Totally New to Cloth

[MamaInTheDesert]

I am totally new to cloth, but I have been researching. No one I have ever met IRL has used cloth, so I've been diving headfirst into learning everything I can online. I honestly have never even seen a cloth diaper in person. I was hoping to kind of regurgitate some of what I've learned and get some feedback from some true CD mommas, in hopes of figuring this all out before my new baby gets here (I'm nearly 20 weeks). So, bear with me as I stumble through some new territory, and thanks in advance.

Styles of Diapers in General

So, after talking with my Mom and DH, they really don't want anything involving folding, pinning, snappies, or involving any "major" dexterity at all. Basically, the more it's like a disposable, the better. I don't entirely disagree with them, and am willing to go along with that. This nixes flats and prefolds, leaving me with fitted, pockets, and all in ones. Fitted diapers are cheaper, but require covers. Pockets and all in ones seem to not require covers. (Right?) Pockets seem to be a little cheaper than the all in ones, and appear to have more "pluses" to them in that they have more versatility (more/better inserts for wetter diapers) and are more easily dried. With thinking about ease in mind, it seems that pockets might be the best way to go. Fitted with covers also appeal, but I'm iffy about the extra step of the cover, plus it seems like pockets probably have better absorbancy than the fitteds. Am I right on this? What all have you guys experienced?

Snaps vs. Velcro

Snaps appear that they hold up longer, and I don't have to remember to velcro them back before I wash them. I'm pretty sold on those two points alone.

Newborns

Newborns need different diapers that fit them specifically. One Size will probably not fit them unless they're super chunkers. (My first was just over 6 pounds) Most people seem to like the kissaluvs brand for newborns, but I'm not sure if they mean the fitted, or the All in Ones. It seems like regardless of brands that people seem to like the All in Ones for newborns in general. Any ideas here? What are your favorites specifically for newborns?

Brands

Brands people like overwhelmingly seem to be Fuzzibunz, Swaddlebees, GroVia, Kawaii, and Best Bottoms. After looking at all of these, I really like the Fuzzibunz, and was thinking about going with the all in one GroVias for newborns, and the one size fuzzibunz for everything after newborns. Is this realistic? Everyone seems to have like 30 brands in their stashes. I'd like to keep it as simple as possible on not only myself, but DH as well. I also really like the Kawaii's (the price seems ridiculously low!!) but everywhere I seem to look, they are out. :( Anybody have anything else that I should look at? And, I could really use some good sites to buy from.

Number to Buy

It seems like 30 for newborns, and 20 for older babies/toddlers. Is this reasonable?

Care

It appears that I have the least desirable possible cleaning environment. I have extremely hard water, have a front loading HE washing machine that will not allow me to add extra water, and have been exclusively using Tide HE free and gentle for the last two years. So, I need to look into switching laundry detergents. I've heard good things about rockin green, but don't know if it is available in my area. This place is a hole in the middle of no where, however we DO have a Wal-Mart. Any suggestions as to what I might find there? Additionally, I should look into possibly adding Calgon, vinegar, or baking soda, to each of my loads of diapers. For those with hard water, what do you suggest? And, it appears that if I do the prewash, regular wash, extra rinse, then that should be fine, yes? Also, I know I need to get a pail/trash can with a lid and a couple of wet bags that I can wash with my diapers. Any suggestions on the bags?

Camping

My family is HUGE on camping. When the new baby is about 1 month old we will be going on an annual camp out with our extended family of friends. We'll be out in the woodsy mountains for about a week and a half. I know they make those washers you can operate by hand, but have never used them. Line drying in the woods wouldn't be a problem, but the washing aspect is daunting. It appears that some people switch to sposies when on trips like this, but if at all possible I'd like to avoid that. For weekend trips to the mountains, it seems like I could just take a travel wet bag and be fine as long as I have plenty of dipes, and wash when I get home. It's just the few longer trips we make that have me a little nervous.

Thanks if you made it all the way through this, and double thanks if you have any advice for me!

