What are the CD basics I need to know?

[puglucy]

I posted earlier today @ FuzziBunz, but now I realize that was premature. I know nothing @ CD's, & want to try them. The FB just looked appealing & easy to me.

But I need to know the basics -- what are pre-folds vs. FB vs. Kissaluvs vs. diaper covers, etc? If someone has posted this, I could find it with the search engine -- but what should I look for?

thank you!

Lucy
Alex 3/18/03

[lizajane]

yay! congrats on making the decision to try cloth. i love it!!

first, let me say that i am cheap. there are TONS of amazing products and it can get very fun and addictive. but i stick to must haves because i just can't afford the rest.

so:
prefolds are the flat diapers that you use inside a cover (websites show you how to fold them, which is really not complicated) and are the diapers "your mom used." they are $2 each or less. they come in different sizes, starting with infant sized that you will be able to use for several months. we use standard size for my exceptionally large baby who is 4 months. i would recommend having at LEAST 2 dozen. prefolds are bulkier than contured or fitted diapers (like kissaluvs) but are so much cheaper, they are the only things i use.

BTW, you stick a prefold inside the fuzzi bunz, and i think you should definitely use fuzzi bunz at night when your baby starts sleeping longer and therefore shouldn't sit in a wet diaper. but they are expensive and therefore maybe not a good daytime choice. i have four that i only use at night and i LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM.

folks feel differently about their covers. i use proraps. cheap ($6) basic, easy. so i can't talk about other covers and their different of better/worse qualities. i am totally happy with proraps. you will want at least 6 covers because newborns POOP POOP POOP and if gets on the cover often, so you will need to use a few a day. (this poop thing gets way less annoying with time, because they poop way less after 6-8 weeks.)

also, i liked using disposable liners (gerbers are at BRU, kushies are online) so that i could get rid of the poop and keep the diapers a little "neater" in the pail.

you may want to use disposables for the first few days because merconium is a big stain mess.

check out naturalbabies.com and earthbaby.com!
good luck!!

liza

[blnony]

Here are a few old threads I found. Hopefully this will help some.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dcforum/DCForumID52/288.html

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dcforum/DCForumID52/104.html

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dcforum/DCForumID52/161.html

Those are a good start. If you do a search in this forum for FB or Fuzzi Bunz or just Cloth, you'll find a lot more.
Good luck--we always love new converts here.:)