Can someone give me a crash course in cloth diapering?

So I wanted to try cloth diapers at the beginning of my pregnancy but we were living in an apartment with no washer and dryer and most said that they wouldn't do it but now we moved into a home last week and I have a washer and dryer!!

So, a few questions...
Does it really save more than diapers?

What exactly will I need to buy to start me out? Like those plastic pants things, etc. Certain brands better than others?

Where do you put them after you take them off? Like, what do you do with the stuff and do you throw in wash right away?

Re: Can someone give me a crash course in cloth diapering?

I have a few friends that cloth diaper, they love it. We're going to CD this baby. We're going to use the Flip system with insterts and with prefolds/snappis and probably get some All in one BumGenius One Sizes based on the advice of others who CD. I've been told prefolds with snappis are easiest for newborns.

We have 4 Grobaby diapers now and they're easy peasy. DD is 2 and she has worn them a few times now. For the poop you just dump it into the toilet and toss the insert into the wetbag or pail. Pee just toss into the pail or wetbag, and the dipes get washed every 2-3 days max.

My friends who do it say they save a lot, but it's a bigger expense up front.

These are a few sites that one friend gave me, SO MUCH info

Resources

http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/basics.htm

http://www.diaperpin.com/howto.asp

Forums:
www.diaperswappers.com

Try cloth - Master thread of ompanies offering trials of cloth diapers http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=886295

Good place for prefolds (When you see "GMD" referenced on Diaperswappers this is the place they refer to)

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/

Re: Can someone give me a crash course in cloth diapering?

I really wanted to try it...then rented No Impact Man...now I am no longer embarassed by people's stares or poop questions...I am loud and proud.

THIRD largest contributor to the landfills! Stick around for 250 years! Sooooo happy that my daughter is going to be a child without a mountain of diapers laying somewhere with her name on it.

Total investment to date: 132.00.
5 months old today.

24 indian prefolds
3 snappis
6 thirsties covers
12 flats for emergencies
1 hemp insert
1 microfiber insert(bought these incase she was waking up wet at night)

I do diapers every other night with all free and clear.

never had a leak. never had a rash.
I plan to make it to her 1st bday spending under 200.00. that is huge in regards to savings!

washing...i do a cold rinse cycle first.
then a hot was with detergent. i let it soak 2-3 hours. then finish cycle and throw in dryer(trying to get my act together to line dry them.)

i will be honest...here are the cons:
i do change her a lot. i never want her to be wet.
i am carrying around a lot of diapers. usually i stick 5 in my bag, leave the rest in the car. dirty ones get thrown in a ziplock.
really...that is it. my water bill went up 8.00.

also look for used covers. i am going to be selling mine on CL for 8.00 a piece, to help cover the expense of the new sizes she will be needing(12.00 new)

also saving a ton in swim diapers! a lady made me a few all in ones...i just use those with a cover.

good luck, and as a resident of this planet, thanks

Re: Can someone give me a crash course in cloth diapering?

i cloth diaper my son and plan on cloth diapering a future child so i bought some stuff - i mostly use prefolds and covers

night time diaper - bum genuis 3.0 (they now 4.0 - just a little bigger) - may be a ble to get a sale on somme of the 3.0's right now

i like the thirsties covers and bummis covers in fitted sizes but if only doing for one child may work better to get adustable covers - i have about 24 prefolds and 5 covers - i had less of the small ad x-small - but they are in for less time - be careful buying used mediums because that is the size they are in the longest - but i would definetly but the small covers used - my friend buys lots of her stuff used without a problem

snappis are a must - they make the prefold easy to use

a wet bag or 2 - this way you have an extra when bag is in laundry
i just dump entire bag and diapers in wash - soak cold then on hot

diaperpin.com rates a lot ofthe all in one diapers - i did not buy many until my son is bigger and harder to change - so now i am getting a few -

just keep in mind with boys that you have to buy there pants up a size4 because the diaper can be very big compared to a disposable

i am a working mom and i have no problem doing this and will continue till he is potty trained