[Brambleberry]

The one drawback to pocket diapers is that they are polyester (basically plastic), and I'm personally uncomfortable having plastic in a warm wet environment against my baby's skin.  Most covers, as well as the outside of pocket diapers and all-in-ones, are polyurethane lined (PUL) which is also sort of a nasty chemically thing that off-gasses.  However, compared to the chemicals in disposable diapers, they are way better.  The most chemical-free choice is cotton or hemp fitted diapers with wool covers.  Wool does take a little extra care, but it's not at all as bad as you would think.  In the winter you can use wool pants (or "longies") as your cover, and you don't have an extra cover to deal with, it's just a diaper and then pants just like you would have with disposables.  In the summer you can use pull up shorties or a wrap and not put an extra layer over those either.  With both of those options you can't use onesies, however.  People also use fleece covers and fleece pants just like you would wool over fitted diapers, and as far as I know they perform well, but I think the fleece would get stinky faster, I don't know.  It would be slightly easier care and less chemical off-gassing than PUL covers.  Fleece is still plastic, but at least it's not right up against the skin in this case.

If you're put off by the price of wool, check out www.etsy.com for handmade diapers.  A lot of them are really reasonable, and are just as well made (or better) than factory made diapers.  

Oh - one other consideration with all-in-one's is that they take a lot longer to line dry.

[MamaInTheDesert]

Thanks! I will definitely look into wool. I had seen the PUL acronym around, but hadn't really thought as to what it meant.

[lilTexas]

I would encourage you to consider trying a few different types or brands at first and then you will get a better idea of what you like. You may like pockets and also AIO's and it's okay to have a mix. I have read in quite a few places that a lot of people that camp use flats while camping due to ease of washing and drying. 

I couldn't find any cloth friendly detergent at first in my area either. You can get Rockin Green from Amazon. A lot of people swear by Tide. 

I love using cloth. I thought I would love Bum Genius and Fuzzibuz but I really like Blueberry and Itti Bitti best. I have a couple AIO's and I really like fitteds for nights because they are more absorbent as the whole diaper absorbs. (hence the need for a cover). My son is a side sleeper and the fitteds work better for us at night than the pockets. I just ordered a Tots Bots because I've heard such great things about them and Velcro is so much easier and less intimidating for anyone new to cloth. Have fun trying some things and if you have to use a few disposable in the beginning mixed in while you are figuring out what you like you may save yourself some trouble in the long run. :-) 

[Glimmersnaps]

Welcome to cloth :) I tried to answer your questions below:
 

Originally Posted by MamaInTheDesert 

I am totally new to cloth, but I have been researching. No one I have ever met IRL has used cloth, so I've been diving headfirst into learning everything I can online. I honestly have never even seen a cloth diaper in person. I was hoping to kind of regurgitate some of what I've learned and get some feedback from some true CD mommas, in hopes of figuring this all out before my new baby gets here (I'm nearly 20 weeks). So, bear with me as I stumble through some new territory, and thanks in advance.

Styles of Diapers in General

So, after talking with my Mom and DH, they really don't want anything involving folding, pinning, snappies, or involving any "major" dexterity at all. Basically, the more it's like a disposable, the better. I don't entirely disagree with them, and am willing to go along with that. This nixes flats and prefolds, leaving me with fitted, pockets, and all in ones. Fitted diapers are cheaper, but require covers. Pockets and all in ones seem to not require covers. (Right? CORRECT) Pockets seem to be a little cheaper than the all in ones, and appear to have more "pluses" to them in that they have more versatility (more/better inserts for wetter diapers) and are more easily dried. With thinking about ease in mind, it seems that pockets might be the best way to go. Fitted with covers also appeal, but I'm iffy about the extra step of the cover, plus it seems like pockets probably have better absorbancy than the fitteds. Not always, it depends on the brand and the type of cloth used to make the fitted. Hemp, for example, is really absorbent. Am I right on this? What all have you guys experienced? 

You are forgetting about All-in-Twos! AI2s are a system of reusable shells with lay-in or snap-in inserts. They are two complete pieces so they are made for quicker drying. Like pockets, you can customize the absorbency of your insert however you don't have to stuff the insert into the pocket (this can be a bother to some people).  

Snaps vs. Velcro

Snaps appear that they hold up longer, and I don't have to remember to velcro them back before I wash them. I'm pretty sold on those two points alone. I have had both. I really prefer snaps for the reasons you mentioned. However, velcro can be quicker/easier for tired hands and some people feel like they get a better fit with velcro. 

