Cloth Diapers Part DooDoo

When Gemma was 11 weeks old I wrote a whole post about cloth diapers and thought I was some expert. Oh HA HA HA. What I didn't realize is that there is a definite learning curve to cloth diapering and now, a year or so later, I have changed some of my opinions. But one thing has not changed - we still LOVE cloth diapering and have ZERO regrets! (and yes, the above pic is my daughter wearing one of her cloth diapers as a hat)

OK... so for those who are on the fence about cloth let me reiterate some points from my former post...

*You WILL save money on cloth v. disposables. Especially if you have more than one kid. Sure, you can spring up to $30 on one diaper (more on the htf (hard to find) fabrics from wahms (work at home moms) HOWEVER cloth diapers actually retain resale value! You can't reuse or resell a disposable, now can ya? (Um gross) You can also buy used cloth from many places including the babycenter swap board. I've bought and sold. It's a great way to save $$ and mix up your diapers with some new brands and patterns from time to time.

*Changing cloth diapers is just as easy as changing a disposable. In my opinion, you can get a MUCH better fit and best of all - very low chance of ever having a POOPY BLOWOUT!! We NEVER had one in cloth (but we HAVE in sposies!).

*Gemma did wind up with recurring diaper rash. This is rare for cloth diapered babies, but she has super sensitive skin and none of the CD-friendly creams/ointments were working for us. This meant that we had to do 2 things...

1. Switch our laundry detergent from Rockin Green to Tide Original

2. Use A&D ointment (the vaseline based one) with diaper liners

This has made the world of a difference for us and for my LO's nether regions. And it's really not a big deal.

So, as you most likely have lots of questions about CD-ing I will now attempt to read your minds.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?!?!
Do some research on Cloth diapers at various sites. Here are ones I recommend:

http://community.babycenter.com/groups/a16235/cloth_diapering

http://www.kellyscloset.com/?gclid=CMu8q9HFkLUCFcW9zAodQQYAqw

/http://www.cottonbabies.com/


HOW MANY DIAPERS DO I NEED??
For a newborn I recommend 10-18 newborn diapers (more if you don't want to be washing diapers nonstop). You can also rent a newborn stash. I bought ours (many of them barely used) and then resold them for almost the same amount of money I spent on them in the first place! Once your baby is 8-9lbs you can start using One Size diapers and I recommend having about 20 of those. In time you'll probably get addicted and add more to your stash.

DETERGENT... DIAPER RASH CREAMS??
We recently switched to Tide Original powder for our HE machine. I was surprised at how many CD-ing moms reco Tide. We had used Rockin Green but eventually our diapers couldn't get rid of lingering stink and Gemma started developing a reaction to the detergent. Tide has been great so far! There are a bunch of cloth friendly diaper rash creams. We wound up really liking Grandma El's and Angel Baby Bottom but neither protected Gemma's tush as well as A&D ointment. If you go with a non-CD friendly ointment be sure to use either flushable diaper liners (we use Bummi) or stock up on some fleece liners that are super cheap and can be tossed in with your regular wash OR along with your diapers.

CAN I USE MY DRYER OR DO I HAVE TO LINE DRY??
We use our dryer on medium with a bunch of wool dryer balls to help speed up drying. Once the weather is warmer I'd like to do some line drying as that can help keep your diapers in top condition AND the sun will pretty much erase stains!

WHERE DO YOU STORE THE DIAPERS BETWEEN WASHES?
We have 2 different storage systems in place. We have cloth diaper bags that we keep at our downstairs changing table that zip closed to keep stink in (and are good for traveling) and upstairs we have a diaper pail (same kind you'd use with disposables) but with a cloth diaper bag liner. Both methods hold in smell!

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH POOP?
This was the biggest ick factor obstacle for me when I first started considering cloth. The good news is breastfed baby pooh can be thrown right into the diaper bag/wash. Formula fed has to be knocked into trash or toilet first. However, one of the main benefits to using a disposable diaper liner is we can typically lift the poop off the diaper and then flush the whole thing in the toilet. 

WHAT ABOUT WIPES?
Because of the sensitive tushy thing we hardly ever use disposable wipes, but when we do I prefer Pampers Sensitive. We have wipe warmers set up at each changing station stuffed with cloth wipes. Then the wipes go into the diaper bag/pail along with the soiled diaper.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU WASH ALL THOSE DIAPERS?
We typically wash every 48 hours.

