more about cloth diapering

(per Amber's request)

Question: Do you use a service or do you clean them all yourself? I wash the diapers myself. I haven't looked into diaper services. Washing is pretty easy once you figure it out. Start with a cold rinse with a squirt of blue Dawn (someone told me to use the blue stuff - don't know why). Then wash a regular cycle on the highest temp setting the diapers you choose will allow. I read that "Free and Clear" detergents actually have more additives than other detergents, and that can cause build-up on the diapers, and more expensive detergents like Tide are too harsh, so I use 1/2 the amount of a cheap detergent or more Dawn. I usually air dry the diapers to save on energy costs and also wear on the diapers. I wash one load of diapers about every 3 days.

Question: How are they as far as holding in the moisture? This, too, has improved with practice. I change Brett more often in cloth than when he is wearing a disposable. With the pocket diapers, you can adjust how much "stuff" you put in the pocket based on what your child needs. Brett needs either one really good insert or 2 average ones.

Question: And the poo? The poo is not a lot of fun. But, you have to clean it off one surface, so it might as well be two! I've been using biodegradable liners about half the time (I cut the large one in half to save $) and they make the job a lot easier!

Question: Do you use them for naps as well?? Yes. He can easily go 3 hours in a cloth diaper with no problems. And sometimes he leaks, but then I just change his outfit.

Question: What are the negative aspects? Other than that it is more work (laundry, dealing with the poo, a few more leaks), clothes are made to fit a kid in disposables, but cloth is a bit more bulky, so he seems to wear the next size up. What else? The diapers take up more room in your diaper bag. That's about it! Overall, I've been very happy with them! Oh, one more negative aspect I guess would be, most people don't have much experience with them, so we end up using disposable ones when he is in other people's care. And I've heard most childcare facilities won't accommodate.