Newborns

Newborns need different diapers that fit them specifically. One Size will probably not fit them unless they're super chunkers. (My first was just over 6 pounds) Most people seem to like the kissaluvs brand for newborns, but I'm not sure if they mean the fitted, or the All in Ones. They make a newborn AIO, but I don't think their fitteds are newborn-specific. It seems like regardless of brands that people seem to like the All in Ones for newborns in general. Any ideas here? What are your favorites specifically for newborns? We used PFs and covers (Thirsties x-small and Bummis small). The main thing your newborn's diaper needs are gussets. Those are the little panels of fabric that will contain their runny poop. Rump a Roos make a precious newborn AIO called Lil Joey and Nifty Nappy makes newborn fitteds that are so cute I want to have another baby to put them on! lol

Brands

Brands people like overwhelmingly seem to be Fuzzibunz, Swaddlebees, GroVia, Kawaii, and Best Bottoms. After looking at all of these, I really like the Fuzzibunz, and was thinking about going with the all in one GroVias for newborns, and the one size fuzzibunz for everything after newborns. Is this realistic? Everyone seems to have like 30 brands in their stashes. I'd like to keep it as simple as possible on not only myself, but DH as well. I also really like the Kawaii's (the price seems ridiculously low!!) but everywhere I seem to look, they are out. :( Anybody have anything else that I should look at? And, I could really use some good sites to buy from. Sweetbottoms [full disclosure: I do work at their storefront shop :)] has a large stock of Kawaii and I think all the other brands you mentioned. They always have free shipping and offer a newborn diaper rental (Clover fitteds) and have a 30-day trial for some brands too.

Based on what you've said, I'd also recommend you looking at GroVia AI2 and Apple Cheeks pockets. With GroVia you could have the option to use a biodeg. liner (nice for camping or travel) and their shells have a really nice open weave layer that's next to baby's skin.

Here's more: http://www.sweetbottomsbaby.com/grovia_diaper_system.html

Apple Cheeks are a wonderfully well-made pocket diaper I'm planning to try out... soon! I hear they can get really small and even have waist extenders for when they need to be bigger. They really feel much softer than other pockets.

Here's more: http://applecheeks.com/ 

Number to Buy

It seems like 30 for newborns, and 20 for older babies/toddlers. Is this reasonable? I had 24 PFs and I think 4 or 5 covers. It was doable, but I think 30 would be a better number.

Care

It appears that I have the least desirable possible cleaning environment. I have extremely hard water, have a front loading HE washing machine that will not allow me to add extra water, and have been exclusively using Tide HE free and gentle for the last two years. So, I need to look into switching laundry detergents. I've heard good things about rockin green, but don't know if it is available in my area. This place is a hole in the middle of no where, however we DO have a Wal-Mart. Any suggestions as to what I might find there? Additionally, I should look into possibly adding Calgon, vinegar, or baking soda, to each of my loads of diapers. For those with hard water, what do you suggest? And, it appears that if I do the prewash, regular wash, extra rinse, then that should be fine, yes? Also, I know I need to get a pail/trash can with a lid and a couple of wet bags that I can wash with my diapers. Any suggestions on the bags? We don't have hard water and use a top loader, so I don't know if this will help, but here's my routine. Dirty diapers go into a Planet Wise wetbag. Before starting solids, everything just went straight in-- no rinse, no scrape. Every 2 to 3 days I would fill up the machine with cold water and a little baking soda and dump the bag's contents in. Let it soak overnight or for a few hours depending on what kind of time I have. Let it run through the cycle and then do a hot wash with cold rinse. I use homemade detergent (Borax, Washing Soda, Ivory soap) and a Downy Ball filled with vinegar. I've heard lots of different routines and detergent preferences. I think you have to figure out what works best for your diapers and environment!