HOW DO I WASH THEM?
This part can be a bit tricky and frustrating as every washer is different and most moms come up with their own crazy methods. We had been doing 2 wash cycles but another mama (who I sold one of my diapers to) said she thought my diapers could use an extra rinse cycle. You can google "washing cloth diapers" and "washing machines" and sometimes find recommendations. Or head to one of the cloth diaper groups (my fave is the one on babycenter) and ask the mamas what they do.

Currently our cycle is this:
Soak cycle, no detergent, no spin COLD COLD
Heavy cycle, 2TBS Tide Orig Powder, med spin, extra rinse HOT COLD
Normal cycle, 2TBS Tide Orig Powder, med spin, extra rinse WARM WARM

We have an HE machine so I have to kinda force it to use more water, but if you don't you can prob get away with 2 cycles instead of 3.

OK... THIS ISN'T SOUNDING TOO HARD. WHICH KINDS SHOULD I BUY?
Because there are soooooooooooo many different types of diapers, first ask yourself what your main objective is.  

AFFORDABILITY IS THE MAIN GOAL:
Look into prefolds and covers. This does require using a pin or "snappi" or "boingo" to hold your prefold in place. And then a cover (either PUL, fleece or wool) to make it waterproof. I did not trust myself or the many people helping us take care of Gemma to go this route. I wanted something far simpler and we were able to spend a little bit more on our diaper stash, so we looked for other solutions. Any mamas reading this post who have gone this route PLEASE comment with how you do it and why you love it since I know the least about this option!  

YEAH I WANNA SAVE MONEY, BUT I HAVE A FEW EXTRA $$ TO SPEND AND WANT TO GET DH ON BOARD WITH THIS:
In this situation I think your best bet is to go for One-Size fits all for most of your diaper stash. Typically these diapers have a "snap down rise" that you adjust as the baby grows or, in some cases, there is adjustable elastic inside the diaper leg area. This has become our FAVORITE option and we have a mostly Charlie Banana stash. My nanny, MIL, parents and hubby all find these diapers to be the EASIEST to manage! In theory they'll last you from birth to potty training! One-Size are typically offered as AIO, Pockets, AI2, and hybrid diapers - more on that below...


I'M A SAHM AND WILL DO MOST DIAPER CHANGES. I WANT SOMETHING AS NATURAL AND CUTE AS CAN BE:
Whenever I'm home I put Gemma in our fitted diaper stash. Fitteds are NOT waterproof. They require a cover. So they are a bit more high maintenance. Some mamas let their LOs run around without a cover and just change more frequently. In our case, I have been using fleece or wool covers over our fitteds. I'll get into that more later. Fitteds are usually made with either cotton velour (CV) or Bamboo velour (OBV). I like using Bamboo as it is the most absorbent and super gentle on Gemma's sensitive skin. My favorite 2 brands of fitteds come from 2 WAHMs:

Orange Diaper Company:
 https://www.facebook.com/orangediaperco?ref=ts&fref=ts

Sassybumz:
 https://www.facebook.com/SassyBumz?ref=ts&fref=ts

THERE ARE 10 MILLION ABBREVIATIONS AND TYPES OF DIAPERS. HOW DO I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?!
Here is my cheat sheet:

AIO = All in Ones
These diapers are as close to disposables as you can get. Almost all diaper types offer the option of aplix (aka velcro) or snaps. We started out using aplix for a snugger fit and I would still do this for a newborn, but people kept forgetting to secure the aplix to the laundry tabs (to prevent the diapers from snagging other diapers) and so eventually we went all snaps. These are probably the most daycare friendly, but do take the longest to dry. These usually have PUL outer which means they are waterproof and do not require a cover.

POCKET DIAPERS
These have an insert that gets stuffed into a pocket inside the diaper. At first I thought this would be a pain as an "extra" thing I'd have to do, but it's really no biggie. I prefer pockets over AIOs because it has significantly reduced our drying time. PLUS you can increase or decrease absorbency by putting different sizes or types of inserts into the pockets (ex: people add in a hemp "doubler" sometimes behind a microfiber insert to help catch extra pee pee during a long nap/overnight or for heavy wetters). These usually have PUL outers which means they are waterproof and do not require a cover.

AI2 = All in Twos
These typically have snap in or lay in inserts so you can customize how absorbent you want the diaper to be. Initially I really liked the AI2 but it became a bit less user friendly so these have gone to the wayside in our collection. I have seen different kinds of AI2 systems - some that have PUL outers and others that require a cover to be completely waterproof.

HYBRID DIAPERS
These are typically diapering systems that let you alternate between using just cloth inserts or switching in a disposable insert - many folks like these for on-the-go diapering instead of using full-on sposies.

