New to cloth nappies - getting started.

So @clothsister's remark about feeling bamboozled about where to start with cloth nappying a new baby reminded me of how I felt trying to get started when my first was born. I read loads of advice and still found all tge options totally overwhelming. Eventually I just bought a few of one brand and did some trial and error. We evrn had a trial kit from tge council but without someone to talk to about how to use it/issues that came up it was next to useless.

So.... what single piece of advice wpuld ypu give to someone wanting to start but not knowing how?

It's all the jargon that gets me as well. X

It takes a lot to take it all in, but then again I am like that with disposables. I swear I can stand in the aisle for ages looking at them all and not being able to decide which would be the right ones.

[clothmama]

Great thread Emily!

So.... what single piece of advice would you give to someone wanting to start but not knowing how?

I think the biggest mistake that can be made is to buy a big pack of one type using up all your budget and then having them not work for your baby! That is what happened to Lucy @clothsister last time, she got a little Lambs pack and the size 1 were too small for her big long baby! I was friends in France with a 'Nappy Lady' when I was pregnant with Louis and got given that advice, for my NB and size 1 I think I had at least one of nearly every nappy on the market! By the time we got to 6 months I knew exactly what we liked and didn't like so felt confident buying the right nappies to then carry on with!

My advice is to get a few different types and brands, different nappies will work for different babies, so don't invest in a 'birth-to-potty' kit, they might not suit you!

Definitely worth getting a few of each type.

Some councils do a trial kit which we found brilliant as we were able to try then for a month before choosing what we wanted.

It's also worth remembering to buy extra boosters, especially bamboo or hemp because the amount of wee changes as they get older and it's good to be able to play around with different boosters to find the best mix.

I think I was quite lucky as I researched and bought all the same but they were perfect for me. Although I kept buying other fun nappies to try after none ever compared to my initial stash that did me birth to potty for 2 boys. But then I did a lot of research first to see what would be most suited to me fabric, fastening and fit wise.

What I think is most useful is good instructions on caring for nappies. I got caught out by not being aware that I only needed to use half my normal detergent. I ended up a couple of months in to using cloth with a strong ammonia smell from my nappies and them burning my boys skin! It was only though using a cloth forum that I found it was through detergent build up. Also seen lots of people being caught out with crunchy nappies and tumble drying problems ruining nappies etc. Not to mention caring for wool!

So what types of nappies are there and why would you pick one over the other? X

[clothmama]

So what types of nappies are there and why would you pick one over the other? X

Here is a run down on all the types if you haven't seen it yet:
http://www.clothnappytree.com/info.php?article=4

Here is a cost comparison or some various options compared to what you spend on dispos. It is from a few years ago but when I started redoing it last year the prices were not much different so gives you something to go on!
http://www.clothnappytree.com/info.php?article=6

And other articles are here with more general info:
http://www.clothnappytree.com/infos.php

And to answer your question more specifically I wouldn't pick one over the other! I had (and intend to have even more so this time) some of everything!
Will answer more fully on your Pros and Cons thread:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=118779