Camping

My family is HUGE on camping. When the new baby is about 1 month old we will be going on an annual camp out with our extended family of friends. We'll be out in the woodsy mountains for about a week and a half. I know they make those washers you can operate by hand, but have never used them. Line drying in the woods wouldn't be a problem, but the washing aspect is daunting. It appears that some people switch to sposies when on trips like this, but if at all possible I'd like to avoid that. For weekend trips to the mountains, it seems like I could just take a travel wet bag and be fine as long as I have plenty of dipes, and wash when I get home. It's just the few longer trips we make that have me a little nervous. There's always the option of a bio liner... see GroVia above

Thanks if you made it all the way through this, and double thanks if you have any advice for me!

[MamaInTheDesert]

Thank you so much Glimmersnaps!

I didn't really understand the concept of the AI2s so you really cleared that up for me. Also, I like the idea of the bioliners for camping. Question though, can you use the bioliners on any diaper or just the GroVias?

Your post was super helpful!

[Glimmersnaps]

I'm glad I could help! 

I think you could really use them in any cover but the GroVia ones might fit a little better. I once used some Flip liners in my Thirsties covers while traveling. They worked but not perfectly. KWIM? 

Take care of your little one :)

[schoonersam]

Here's my quick two cents (cause the baby's asleep and I should be too):

I use prefolds and covers and have a few All-in-Ones and pockets.  It sounds like you've got different criteria for your stash, but based on my experience, here's what I can tell you... I know previous posters' have mentioned both wool and Thirsties and I'm going to second that. My two favorite covers that I use with my prefolds are my wool ones and my Thirsties.  The woolies are super comfortable and don't irritate DD's chubby legs and don't leak and are easy to care for.  The Thirsties covers are trim-fitting, very strong and well-made and have great leg gussets that prevent almost all leaks.  The sizing is also very versatile - DD has been wearing the size one from birth and is 8 months now - I'm guessing we'll get another few weeks out of size one, but she's also already fitting in to the size two at the smallest setting. They also offer the closures in either velcro (aplix) or snaps and personally I prefer the snaps for 3 reasons: 1) velcro gets funky in the wash (and sticks to other diapers) unless you remember to close it before you throw it in, 2) DD is starting to figure out how to get the velcro open (we have a couple of bummis covers with velcro) and 3) if you do skin-to-skin at all, but especially breastfeeding, the velcro can be quite irritated on your chest.

This would all be moot for someone who's not necessarily interested in a two-part system, except for the fact that they just came out with a very affordable All-in-One with some interesting anti-leak technology. My point here is that if their AIO is as high quality as their covers it should be a great product.  I don't really need any more diapers in my stash right now, but I'm tempted to get one just to see cause I love the covers so much.

Good luck (it truly is a head-spinning subject)!

[MamaInTheDesert]

Thanks schoonersam! Ooh, I like the Thirsties all-in-one you linked to. Sounds great for littles! Also good point about the breastfeeding and velcro, hadn't thought of that con yet.

Good luck (it truly is a head-spinning subject)!

Thanks, it really is! I'm such a "researcher" that I feel like I'm learning a lot. But until I get some dipes in my hand I think I'm still gonna feel lost!

[mambera]

So I had a lot of the same concerns as you when I started CD with DD1.  Didn't want to mess with folding, snapping, whatever.  Also I wanted a one-size diaper (annoying and expensive to keep buying sizes) and I liked the stay-dry fleece inners.  I bought a few different individual diapers to try, then splashed out on a stash of Softbums AI2.

At first I thought they would be great.  But we consistently ended up with little wicking leaks around the legs, no matter how snugly I closed them or what kind of stripping routine I did.  And we have soft water.

With this baby I noticed that most of the people who have been CD for a while use prefolds.  So I bought some prefolds, and have been using the Softbums shells as the covers.  They work great - nary a leak and easy to handle with some practice.  Even DH is using them now (and he used to buy his own separate personal stash of sposies).

Bottom line: *especially* with hard water, I would not recommend any synthetic inner (ie no pocket diapers).  You will end up spending your life energy battling leaky diapers and researching the latest stripping routine.  Even with Rockin Green (I buy mine online).

If you can find an AI2 with cotton inners I would do that; otherwise I honestly would go with the prefolds (or fitteds if you have $ to burn).  You can buy a few AIOs for your husband and MIL to use, but I wouldn't make a whole stash out of them (too pricey and bulky in the wash, plus take forever to dry).