FITTEDS
My obsession with fitteds started with Orange Diaper Company diapers which are just divine. The patterns are crazy cute. The workmanship is top notch. And the resale value is SUPER high as there are a ton of diehard ODC mamas. I also found Sassybumz (she makes all different types of diapers including AIO and pocket diapers) but her "natural collection" or "bambooties" are also some of my faves. Remember, fitteds are NOT waterproof and do require a cover. Many mamas like fitteds because they typically use natural fabrics and allow your baby's bum to "breathe". I notice that Gemma's tush looks the best after she has worn a bamboo lined fitted.

PUL COVERS
These are probably your trimmest option to go over your prefolds or fitteds. We briefly used some, but I didn't love the plastic-y feel to them. They are waterproof.

FLEECE COVERS
Fleece is a cost efficient way to hold in the moisture for a prefold or fitted. Fleece makes the diaper work harder and so when you take off a fleece cover the diaper is usually soaked. Fleece is convenient and can be washed with your regular clothes or diapers. This lovely WAHM has made us a bunch of cute soakers and pants in fleece:
https://www.facebook.com/wahmpant?ref=ts&fref=ts

WOOL COVERS
Wool pulls the excess moisture out of the fitted and into the wool and it "self-cleans" if it has been properly lanolized. This is a process that I've found a little daunting (I have yet to wash/lanolize my wool!) BUT I am LOVING wool as a cover. Because it pulls the moisture away from the baby's bum it keeps them feeling dryer longer. My favorite wool soakers, longies and "weggings" (wool leggings) are from Wild Coconut Wear:
http://hyenacart.com/stores/WildCoconutWear/

I realize there is a lot of info in here, but hopefully I've helped simplify the process a bit. ANY questions please post below (I need to approve comments before they show up so don't get discouraged if you don't see your post right away). I am a huge advocate of Cloth Diapering and we have gotten so many compliments on Gemma's cute collection. Yes, you will do more laundry, but the CD community still stands strongly together that, all-in-all, this is far more green and cost efficient than disposables. And, in my opinion, far cuter, too!

Looking for CD mamas affected by Hurricane Sandy

I haven't posted in oh err um forever! But I have resurfaced for a good reason. I have been thinking so much about all of the loss due to Hurricane Sandy and how there are so many areas across the eastern coast that have been affected - it's almost impossible to get a handle on who needs what and where to donate etc etc... So, I'm putting this out there for anyone who comes across my blog: If you know anyone who cloth diapers and lost their stash due to the hurricane, PLEASE contact me. If you are willing to donate cloth diapers to a mama in need - let me know as well. I'm going to do my best to figure out how to make this happen! Thanks for your help!

C'mon Mayor Boob-berg

As a new mama currently breastfeeding a now 8 month old, I was at first thrilled and then horrified when I heard about NYC Mayor Bloomberg's interest in encouraging new moms to breastfeed. Unfortunately, Mr Mayor's plan to, "lock up all formula" at the hospital is not only absurd, but treats new moms as if we are some sort of petulant child who needs our hand slapped for reaching into the cookie jar.

Granted, there are some other parts of his "Latch on NYC" campaign that I do think have merit. But as far as I know, there are a whole bunch of things he has not considered. So, if you really want to encourage breastfeeding, Mayor Bloomberg, here are a few ideas you haven't tried out:

1. Provide a complimentary follow-up IN HOME visit from a lactation consultant. Maybe even 2. The first week or two are hellish for many of us and it's when we are most desperate for information on how to hold the baby, if the latch is correct, if we're feeding enough/too little/etc

2. Set up a free 24 hour hotline for mamas who are at their wits end and on the verge of giving up. Which, I imagine, is most of us in the beginning.

3. Make it easier for women to establish their supply by providing women with AT MINIMUM 3 months maternity leave so they can bond and breastfeed on demand.

4. Educate the workforce about how to support their breastfeeding colleagues.

5. Create mandatory pumping rooms in every office. Heck, in every public building.

6. Put pumping/nursing stations all around NYC.

7. Allow nursing supplies/pumps/covers/bras to be a tax write-off or petition to have them covered by health insurance.

8. Provide mamas-to-be with a "congrats you're gonna be a new mama" carepackage that includes helpful, factual information about the benefits of breastfeeding.

9. Let mamas-to-be know that formula is not the devil. And if you use one bottle a day of formula amidst all of the breastmilk you are still doing a bang-up job for your baby.

