I'm only going to talk necessities right now. We could go into all the non-essential (and yet still very loved) items of cloth diapering but that would take all day.
1) A wetbag. -If you ever intend to leave the house I would recommend getting a medium sized wetbag (or maybe even two so you could rotate on laundry day). They will come with a waterproof and thankfully pretty much smell proof liner and can be zippered shut to hold any dirty diapers. A medium one will typically hold 6-8 diapers. This is the perfect size for day trips. If you intend to use cloth wipes get a small wetbag to hold pre-moistened wipes as well.
2) Cloth Wipes- Did I just blow your mind with that idea? It surprises me how many people don't even consider cloth wipes when they are considering cloth diapers. From my experience, half of the people I talk to cloth wipes never occurred to them and the other half think it will be simpler or "less gross" to use disposable wipes. My opinion...use cloth wipes. So simple. Or let me be cheesy and say "sew" simple...because I have made all my wipes from flannel and old baby washcloths and baby towels cut up...more on that another day. I find it so much easier to throw all the diaper stuff in one bin. The thought of getting a separate trash for poopy wipes kind of grosses me out. How often do you empty said trashcan if all it has are wipes in it? I imagine that would get stinky. Maybe I'm wrong. Either way, save your money and use cloth. Oh and if you do choose cloth wipes for on the go as well, get yourself a small wetbag/wipes pouch.
4) Cloth Diaper safe rash cream- No, sorry, Butt Paste and Destin aren't going to cut it here. I love Butt Paste it works great, I used it with my first daughter and didn't have an issue with her disposables. But it is not safe for cloth diapers. There are oils in regular diaper rash creams that create a barrier on your cloth that will prevent absorbency. You don't want that. You want to get something safe for cloth. I personally use Skin Relief made by Jordan Essentials. I also sometimes use a Lotion Bar made by Jordan Essentials to prevent diaper rash if I want to keep moisture away (for instance a long car ride or nap time). Skin relief is made with soothing aloe vera, cocoa butter, vitamin E, Jojoba oil, chamomile, green tea and seaweed. It is also great for dry skin, sunburn and eczema. The lotion bar is made with beeswax to protect the skin. It is also great for windburn protection and dry skin. I love multipurpose products.5) Something to hold diapers until wash day. I use a tiny one gallon trashcan with a foot operated lid to hold one days worth of diapers in my daughter's rooms and rinse them every morning where I transfer them to a large dishpan that stays in the extra bathroom until laundry day. This is what works for me. I have never had an issue with smell or been overwhelmed with rinsing and washing diapers. I love my routine. (Again more on this another time) Here is a link for other more common ways to store diapers until wash day. I'm only reviewing my own preferences here...because I use what is cheapest and easiest for my family, I wasn't into buy a special pail or huge wetbag. The trashcan and dishpan I use I already had at home and I love my system.
I'm also going to touch on two options you have with cloth diapers....
1) Sized vs. One Size- This one is pretty self explanatory. One sized diapers are my personal favorite because they save you the most money. You only have to buy that one size the entire time your baby is in diapers. There are rise snaps that fold up the length of the diaper so that it shrinks the leg hole size. There is usually two to three sets of snaps depending on brand. That being said, they typically will fit from 8 lbs to 35 or 40 lbs. So if you have a 5 lb baby you will most likely need something to tide you over until baby fits in the one sized diapers. For sized, this will depend on which brand you go with. Some of the sized brands have x-small, small, medium and large and some have only two different sizes. There are also specific newborn diapers which are always a good idea to start with simply because a lot of newborn diapers will have a special fold down snap to accommodate the umbilical cord. You can always sell them when you are through that stage (or save them for your next baby...YAY for saving $$$ with cloth!) When I started my daughter was about 2 months old so I went with Thirsties size one and intended to go to their size two, in the meantime I came across Flip One Size and fell in love. There wasn't anything I didn't like about the Thirsties but I just felt myself reaching more for the Flips. Again, more on that another time.
2) Snap vs. Hook and Loop- You have the option to choose between the simplicity and speed of Hook and Loop (AKA Applix or Velcro) or Snap Closure. But with the simplicity and speed of those diaper changes you also must deal with the possible lint build up in your hook and loop and the possibility your little one will undo said diaper and paint your walls...You know what I'm talking about here. Of course maybe you have a tricky little one and they can undo snaps just as well. Snaps have the added bonus of being a little more longer lasting and less maintenance as far as lint picking goes. The downside of snaps is you have to be good at snapping those little snaps while baby wriggles around. Typically it's only 4-6 snaps so it's not too tough but Applix is much simpler in that regard. I'd recommend getting one of each and seeing what you like. I, personally, love the snaps.Next in the Line up: My Cloth Diaper Wash Routine
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