(ETA: The biggest reason I don't like AIOs is that you can't launder the inside separately, so if you ever have to boil or bleach it to kill stench you are in trouble.  You can't boil plastic snaps and I wouldn't recommend bleaching PUL.  Also line drying covers extends their lifetime.  AI2 are almost as easy to put on as AIO - just put in the insert first - and you can launder the insides separately from the covers.  Check out GroVia, Best Bottom, and Flip - they are all one-size AI2 systems with cotton soakers available, and I think both Flip and GroVia have a disposable/biodegradable insert also.)

For newborn size I wouldn't pay down for AIOs at all, you are only going to use them for a few weeks and the poo containment is not as good as with prefolds (more important for newborns bc of explosive runny poo).  I actually just bought 1 dozen nb prefolds and 2 nb covers to start with, just to see if I liked them.  DD2 was out of them before I knew it (born 7 lb 11 oz) but it was enough to figure out I liked the prefolds.  I'm still buying them one size at a time because I suspect I may not like them as much when she is more mobile - rolling/crawling babies are much harder to diaper. :)

Which brings me to my next point - Do Not buy a whole stash thru toddler size before the baby is born.  You really cannot know what you will like until you have a baby to put it on.  Just buy what you need for the newborn stage and see what you like/don't like about it.  Then buy what you need for the next size up, when you need it.

Edited by mambera - 2/4/12 at 6:20pm

[lilfina]

I was new to cloth diapering too, and there are plenty of things I know now that I wish I'd known before:

GroVia works awesome for me, because the liner snaps out, and unless baby has a big messy poop, you can reuse the diaper cover.  That said, my baby had plenty of messy poops as a newborn, so newborn all-in-one would be better.  

You are right; snaps are better than velcro.  Too late for me now though!

My baby is 11 months old and I finally bought a diaper sprayer (http://diapersprayer.com/).  It is *perfect* for rinsing poopy diapers.  It looks like a mini- shower head  that you attach it to the toilet and it pressure sprays sticky poops off the diapers.  No more diaper stains or worry about putting poop in the washing machine! I had balked at the price before (50 bucks) but now I realize that it is totally worth it!   With the combination of having a diaper sprayer and the GroVia snap-out liners which don't take up much room in the wash, you can go up to 4 days without washing the diapers, which is a time and $$ saver.

[lilfina]

Me again; I was reading the other posts and thinking that I really don't know anything about newborn cloth diapers, since I didn't start CD until DD was 6 months old.  She did often have explosive runny poops, so I think the others are probably right about the prefolds and covers for poop containment...

[MikiSophia]

i had such a hard time understanding cloth diapers too before i used them, even though i had seen a demonstration. what i have learned so far (my LO is 4 1/2 months): basically there is something absorbent that catches the pee and poo and a cover to hold it on in place and catch leaks. the cover gets used again, you just replace the absorbent material inside, unless the cover gets wet or poopy.

when she was a newborn, i used cut up flannel blankets (the swaddling kind)- i cut them into the length i needed and folded them, placed them inside a cover (i used a cover with velcro) and it worked great. they started to fray after a while, but we only used them for a month or two. the cut up flannel makes great cloth wipes as well. it is very absorbent. i got the blankets used, so i felt like any chemical stuff from making them was already washed out. i washed them too before i put them on her. in my mind, that is almost as good as organic cotton.

now we use cotton prefolds and polyester covers with velcro. i have some plain white bummies covers- 4 small and 4 medium, and was just given 5 one size bumgenius covers from a mom who never used them. no pins, no snappies. just fold the cotton prefold in thirds and place it inside the cover and velcro the cover to the baby. some times a poopsplosion will get on the cover, but i've never had it leak onto her clothes. i have a wet bag with a zipper that holds a couple days worth of wet diapers. i just use a regular plastic bag for the wet stuff in my purse when i go out on short forays. i keep an extra diaper and an extra cover in there in case the cover gets wet, which it almost never does.

i second the sprayer for your toilet. spray the poop into the water, rinse the diaper with the sprayer and put it in the wash. 