Mr. Bloomberg, you'll never have your boobs ripped at, gnawed at, pulled at. You'll never have to worry about buying a whole new wardrobe while you nurse because your chest is 3 times larger than it was a year ago. You'll never have to fork over thousands of dollars to put your boobs back where they were in the first place. You'll never have to worry about chapped, bleeding, cracked nipples. So, please back away from my boobs. It's my decision if I want to breastfeed or not. 

Look, I would love to see more moms be successful at breastfeeding. But it does not start with locking up formula. It starts with providing support, resources, and opportunity. So why not begin there? If you need any more ideas, Mr Mayor, please feel free to call me.

IRON (WO)MAN

When I was in the middle of my third trimester I got the scary news of a rare pregnancy condition I had developed: cholestasis. Affecting 1 out of 1000 pregnancies, cholestasis often goes undetected and can cause fetal demise if not monitored properly. You can imagine how freaked out and upset I was when I received this unfortunate diagnosis. As you know by now – all worked out and we have a beautiful, healthy baby girl. What you may not know is what kind of havoc this condition and pregnancy, in general, wreaked on my body.

Because of the cholestasis I had weekly bloodwork to check on my liver and bile acid levels (I promise to post at another time about cholestasis as I think it’s something that needs more attention – but for now I will only touch upon it). Each time my blood was drawn I would cross my fingers that my levels were going down instead of up, which could potentially cause harm to the baby. When I found out that my iron levels were low as well and that I was mildly anemic I almost didn’t have brain space left to deal with yet another issue.

Being anemic didn’t sound too scary compared to what I was already going through. I was told to take iron supplements right away and that it could be awhile for the iron to build back up in my system. I found out quickly that iron also takes its toll on your stomach. At this point in my third trimester the nausea had returned and starting my day with a swig of liquid iron was less than appetizing. It also led to additional constipation and stomach pain. So, it’s probably no surprise that shortly after giving birth, I "forgot" to add those lovely iron supplements back into my daily regimen.

I experienced a host of other issues after giving birth including pre-eclampsia, which is typically relieved by having the baby. I had never realized you could get pre-eclampsia after having a baby. It’s was like I hit the rare health conditions jackpot.

I also started to experience horrible bouts of stomach cramps followed by a long trip to the bathroom. This prompted another visit to my doctor and a battery of tests to find out what the heck was wrong. A sonogram, bloodwork, and stool sample (yuck!) didn’t tell much. I was left with a big fat question mark, but found out about yet two more issues. One being a small kidney stone that had developed. The second being that I was still anemic.

So, I started back on the iron supplements. That is, when I remembered to take them. My mommy brain had enough to manage and somehow those supplements slipped through the cracks. A month or so ago I felt incredibly dizzy and my husband mentioned it could be my iron levels. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten to take my supplements all this time. He rushed to the store and got me a fresh batch.

And then I forgot to take them AGAIN.

A few days ago, the dizziness struck once more and immediately I realized low iron was most likely the culprit. I decided to google untreated anemia and, like most google searches for health concerns, it scared the pants off of me.

I immediately posted to my facebook mommies group and was shocked that a handful of women were also experiencing dizziness and, like me, none had seemed all too concerned about it. That is, until I mentioned the potential fall-out from not getting proper treatment. Which ranges from fainting spells to heart attack to leukemia.

I am not trying to scare any pregnant or post partum mamas. But I do want to give you all the kick in the rear that I just got. We sure as hell have been through a lot with our pregnancies and the challenges of having a newborn. But we are no good to our babies or ourselves if we ignore our health.

Please remember to have your iron levels checked. One of the mamas in my facebook group offered a great piece of advice. She rests her toothbrush atop her various vitamins so she always remembers to take them. I urge you to do the same or find a daily trigger that will work for you.

We owe it to ourselves and our babies to be healthy, strong, iron women!

A Tale of Two Titties

I'm probably not the first person to use that title (hopefully other uses do not include porn), but it came to me this morning as I was thinking about my current predicament and I just couldn't help myself. My baby is going to be 5 months old in just a few days and I'm happy to report that I'm still nursing her. When I first decided to breastfeed I had absolutely no idea how hard it would be. I really wish someone had warned me. I mean really warned me about how exhausting it would be, how often I would consider quitting (at least once a day the first couple of months), how my husband (who is a wonderful man and father) would really not have a clue the type of hell I would be in, and how most of the working world just doesn't "get it" or care about what a nursing mother needs in order to be successful at it.

