Written with Love by Shai Annette Hill:

Deciding to cloth diaper can be a long process. You will need to do some research on what brand and type of diaper you want. You will also need to decide what diapering accessories you want to have, if you want any at all. For me the decision process was all about buying diapers that were cheap and durable, and to avoid buying any unnecessary accessories. So to help in your cloth diaper journey here are some of my cloth diapering tips!

1: Buy Used

YOU. CAN. BUY. USED. DIAPERS. TO. SAVE. ON COST.

Just wanted to make sure I got my point across there…

Don’t get grossed out. The diapers that people are selling are clean.. More or less.. And it is completely okay to put your baby into a diaper that a different baby has worn. Used cloth diapers do take a little extra work to get ready to go on your baby’s bum for the first time, but the money saved makes this option completely worth it!

To ready your diapers for your baby you will want to clean them using a process called stripping. To strip your new diapers go to the diaper manufacturer website to learn what they think is best. (all manufacturers suggest something different)

Look into websites like http://www.modernclothdiapers.com/gentlyused.html or http://www.diaperjunction.com/used-cloth-diapers.html to find some great deals.

2: Home-made detergents are a No-no!

Most homemade detergent recipes include only water softeners and boosters. These should only be used in conjunction with a real soap detergent and not on its own. Since there aren't any soap in those recipes the diapers wont be getting clean. And thats gross.

A lot of diaper companies make their own detergent specific for their cloth diapers but most free and clear detergents will do. A website called fluffloveuniversity.com has compiled a list of detergents safe and unsafe to use on your diapers.

3: Buy reusable wipes!

Stores like Target, Walmart and even Etsy sell reasonably priced reusable cloth wipes! Most of these wipes are made with flannel so they can be easy to make yourself! You could even cut up some receiving blankets (that no one ever uses for more than a month anyways) to use as wipes. Then just wet the cloth wipe with water or wipe solution to clean your baby's bottom.

4: Sometimes newborns do not fit into one size diapers

One size diapers say they will fit babies as small as 7-10 pounds and as large as 25-35 pounds. But its not the larger babies that can be an issue. Sometimes the tiny newborns don't correctly fit into the one size diapers. Thats okay! Every diaper company makes a newborn size cloth diaper. I would suggest looking into buying a newborn set while your baby grows into the one size diapers. But using disposable diapers for a few months while your baby grows into the cloth diapers is totally fine!

5: Check your diaper manufacturers website for tips!

Take a peek at the care tips and FAQ’s on your diaper manufacturers webpage to learn some extra tricks on how to keep the diapers you own in perfect working condition! Also, if you buy new diapers and they are under warranty, some detergents or stripping solutions can void this warranty.

If you have any other questions about cloth diapering ask me in the comments! I can try to help!