we use this for detergent: one cup washing soda, one cup borax, and a shredded bar of fels naptha soap. mix it all together and use one tablespoon per load. i wash in cold water and have had no issues so far- they come out very clean. but i have only been doing this for 4 months or so. i bought the rockin green, but it almost seems like it might be made out of the same stuff, is many times more expensive, and i don't see the difference at all. we do a lot of wash with cloth, so the economy (and ease) of the homemade mix works very well for us. i get the ingredients at the grocery store.

another thing i learned is that you have to wash the prefolds (hemp inserts too) 3-4 times before they become absorbent. cotton prefolds shrink alot in this process. at first i was like- theses diapers are huge!! then i washed then a few times and they shrunk to baby size.

i would second just getting enough to start and learn what works best. my babe doesn't crawl yet, so maybe what has been working for us so far will be different then. but i find the prefolds with covers extremely easy - for myself and anyone else who watches her. and those cotton prefolds can be used for so many things- i made one an emergency pad when i was out and got suddenly surprised with my first period after having the baby! 

best of luck to you

[MamaInTheDesert]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! It really helps me to get an idea of what I'm looking at.

• Hadn't thought of the boiling in conjunction with the plastic snaps. Definitely something to consider.
• Love the recommendations for the GroVia systems and others.
• I think *I'd* be fine with prefolds, but Mom and DH would not be. Mom doesn't want anything to do with anything that reminds her of the diapers she used on her younger sisters (sounds like flats/ and something like prefolds). DH doesn't want anything that he could possibly screw up. In his words: "If I can't fold a shirt so it fits in a drawer, how am I supposed to fold a diaper so it fits a baby?" LOL. That being said, I'm going to be the primary caregiver for about 80% of the time, so I may just get some prefolds for only me to use.
• I've seen the diaper sprayers. I'm definitely going to budget for one.
• I've been looking into making my own detergent for awhile. Maybe now's the time, and I can just not worry about finding some sort of diaper friendly detergent. The homemade stuff is okay in HE washers though right?
• I also wanted to assure you guys that I have no intention of buying a whole stash at once. My mom... that's another story. She is having me put together a "notebook" full of stuff I need/want for the baby for the next few times she's going to be out of town/next few times she's going to be ordering stuff online. She is super helpful/generous but lacks boundaries, and I'm an enabler due to financial issues in my own household... but that's a completely different post!

[rinap]

I inherited (from a friend) an awesome diaper stash, and my favorite right now is the Grovia snap closure diapers (one of my girls is a twisty always-moving acrobat and the other can unfasten velcro. I've had to explain that you snap out the insert (instead of throwing the whole thing in the hamper every time), but I've found that the cover works really well with an infant prefold folded lengthwise and put in it (the infant length fits exactly in the grovia cover). And trifold is pretty easy (and you don't have do fold it around a squirmy baby). So I go back and forth between grovia inserts and prefolds until the covers are all dirty. I generally have to change the cover with every poop, though.

With other covers, I generally snappy the prefold, then put the cover over. I loved this until aforementioned squirmy baby started making it tricky.

(we use pockets at night, because I like keeping them a little more dry)

[rookiemtnmama]

I also love Thirsties covers with hemp/cotton prefold inserts. I've really only tried 2 kinds of AIOs- fuzzibunz and swaddlebees. Fuzzibunz have leaked so much that I've stopped using them altogether. Swaddlebees I like, but they have limited adjustments in the waist and no adjustments for the legs. The only time we have ever had a leak with a Thirsties cover is when my husband fastened it too loosely, otherwise we have NEVER had a leak and we have an exclusively breastfed 4 month old, so all of her poops thus far have been the runny kind! I cannot say enough good things about Thirsties. As others have mentioned they just came out with an all in one and I just ordered one to give it a try. I'll come back and let you know how it goes. More expensive yes, but the convenience is tempting.

snaps v. velcro: We have mostly snaps, which I really love...but in all honesty, the couple of velcro covers that we have are coming in handy as you can make that ever so small adjustment where you cannot with the snaps, which has been helpful as our little peanut has grown. I am still undecided about if I will buy snaps or velcro for the next size up. One major consideration is that moms of toddlers wearing cloth say that they can easily undo the velcro, so snaps are great.