I stayed home with my baby for the first 3 months. A typical length of maternity leave. Like I said, those first few months were no picnic when it came to nursing. Lots of women nurse on demand which means when a baby starts crying and showing signs of hunger - you offer the breast and let them nurse for up to 20 minutes on each side. The "signs of hunger" include rooting around, pecking and shoving their hands in their mouths. You're supposed to anticipate the baby's needs so they don't go into full-on wailing mode. Typically my little darling would be sleeping soundly and then wake up screaming. No heads up at all. If I wasn't immediately ready with my nursing pillow strapped on and my boobs out my husband would start to lose his mind. He would get impatient, tell me I wasn't moving fast enough, and occasionally "threaten" to give the baby formula. "I can't help her! I don't have breasts!" he'd tell me. And it's true. And once you have committed to nursing you start to realize what you've gotten yourself into. And then the daily struggle begins. And you ask yourself repeatedly, "Wouldn't this just be easier on all of us (especially me) if we just gave her formula!?"

My breastfeeding class at the hospital was helpful, but it didn't prepare me for the psychological struggle, the physical pain, the toll on my marriage. It taught me about the benefits for both me and the baby and mentioned something like, "You have to feed a newborn every three hours." That didn't sound so bad to me. Until I realized that it is actually 3 hours from the start of the feed. And since my baby would feed a full 20 minutes on each side it would usually take me about an hour to nurse her. And as soon as she was done nursing there were only 2 hours left before we'd be nursing again. In some cases babies feed every 2 hours. Sometimes they feed nonstop like when they are "cluster" feeding and you simply do a marathon breastfeeding - switching the baby from boob to boob and back and forth until she finally stops sucking and your nipples feel like they have literally been chewed off.

And you, like me, may ask yourself repeatedly... "Why am I still doing this? Wouldn't formula be easier?"

But then you meet other women in an online community like babycenter or maybe you have a cousin or a best friend who breastfed. And now you know the right questions to ask. And they assure you that it gets easier. "By 2-3 months it will be better," they promise. And they are right.

My little girl started dropping feedings around 8 weeks. Instead of nursing 10-12 times a day she was nursing 7-8 times. And suddenly 6-7. And then something miraculous happened at 10 weeks. She slept through her midnight feeding and went down to 5 feedings a day. The best part about this - she started sleeping through the night! It was almost like she knew that only 2 weeks later I was going back to work and would desperately need hours of uninterrupted sleep. I went from being overwhelmed with breastfeeding to finally enjoying it. We got into a groove. An actual feeding schedule. She was nursing at 7am, 11am, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm! This was doable!!


I checked in with my supervisor about my return to work and he told me he was completely supportive of me working from home 2-3 days a week. I said, "Oh, I'll start off with 2 days a week and that should be fine!" (Oh hahaha... little did I know) My commute is up to an hour each way so I sat down with my little nursing schedule and realized I could nurse in the morning, the evenings, and pump twice during the day. Again - this seemed doable!

Once I returned to work I realized how freaking hard things were all over again. That groove I had finally gotten into was now completely disrupted. I had to block off 45 minutes increments twice a day so I could sit behind closed doors and pump and pray that I would get out enough milk for my daughter's bottles for the following day. I'd pray that I would get enough milk out so that I wouldn't get clogged ducks which are not only painful, but lead to infection. And then I'd pray that I'd make it out of work early enough to race home to catch my baby's 6pm feeding so that whoever was watching her didn't have to give her formula and so I wouldn't have to pump as soon as I got home. Because now I missed my baby even more than I could imagine. And those nursing sessions were not just about nourishing her. They became about being close and bonding.

The stress of pumping and racing home from work became compounded by the fact that, although my supervisor was supportive of me having a healthy work/life balance, my colleagues were not as supportive. They still expected me to sit at my desk as long as they would sit at theirs. To be physically in meetings instead of on mute on the phone while I pumped in the background. They imagined the days I work at home to be easy! They think I can travel 2.5 hours into our satellite office, by train, to immediately arrive and pump in a bathroom. They do not get it. And, who can blame them? I didn't have a clue til I was in this, myself. Why should they make exceptions for me? Why should they care what I am going through? I have tried to educate them, but for what purpose? All they care about is that I get my job done and don't make their lives any more difficult. And sadly, they are right. I chose to be a working mom. It's just not their problem.

And so, lately, I have been feeling quite unsettled. I have considered giving up nursing so that I could be more present at my job. But that would mean putting my job before my daughter and I refuse to do that.

