cloth diapering: the how and the why.

someone on facebook just asked me about cloth diapering, so i thought i would post a modified version of my note to her here.  i have to say, cloth diapering has been such a great decision for us.  i admit, i am a little bit crunchy when it comes to all this mommy stuff, but i think cloth diapering can be for everyone - not just us pseudo-hippie types.  it's infinitely easier, cheaper, and better than i ever could have imagined.  emme will be 5 months old on thursday and has yet to have any diaper rash.  oh, and that's with us not even using diaper creams as a preventer!
so.  we use fuzzibunz and we absolutely LOVE the brand.  my mom tells me they were invented by a woman from lafayette, which makes me like them even more, but beyond that they are amazing quality and amazing cuteness.  
we have about 13 diapers which means we wash every other day. this has been fine, but i think an ideal number would be about 20. you don't really want to go more than every 3 days just because even breastfed baby poop gets stinky. i am hoping to buy 6 or so more soon...
after 5 months of use (50-70% for the first month or two, full time by 8 weeks or so), the diaps still look pretty much brand new (i plan to use them for baby #2 if we have another and they should totally hold up for multiple kids). we use the "one-size" fuzzibunz so she will be in the same diapers until potty training - i'm not about buying more diaps in different sizes as she grows. 
the way we wash them is throw them all in the machine (you take the inserts out and put everything in together) and do a cold rinse. then add about half the amount of detergent you would use for that size load (XS on my washer) and a capful of white vinegar and do a hot wash. tumble dry on low and they're dry in about 30 minutes. 
other supplies you need are a "wet bag".  i have the fuzzibunz one, but there are some wicked cute ones on etsy that i would totally buy if i'd known about them when i was getting this bag. this is basically in place of a garbage can and just hangs on a hook by the changing table. you can wash them with the diaps, so you may want two bags in rotation (i just have one).  we also use re-usable wipes, which is totally not necessary, but i have found it to be cheaper, better for her bum, and way easier. easier because i can throw the "wipes" in with the diapers instead of having to put diapers in the bag and wipes in the trash.  everything in one place = key.  i just bought some cheapo thin washcloths on amazon - i think i have like 30 (3 10-packs) and it's more than enough. then, i have a spray bottle. the mix i make is just: fill spray bottle with water (mine is about 24 oz i think), add 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp baby shampoo/soap, 10 drops of lavendar essential oil and 10 drops of tea tree essential oil. the lavendar and tea tree are anti-bacterial and smell awesome! the soap and olive oil act as cleansers and moisturizers for baby parts. there are a zillion different recipes for diaper spray online, i just use this one because i can remember it and we had all those ingredients on hand. 

i think that's it! we still use disposables when traveling, but i even bring cloth when she and i are out and about - they have mini wet bags for that and it's just easier, honestly. when i embarked on the cloth diapering thing, i thought i was being so noble and environmentally conscious and it would be worth all the extra work. as it has turned out, it is really not hard AT ALL and the cute, colorful baby tush is awesome. also, the complete absence of anything resembling diaper rash is amazing. if you use the re-usable wipes, you just wet a little part, so you can dry them before re-diapering too, which helps also. i absolutely love the fuzzibunz, but i have friends that use bumgenius and gdiapers as well. 
i'm pretty passionate about all of this stuff now, so if you're reading this and considering cloth diapering, even part time, feel free to ask me any questions!  it's totally worth it.