I also have to reiterate that I would NOT buy a whole stash until you've tried some out. Ask your mom to buy you a variety of the dipes that you've found most intriguing and that would be a great place to start, I think!

That doesn't answer all of your questions, but more food for thought anyway!

[mambera]

Yeah the Thirsties covers are great for containment.  We just have one that I bought to try, and the leg gussets are awesome.  I won't be buying more because the Softbums are working fine, they are one-size and I have nine of them (plus a few random OS pockets that I now use as covers for the prefolds), so I'm not in the market for more covers.  But if I were out there looking to buy sized diapers I'd definitely do prefolds and Thirsties.

Velcro v snaps:  Velcro is easier/faster at each change (may be an issue for your mother and DH) and you do get a better fit.  However, it doesn't hold up over the long term - some of the laundry tabs on the Softbums are coming loose, and the Velcro is starting to look degraded.  The snaps hold up way better - we have a Rocky Mountain Diaper pocket with snaps that looks just like new.  I definitely would do snaps in the larger sizes since a lot of babies seem to figure out how to open Velcro sometime late in the first year.  (Although with DD1 we just made sure she was wearing pants over her diaper, that solved that problem mostly.)

Anyway OP, if I were you I think I would get an AI2 system with some cotton and some disposable inserts for camping, and also maybe just a dozen nb prefolds for you to see how you like them.  They are super cheap and you will definitely find a use for them (burp cloth, changing pad, etc.) even if you don't like them as diapers.

Edited by mambera - 2/6/12 at 12:52pm

[Brambleberry]

I think one person has maybe mentioned wipes, but I thought I would add a tip here:  Cotton T-shirts make wonderful soft wipes.  You don't need to hem t-shirt material - the edges will curl a bit but it doesn't unravel or fray.  Just cut into squares that will fit nicely in whatever container you plan on keeping them in on the changing table.  Just cut and your done!  I don't know why anyone ever buys cloth wipes!

I like to keep some wet and ready to use, but they will mildew unless you add a few drops of tea tree oil to your wipes water.  I started out making a wipes solution from a recipe I found online, but then I read that plain water is best for sensitive skin and it really works just fine, so why go to all the hassle or expense of wipes solution?  I mix the tea tree to the rate of 5 drops in a quart of water that I keep handy on the changing table.  It keeps the wipes from mildewing for several days at least.  I have had them mildew in the diaper bag over a period of weeks since we almost never have a poop when we're out now that she's older.  So we keep disposable wipes in the diaper bag now.

I was a little hesitant about using cloth wipes at first.  I wasn't sure it was worth the effort since disposable wipes aren't that expensive or that much bulk to fill the landfill (but the cheap ones sure are full of chemicals).  But a friend convinced me, and I've found it's true, that it was actually EASIER to use cloth wipes if you're using cloth diapers because then you don't have to dispose of the wipes separately from the diaper.  You can just sit them on the dirty diaper as you finish with them, and then the whole thing gets wrapped up and thrown in the wet bag (unless you have to scrape or spray off the poop of course, but you don't always have to in the early days).  They take up hardly any space in the wash and don't need to be folded or anything.  They are a little bit of extra work to hang to dry outside, but we just drape them over the edge of the wash basket so we don't have to use clothespins on the line.  I've been known to just leave them crinkled in the bottom of the laundry basket outside if it's really nice drying weather.  They're so thin they dry fast even like that.  But DH doesn't like them drying all permanently bunched up like that - he thinks it makes them harder to use if you have to un-bunch them at the changing table.

[lilfina]

Hey, that is totally true about the cloth wipes! I too found cloth wipes much more convenient, once I switched to cloth diapering.  About the wipes solution, why not put it in a min-spray bottle so you can spray it on a dry cloth wipe? That way you can still use them on the go.  

Btw, that is a great tip about recycling old T-shirts.  I'm going to look for some old t-shirts right now and cut them up as hankies for my baby.  She hates disposable tissues, but loves rubbing her snotty nose on my shirt...

[rinap]

We use a squirt bottle of water (a honey bottle or a peri bottle from the birth both work). And we just use straight water. And our girls don't seem to mind that it's room temperature.  (when they were little we got warm water from the tap for each change) When we travel more than overnight, we use disposables and paper towels.