Everything I should know before buying?

[BowsAndRibbons]

I’ve been wearing disposables for a long time, and I’m thinking of switching to cloth diapers for a change of pace and to hopefully save some money in the long run. I’ve been looking at different sites, and some of the terminology is confusing me. Can you tell me everything you learned about cloth diapers, that you wish you had known before buying?

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Pretty much all of the places that sell rubber panties listed in my "Shop" section sell cloth diapers. There are several kinds including flats, squares, prefolds and contour or hourglass

Most any reputable seller will tell you the information you must haveto decide what to get. You will also need to fasten them. baby diaper pins will not last too long, so if you are going to get pins, get the adult size that most companies offer. Some persons like Snapppies but I have heard of them tearing the fabric

Fastening methods that you may wish to avoid. snaps and Velcro.  They both suffer from both being adjustable at the "fine tune" level and velcro, unless treated very speically  tend to let go after a number of washings and use

the generally available fabrics are gauze, bird'eye, twill and flannel. Flanned tends to get stiff after awhile

There are also some odd ducks in the form of All-In_one's and Pocket diapers which include a liner, outer shell and either a kind of absorban pad that runs from front to back, or a pouch (pocket) into which you insert a folded diaper  of some kind but you have to fool around with them for proper fit and whatnot far too much for my liking

If you can DIY, you will save a bundle

I can help with the panties more than with the diapers.Use the "Rubber Panties" link in my siggy

[Stroller]

2 hours ago, BowsAndRibbons said:

I’ve been wearing disposables for a long time, and I’m thinking of switching to cloth diapers for a change of pace and to hopefully save some money in the long run. I’ve been looking at different sites, and some of the terminology is confusing me. Can you tell me everything you learned about cloth diapers, that you wish you had known before buying?

You'll find lots of info elsewhere in this section of the site - spend time reading through things.  When you've got specific questions then there are plenty of us here to help you with them.  You'll probably want to try various options out before deciding which nappies you're happiest with.  That's what I did, anyway.

[Soggy Bottom Boy]

I wear cloth at least 90% of the time and I am diapered 24/7/365. It took me a little trial and error to find the right sized prefold diaper for me. I am now wearing medium size prefold from Changing Time Diaper Company. They are 4-10-4 diapers. The 4 is the number of layers of cloth on the sides and the 10 is the number of layers in the middle. I wear these at night with a 10 layer soaker to help get me through the night. During the day I wear their contour diapers as they fit great without the extra bulk and I can wear them under my clothes without people being able to tell that I am wearing a diaper. I do wear tank top style onezies to help with the sagging once my diaper gets wetter.

My advice is to take your waist and leg measurements and order accordingly. If you are unsure just call and talk to the company that you are planning on purchasing from and talk to them. I have called Changing Times, Babykins, etc... and they have all been very helpful. All cloth diapers will shrink when you wash them a few times. Most companies will give you the size after being washed. I prefer cloth diapers over disposable diapers. I like the convenience of disposables but I seem to end up with a nasty rash that I seldom get wearing cloth diapers. 

[Chalky10]

I also have some Changing Times Diaper Company cloth diapers and really like them.  But I am the opposite of Soggy Bottom Boy.  I wear disposable diapers 90% of the time.  But that 10% in Changing Times cloth diapers are great.  

[Firefly 35]

There's a lot of good info in the forums here.  Generally, traditional pin-on diapers are the most durable and lowest overall cost, but can be inconvenient for going out and about.  Pocket diapers and all-in-ones are often more convenient but often the service life isn't quite as long.  All of these are made in both plain colors as well as fun designs.