Cloth Diapering: What Kind & How Many?

I think I mentioned before that I was entertaining the idea of using cloth diapers (especially after reading MckMamma's post on cloth diapers). I did my research, reviewed several brands online & placed an order.

It all began with this post at My Charming Kids. Then I began to stalk her blog & found this post. After my stalking ended I hit google & found answers to most of my questions.

My first questions were "What kind & How Many?"

What kind?

Did you know there is such a thing as "diaper talk"? Yes, mam - there is even a cloth diaper glossary! I was so confused . . . contour, doublers, liners . . . WHAT?! Do they just have a beginners package?

First, I had to decide on the system & types of diapers I was going to use. You can still find the old fashioned cloth things that you fold & fold & fold then fasten with a pin. Like this image from Cloth Diaper Whisperer: YIKES!
However, cloth diapers have come a LONG way over the years. You now have several options: one size, all-in-one(AIO), pre-fold, contour, fitted, pocket, & the list goes on.

Next, I started researching the brands of cloth diapers. I began with MckMamma suggestions (b/c she is just way cool & knows her natural living pretty darn well). Then I did a little googling "top cloth diapers." I narrowed my picks to:
Imse Vimse
Kushies
Kissaluvs
Fuzzi Bunz

Once I visited these websites & thought my choices were more limited - I discovered I had to choose the types of fabric: fleece, wool, cotton, flannelette, terry, bamboo & this list continues . . . Then there are: doublers/liners, snaps or hook & loop, pins or snappis, velcro . . .

Diaper Pin has a great pro & con list explaining most of this diaper talk. Parenting By Nature has a wonderful explanation of What's what in cloth.


How Many?

How many cloth diapers you will need varies depending on the age of your baby & how often you will be using cloth diapers.

I created my "Wanted List" using Diaper Pins suggestion of:

24-36 cloth diapers (*some sights suggest 18-20)
3 all-in-one diapers
4-6 diaper covers
1-2 polar fleece or wool covers (suggested for use at night)
12-24 doublers/liners

Here are a few other links to help make a "Wanted List":

Soft Cloth Bunz: How many diapers are needed?
Soft Cloth Bunz: How many diapers to buy?
Mama Oh Baby: How many cloth diapers?
Nicki's Diapers: FAQS
Parenting By Nature: Getting Started With Cloth Diapers