I want to nurse. It is, what I believe, to be best for me and my baby. And it truly SUCKS that our society makes it difficult for moms to be able to do it all. It SUCKS that my maternity leave was only 3 months long whereas in other countries it is far far longer. It SUCKS that I have to rush out of work, worrying if someone is mad at me or thinks I am taking advantage of my situation. It SUCKS that I have to constantly explain to people that I need to run out of a meeting because I need to "take care of some personal business."

But I'm not going to give up.

Instead, it has gotten me thinking. Why can't we change things? Why can't we, as a society, find a way to support new moms - those of us who are nursing as well as those of us who are not? Why can't we insist that there be better options for us to be both working women and full-time moms? Is it because we are too spread thin to start a movement? I know that's how I feel. But I do believe, if enough of us band together, we can make some sort of change for the better.

So... who's with me?!

Get Schooled on Cloth Diapers

When I first announced to friends I would be cloth diapering I was laughed at, dismissed or stared at with looks of horror and disgust. Most warned me I wouldn't want to add anything extra onto my soon to be overloaded plate. I thought to myself: I'll show them...

And I have.

Gemma is 11 weeks old and we have been happily cloth diapering her since we got home from the hospital. We do use disposables on occasion, but it is rare (and I'll give you my "sposies" reco below). If you don't know anything about modern day cloth diapering it can conjure images of a washcloth and clothes pins. That is not so much the case these days. Cloth diapering has become just as easy as diapering with disposables except for the extra laundry. To me, the benefits outweigh the downsides. I actually enjoy changing Gemma's diapers!

Some people choose to cloth diaper because it's better for the environment. Some choose because it's better on their budgets. And some just love the the adorable prints and patterns they can put on their little ones' bums. We are a combo of all three.

Cloth diapering is easy once you find diapers that work for you. My husband is a huge fan of the Bum Genius all-in-one diapers. There are about a billion other options out there for sizing flexibility, lower and higher price, cute patterns, hybrid diapers (that you can put a disposable insert inside), pocket diapers (require you stuffing an insert in them, but they dry a lot faster), custom diapers... etc etc!

Here are a few questions I had and some resources you may want to check out:

How many diapers do I need?
Breastfed newborns typically go 6-10 times a day. So that you're not doing wash every five minutes you may want to stock up on 18-30 newborn cloth diapers. Some regular sized (non newborn) diapers are also one-size-fits-most. They have snaps that allow you to adjust the fit as the baby grows. If your baby is 8lbs or bigger when born you can start using some of the regular sized diapers right away. I would recommend a stash of 20 or so regular sized diapers for that next phase. More if you can afford it.

Do I have to buy newborn diapers or should I rent them?
Many cloth diaper vendors offer the option of renting newborn cloth diapers for a decent price. I preferred to purchase some new and used ones that I recently resold to another new-mama-to-be. I don't think you can go wrong with a newborn diaper purchase as resale value is pretty high. And depending on how many kids you plan on having you may just want to keep them around for next time!

How often should I wash?
48 hours is best, but you can go a little longer if you have enough in your diaper stash.

What about poopy diapers?
Some babies poop a whole lot. Gemma only poops 1-2 times a week! The beauty of exclusively breastfed babies is that the poopy diaper can be put directly in the wash. If you formula feed your baby you can "shake off" the solid poop, spray it off into the toilet with a diaper sprayer attachment  (fits on your toilet), or use cloth diaper flushable liners - they catch the poo and you can toss the whole thing in the toilet.

What detergent should I use?
There are a million options/opinions but we enjoy using Rockin Green detergent. It's a powder and it comes in a variety of scents that "wash away" - leaving the diapers fresh but pretty much unscented. You can buy it in "classic rock", "soft rock", or "hard rock" depending on what type of water you have. We use classic rock and I am digging the lavender mint scent. We have a high efficiency (HE) washing machine - if you have one it does limit which detergents will work.
http://rockingreensoap.com/

How do I wash them?
Everyone has their own routine. Some people make it way more complicated than it needs to be (in my opinion!). Depending on your washer/dryer you can find specific washing instructions online. Our cycle is a normal cold/cold wash followed by a hot/cold wash with extra rinse. Then we put them in the dryer on medium for 60 minutes. And that's it!

I hear it can take awhile to dry cloth diapers. Can I speed up drying time?
Some people line dry their cloth diapers because sunning takes out stains and can maintain the health of the diaper. We use our dryer as most brands say it is OK to dry on Medium. We bought 6 wool dryer balls to help speed up drying time and it works! I love mine! I got them from a vendor on etsy who uses recycled sweaters: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElasIdea?section_id=6653619

What if my baby gets diaper rash?
Most cloth diapered babies do NOT get diaper rash! If they do, you cannot use your standard diaper rash creams as they will mess up the integrity of the diaper. We bought CJ's Butter Jar which I love!

