Is it real expensive to get started with cloth? I have been wanting to do cloth but am worried about the initial expense. How many, aproximately, do I need to buy to get started with it? I like Pampers because they have a slight scent and because they're SOOO soft, but they're so expensive and I'd really rather go cloth. I'd love to switch to cloth as much as possible, these disposables are so expensive and since Quinn is breast fed, she poops a bunch, so I go threw so many of them
Hi Leslie, yes, there is quite a bit of expense to get up and running with cloth. But it depends on what level of convenience you want. For example you can go with prefolds & snappis (the old kind with a substitute for pins) and it won't be that expensive. Or you can go with All-in-ones (exactly like disposables, just washable) and the cost will be much, much higher.

For me, I went middle of the road with pocket diapers. They are basically a shell with a pocket that you stuff with an insert (microfiber or hemp). My two favorites are Fuzzi Bunz and Happy Heinies brands. What I did to start out with was get a one day supply, and wash every evening. I started out with 9 diapers total, and if I ran out, I would use a disposable. Then gradually every paycheck, I saved enough $ for 1 diaper and then ordered a couple at a time to save on shipping costs.

The way I think about it is that for every time I use a cloth, I am not spending $.25 on a disposable, saving roughly $2.25 per day/. It does NOT take long to add up!! And in a couple of months I will break even, and then diapering will be free from that point on (besides the cost of washing them.) Also you can change them AS OFTEN as you like -- only been an hour and you are headed out? change her anyway!

I bought my fuzzi bunz at www.fuzzibunzseconds.net, and they are only $12 there. I bought 4 of them, and you cannot notice that they are imperfect in any way at all!!! They do not come with an insert though, so you need to buy them somewhere else. I think emibeans has a package of 10 for $20. The microfiber inserts are great for day time, and then I double up with a hemp insert for overnight. You can also stuff the diapers w/prefolds but they make for a bulky diaper.

(I bought my happy heinies and other diapers at www.emibeans.com and they have very reasonable prices there.

I could go on and on with websites that I love and what I have learned. If you have any questions at all please let me know!!! It can be a little overwhelming at first!

ETA: the other thing I decided is that Lydia is just at the start of the medium size, and that is the only size I am going to invest in. THey say that many times babies will go directly from medium to potty training, which I am hoping will be the case for us.