cloth diapers... what we use and where to look

ok... so sorry on the slacking with this cloth diaper mini-series! life has been crazy but i am still motivated to share my experience with cloth!

we currently use a variety of pocket diapers. my favorite being my kawaii diapers. they are a great price and they fit malachi so well. plus, once i got the hang of it i have not had any leaks with these dipes. when i first started i thought for sure i would love the velcro closures best but i have gotten snaps too and i really do love them! the velcro are handy but they show wear and tear so much faster. and since we are hoping to use these diapers for a few more kiddos we want to keep them looking good!

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these are one-sized diapers, which means that they will grow with your baby from newborn through potty training. you simply use the snaps in the front to get the correct rise for how big your baby is and then pull the tabs tight across the belly and snap to fit your baby around the waist. i love the one-size option. it makes me feel like i am saving even more money when i can use the same diaper throughout the entire diapering stage!

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pocket diapers are my favorite type of diaper. they are so easy to use and when they are already stuffed they go on just as fast and easily as a disposable. basically a pocket diaper is a waterproof shell with a fleece lining to stay dry against the baby's skin. pockets have an opening in the back of the diaper where you stuff inserts in to make it absorbent. you can add as much or as little padding as your child needs, which makes it super customized! and if you get them ready after they are washed and dried they are so easy! you just pick one up and wrap it around the baby and you're good to go!

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pockets are the majority of my stash and my favorites. when i order new diapers i mostly order pockets. i do, however, have some prefolds and covers that i am starting to use as well. i was given these by a friend and have just started using them in the past month or so. i like them. there is definitely a learning curve with the prefolds, so i am so glad i didn't try to start with this when i started cloth diapering. i probably would have been overwhelmed and frustrated and given up. but now that i am getting the hang of it it's not so bad. plus, it's an inexpensive way to increase the amount of diapers you have because prefolds are pretty inexpensive and you only need a few covers. the covers can be wiped out and reused from one diaper change to the next. i think they will be nice to have when we will be home all day, as they do make less laundry since the covers can be reused. it's nice to have less laundry ;)

there are SO many options out there when it comes to cloth diapers, it can be really overwhelming at times. but there are some really great resources i have found over the year or so i have been researching. one fabulous site with lots of helpful info is kellyscloset.com. they have a big selection of different brands and styles of diapers. and they have a rewards program where you acquire points with each purchase. and my favorite, they are always running a promo code for discounts or free diapers! gotta love free stuff!  two other great sites are nickisdiapers.com and sweetbottomsbaby.com. they both have a great selection of diapers as well but they have a bigger selection of non-diaper items (like nursing tanks, baby carriers, skin care items, etc.) sweetbottombaby.com even has free shipping all of the time - score! and all of these sites have facebook pages where you can ask questions and get advice from other cloth diapering mommas - i have found this to be so helpful at times!

one of the overwhelming things about cloth diapers and a question i get a lot is - "how do you know what type of diaper to choose?" and that's a hard question because one of the main differences between disposables and cloth is that you have to figure out what will work for your baby. some diapers work better for chunkier babies and some work better for thinner babies. the main thing i have learned is do what works for your baby. one great piece of advice i was given was not to invest in one diaper until you are sure you love it. a lot of people do that, they buy those packages of 25 diapers and that's their entire stash. but what if you end up not liking those diapers or they leak or they don't fit your baby well? then you have a problem! so one thing i have done that has been so helpful is whenever i try out a new diaper i buy only one of that kind until i know if i like it. so when i bought kawaii diapers for the first time i bought 3 different styles to try them all out and see which i liked best. and i am so glad i did that because the one i thought i would like best is not the one i now like best - funny how that works! :) then once you figure out which diaper you like best you can invest in more of those to build your stash.

so my advice? try a few different diapers (depending on what your budget allows) to find what will work best for you and your baby. it's really hard to decide on one diaper that you love until you are able to use it and live with it for a few weeks. there are just so many factors to consider.

another great option? buy used! most cloth diapers still have a lot of life left in them even when your child is done with them. and the beauty of used? they are cheaper! :) (i love a bargain!) i found some great deals on craigslist when i was looking for diapers. so don't be scared of used diapers. i know some people are hesitant to buy used because they don't know how they were washed and handled. but the reality is that you will be washing them and prepping them when you get them, so it's almost like starting fresh. and if they are a really good deal you haven't lost much money if they don't work out! so you can try more styles or brands buying used because they will be significantly less than buying new. i have bought used a few times and have yet to be disappointed!

what about you? what diapers do you use? and why do you love them?