Can I get custom-made cloth diapers?
You sure can! There are tons of WAHM (work at home moms) that make their own super adorable cloth diapers. Many will use fabric you provide or will give you a bunch of fabric options to choose from. Try not to go too wild here: http://hyenacart.com/category/1/Cloth-Diapers

Where should I research/buy my diapers?
www.cottonbabies.com
www.kellyscloset.com
www.jilliansdrawers.com

Why should I cloth diaper again??
www.jilliansdrawers.com/newtocloth

How can I save money on cloth diapers?
Join the Cloth Diaper Swap Board at babycenter.com. You can get great bargains by buying used diapers and then sell your diapers back! I have bought and sold on the swap. Also earn rewards when you buy cloth diapers from certain online vendors like kellys closet.

What's the difference between "fitteds" and "one-size"?
Some mamas prefer to have a collection of one-size diapers (OS) that will fit throughout their baby's diapering years. They have snap settings that you can adjust as the baby grows. These diapers can be a little bulky when the baby is smaller, but they are definitely a cost-effective option. Fitteds usually come in a few sizes so you can get a closer fit on your baby and usually a trimmer fit as well. 

Help! I'm overwhelmed with all the different kinds of diapers! How do I know which kinds will work for me? My advice is to first ask yourself why you want to cloth diaper.
SAVE $$$ - look into prefolds and diaper covers. This is probably the most cost effective option.
WANT TO ENJOY CHANGING POOPY DIAPERS - check out itti bitti, Blueberry and Bum Genius brand diapers. These are a mix of All-in-Two, pocket, and All-in-One diapers. They all have cute patterns and Blueberry & itti bitti offer super soft muppet-like fabric!
MY SIG OTHER & I WANT SOMETHING EASY - All-in-Ones may work for both of you. It's one diaper with no loose parts. Easy-peasie.
FLEXIBILITY WITH SPOSIES & CDs - Check out "Hybrid diapers" from Flip, Grovia, or Best Bottom. These are also called All-in-Two (AI2) - you can snap in various inserts for custom absorbancy or place a disposable liner in the shell instead.
CUTE DIAPERS THAT DRY FAST - Pocket diapers dry more quickly than the All-In-One options, but you have to "stuff" the diapers with inserts before use. For some people that added step is enough to pass on the pockets.
SAVE THE WORLD WITH LESS WASTE - Any cloth diaper will do this for you & give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
HEY! I'M STILL NOT CONVINCED. GIVE ME SPOSIES THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT & MY BABY'S BUTT - I got to check out disposable diapers from The Honest Company (www.honest.com) which I think are awesome! They held in Gemma's big watery poop and they come in crazy cute patterns. This is a "subscription" plan for getting various diapers each month. Check it out if you think you may prefer this route. I am considering supplementing our cloth diapers with some sposies from this company since they are so cute, well made, and have the earth in mind.

I want an easy solution! Just tell me which ones you're using!
Bum Genius newborn AIO (all-in-one): These have aplix that close across the baby's belly just like a disposable diaper.
Bum Genius freetime AIO/One-Size Fits All: These have several attached inserts which make them SUPER absorbent. We like to use these for night-time or road trips. They started to fit Gemma at 8lbs and are supposed to fit through her toddler years.
Itti Bitti Tutto AI2/OS (All-in-two/One-Size Fits All): I like these, my husband doesn't like them as much as the all-in-ones. They have customizable inserts for you to put in the diapers depending on how absorbent you need them to be. For example: if the baby will sleep for 5-7 hours you don't want her to wake up continually at night because of a wet diaper. You can "snap" in extra inserts and "boosters." We throw these in the wash with the inserts attached and it's no problem at all. These are also meant to fit Gemma through potty training.
Thirsties Duo All-In-Ones, Sized Diapers: These come in two different sizes for a snugger fit. I'm loving how trim they are! If you want to check these out MAKE SURE you look for the All-In-Ones because Thirsties are typically known for their diaper shells. 
Ones&Twos AIO/OS: These come with an extra insert/booster for heavy wetters or night time wear.

In general, we use diapers that have aplix (velco-like) across the top of them. Most brands come with an aplix or snap option across the top. At first I didn't want any aplix because I was afraid they would get stuck on the other diapers and ruin them. You do have to be diligent about affixing them to the "laundry tabs" on the back of the diapers before throwing into your diaper bag or the wash. But they give the best fit on our baby, thus preventing leaks!

