby is a great cushion.  I use about 7 per day with my toddler.  To keep diapers fresh they should be washed every 2-3 days.  So depending on how frequently you wash and how old your baby is you can use this as a guide.
Pail:
The modern cloth diapers are contained for the most part in dry pails.  I use a trash can with a revolving lid and a nylon bag liner that I wash with every load.  It is important to make sure air can circulate around your diapers in the pail.
Wet Bag:
A wet bag is a moisture-proof and stink-containing (we hope!) bag that you can take when out and about with your cloth-diapered baby.  When baby has a wet diaper just put the dirty diaper in the bag, zip it up and you're good to go!  Be sure to wash/dry the wet bag before use to seal it to prevent leaks.
Inserts:
It is a good idea to have extra inserts on hand for nighttime duty and any long naps or trips in the car.  I always double up my inserts at night and do when we're out running errands for an extended time.  Hemp inserts are another great option, as some think they hold more than microfiber inserts.
Fleece liners:
If you'd like to put fleece in between your prefolds or fitteds and your baby's bottom, these are great to have on hand.  If your baby ever has a diaper rash this is another way to help prevent the cream from getting on the diapers.  Cream is a moisture repellent so it can make your diapers repel moisture as well as void warranties.  Whenever using cream put in a fleece insert and make sure to wash the fleece insert separately from your diapers so the cream does not get on the diapers in the wash.
Wipes:
If you'd like to use cloth wipes they are just as easy as cloth diapering!!  You can use water on your wipes or make your own wipes solution, or even purchase wipe solution online.  Either way you can store them in a disposable wipes container on your changing table with the solution, wipe baby, and throw the wipes in your pail.  Simple!

How do I wash?

Washing I think is the most individual thing by far.  There are so many ways to wash and so many different types of washers.  I still have mixed feelings about my HE washer because it seems to use so little water, and I wish that it really would soak the diapers more.  But my water bills are low so I can't complain too much.  Occasionally I will dump a few buckets of water in with the load just to add more water.
The recommended way to wash most diapers (see your instructions on the specific diapers you purchase) is to do a short cold wash or pre-rinse, a full hot wash with 1/4-1/2 the recommended detergent, and a short cold rinse at the end to get rid of any extra detergent build up.
What about stains?
Most of the time I don't have many stain issues.  If you do seem to have a stain issue guess what works the best?  The sun!!  Just hang your diapers on a line in your yard and voila!!  The sun bleaches and sanitizes the diapers! 
What about the stinkies?
Occasionally detergent build up with decrease the efficiency of a diaper or make it prone to more stinkies.  This is when you need to strip your diapers.  I try to do this maybe every 4-5 weeks.  Some people add a few drops of original blue Dawn to their washer and rinse, rinse, rinse until there are no suds left.  Be careful with your washer though as too many suds may not be a good thing for your washer.  Some people strip by running multiple hot washes until there are no suds.  Either way stripping will definitely help refresh your diapers if you are having a stink issue.  Hopefully once you get your laundry method down pat everything will be fine!

What is your routine??

I find that sometimes it's just easier to explain what I do from start to finish so you can see if this might help you. I use quite a large number of pockets, so first I stuff the pockets before use. Before diapering I lay a flushable liner inside the diaper. When baby is wet I take the diaper off, remove the insert from the pocket and place everything in my dry pail, which is a trash can with a nylon bag inside it. I always make sure any velcro is secured on the laundry tabs first before placing it in the pail. If the flushable liner has poopies on it I flush it, if not I wash it and reuse it. If the pail gets stinky at all I put a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in it. That covers up any stinkies and has some great antibacterial properties I've been told. I currently use disposable wipes but plan to switch to cloth very soon. So I just throw those away after use (don't flush those!). Every other day I take the whole bag downstairs and throw everything, including the bag, in the wash. I do a cold wash with nothing in it. Then I do a hot wash with an extra cold rinse with 1/2 oz of the FuzziBunz detergent (I have an HE washer so it only requires this small amount) . I always hang my diapers to dry inside the house or outside if it's nice weather to get the sun bleaching properties, which work very well. Again I am a penny pincher so I like to save money by avoiding using the dryer so often. The diapers are dry by the next morning and I stuff them then and repeat!!

Customer Service

I pride myself on my customer service. If you have a question, please ask me. I would love to help answer any questions you have about using cloth or about any of the products I carry. Also, if you need anything specific - training pants, certain colors of diapers, etc. - even if you think it may be off the wall, just ask. I may have access to the items you need and can special order them for you. If you need specific colors of diapers I'd be happy to order those for you as well. It just takes an email to me to get the ball rolling!

Have any other questions?  Email me!