Getting Started with Cloth Diapers

The Bare Minimum
This is the least amount of products I recommend you should purchase to start out using cloth full-time. If you are planning to use cloth on a part-time basis only, this would probably be sufficient.

12-24 cloth diapers (Chinese prefolds)
 4 diaper covers
6-12 washable liners

Newborns will need approximately 10-12 changes a day, so with 24 dipes you'll be doing laundry every other day.  As babies get older they will need fewer changes (approximately 8-10 a day) but not so much that your laundry schedule would change until they are toddlers with more bladder control.  Diaper covers that are not soiled may be air dried between uses, and should be washed separately according to manufacturers' directions when they have a urine smell or get soiled.  Liners are a must for extra absorption at night or for heavy wetters.

Of course you can also opt to purchase flushable liners to help make clean up easier with soiled dipes.

The Ideal Amount
Using cloth is enjoyable, but when it comes to laundry nobody wants to be tied to the washing machine. Therefore, this is what I consider the Ideal Amount of dipes to have. :-)

48 to 60 cloth diapers (Chinese prefolds)
6-8 Diaper covers - this provides for uses between washing
A combination of Kushies, Kissaluvs, and Nile One Size with a few all in one Bumkins or Kushies Ultras tossed in for convenience (great for a day away from home!)
24-36 Washable liners (more if you plan to use them with each diaper)

I also highly recommend purchasing washable wipes.  I carry Imse Vimse washables, as well as wipes made exclusively for The Baby Lane.   After all you chose cloth to save money, avoid chemicals and to reduce waste, so why not go all the way?  Plus, just toss them in with the dirty dipes.  You can also dip them in my wipe recipe to clean baby's bottom. 

You may find you need more or less than what is listed above.  Mostly, this will depend on the frequency of your diaper washing.

Some other things you will need:

Diaper Pail - we offer the 54 qt pail. It is comparable size wise to a tall kitchen trash can.

Washable/reusable Diaper Pail liner.

A tote bag for dirty diapers.

Wipe warmer - Nice because then you aren't putting cold wipes on baby's bum.  I sell one that is a box type by DEX to put your wipes or our  wipe recipe directly into.  You can also find some that are like heatpads to wrap around a wipes box.

Please check our diaper creams by Weleda and all our other great products for mom & baby!