Still confused? Have a bunch of questions? Leave me a comment and I'll answer as best as I can.
Good luck!

And these are a few of my favorite things...

My baby girl is now just over 2 months old. And I have been sucking in knowledge just as quickly as her brand new eager brain. When we first came home from the hospital I was beyond clueless. I had inundated myself with pregnancy facts throughout her 37 weeks gestation that I didn't have time (or energy) to learn about what to do once she arrived. The past two months have been full of trial and error and lots of happy discoveries. I am going to share with you a few of my favorite things that can, indeed, buy you some happiness.

The Woombie
Before Gemma arrived I had no idea what a swaddling blanket was. Why you would use one or how. The nurses at the hospital wrapped Gemma up tightly in her swaddle like a little burrito, but it took some practicing on our part to get it right. We also had no idea how swaddling can calm a baby in a snap. Swaddling blankets will rock your world. And so might The Woombie.

My advice: Stock up on swaddling blankets - I prefer the muslin because they have a nice stretch to them. Remember that if your baby is crying and seems inconsolable all s/he may require is a nice tight swaddle to calm down. It brings back feelings of being in the womb, comforts them, and keeps them sleeping once they've fallen asleep. The hospital told us you are now supposed to swaddle with their arms out (so they don't accidentally roll onto their faces) BUT that kind of defeats the purpose. Gemma will often startle herself awake with flailing arms. Keep your babies supervised and swaddling them with their arms in may be just what the baby wants. The Woombie is basically a little cocoon that zips your baby up happily inside. It is SO easy to put on and take off. I prefer it to the Halo Swaddles which have velcro that get stuck on everything! And learning to wrap a tight swaddle (with swaddling blanket) does take some skills. In the very beginning The Woombie freaked me out because it looked like it was too tight, but we tried it again recently and it's been our saving grace. Since we've been putting Gemma into her Woombie at night she has slept longer and longer and is sleeping 5-7 hours per night!

Happiest Baby on the Block DVD
Watch this BEFORE you have your baby! We could've avoided countless hours (and nights) of staring helplessly at our fussy baby. You'll learn 5 techniques for soothing your baby that work for everyone (unless if you have a super colicky baby). We were amazed at how easy it has become to calm Gemma down, keep her calm, and get her to sleep. Buy it, rent it, borrow it - whatever you do - watch it!

The Halo Snuza
I will admit I was a HUGE skeptic about this product. I cringe at the thought of pricey products on the market that play off of parents fear of SIDS. But this device has changed the way my husband and I sleep at night. It is a tiny little gadget that slides onto your baby's diaper (we use cloth diapers and it fits just fine on those). It has a sensor on the top that rests on your baby's abdomen and monitors her movement. If it doesn't detect movement for 15 seconds it vibrates to give your baby a little nudge. It will do this up to 3 times and if it still doesn't detect movement it will sound an alarm so that you can check on your LO. My husband and I were up constantly worrying when she was sleeping well and even woke her up a few times because we couldn't tell if she was breathing. How counterproductive! Since putting the SNUZA on her we are all sleeping better!

Lionheart Cloth Wipes Warmer
I LOVE LOVE LOVE our cloth wipes warmer! I actually caved and got one for the disposable wipes, too. Our baby used to SCREAM while having her diaper changed because of the cold wipes. Now she coos and kicks and doesn't seem to mind at all.

Sleep and plays
These outfits are KEY for when your baby is being fussy and doesn't want something pulled over his head. Although there are a thousand snaps (and it's easy to snap it up wrong) it is still one of my preferred outfits - especially the ones with feet since our baby was born during winter. Carters has a super cute collection that is ridiculously cheap. They also have a million sales and coupons and even a bunch of outlets. You can many times find the sleep and plays for between $3-$10 each. A little pricer version of these are found at pumpkinpatchusa.com. We got some of these as hand-me-downs and gifts from pumpkin patch. I LOVE them! They are super soft and adorable. Check out their eSale for great bargains!

Amazon Mom
Towards the end of your pregnancy you should go to amazon.com and sign up for amazon mom. It lasts for up to a year and is FREE. Perks include free 2-day shipping or overnight for $3 for anything that is "Prime" eligible. I'm going to miss this once my year is up! So much so, that I may wind up signing up for a Prime membership. Yep, they hooked me.

I have more items to write about but I've been trying to write this post for about a week! So, I'm posting what I have so far and will add items when I have the time (hahaha. yeah whenever that is!)