I clearly remember my first explorations into the world of cloth diapers - whew, what an overwhelming and confusing experience! My husband and I had no clue that cloth diapers had expanded so exponentially beyond the prefolds and rubber pants of our baby days. The more we learned the more overwhelmed we became. It wasn't until our diaper orders began arriving at our home that we began making some sense of the myriad of choices and styles. And it really wasn't until our son was born and we began doing hands-on cloth diapering that we could begin making decisions about what we liked and what worked for us.

Now, as the owner of an internet-based cloth diaper store, I find myself giving advice to soon-to-be parents and to experienced cloth diaperers. I love helping people find what works best for them and their families. My advice? Start with noticing your own personal style and then apply that understanding to different types of cloth diapers and covers.

Do you try to wear organic or natural fiber clothing? Then natural fibers are going to be extremely important in your diaper and cover choices. If going the natural fiber way then you can eliminate all-in-ones and most PUL, nylon, and polyester covers from your potential list. Hemp diapers, whether fitted, contour, or prefolds, would be a strong recommendation because of their superior water absorbtion and endurance, natural anti-bacterial qualities, and earth-friendly cultivation. Wool covers would be a must. And recycled fleece might fit your needs, too.

Are you super picky about the quality of your clothes and tend to buy high-end things? My recommendation would be to look at custom-made diapers and diaper covers. There are dozens and dozens of highly-talented women with on-line stores, many of whom make exquisite diapers more for the love of sewing and cloth diapering than for the profit. You may need to wait while your diapers are made but the pleasure of being involved with the creation of beautiful diapers for your beautiful child can more than compensate.

Do you love making things with your hands? Prefolds may be the perfect answer for you. High-quality prefolds (absolute minimum of 4 x 6x 4) can become one of the softest, most absorbant, and best fitting diaper when properly secured. And the economic savings of prefold use is astonishing! I thought I would hate basic, no frills prefolds-not true. I get a real sense of personal accomplishment from turning a flat prefold into a well-fitting diaper.

Or do you prefer to keep things simple? I would steer you towards an all-in-one or pocket diaper. Both all-in-ones and pocket diapers offer maximum convenience and minimum fuss. Daycare providers, often reluctant to use cloth diapers, frequently will agree to use all-in-ones or pocket diapers because of their ease of use. All-in-ones and pocket diapers are the preferred cloth diaper for occasional diapers like babysitters and relatives - even disposable-only users can usually figure one out. A simple, straight-forward system like all-in-ones and pocket diapers can make cloth diapering work when having too many diaper options could otherwise spell doom in a busy household.

Do you try on a couple of different outfits in the morning before deciding on what to wear? My recommendation then would be to try one of every diaper and cover you can afford. Mixing and matching can be a lot of fun - and give you a world of options to fit every need. Diapers and covers are available in colors and patterns sure to turn heads and spark interest. Buy a diaper or cover you don't like? Easy! There are many on-line auction sites (eBay, WAHMall, etc) on which you can recoup most of your investment - and find new things to buy!

I never suspected that cloth diapering would be so enjoyable - but that was before I found a cloth diaper system that matched my needs, personality, and budget. The myriad of choices that I once found overwhelming turned out, in the end, to offer sufficient breadth and depth to allow me to find some really good solutions that I love to use.

Paying attention to your own likes and dislikes and then applying those to cloth diaper choices can really pay off whether you are brand new to the world of cloth diapering or getting ready for cloth diapered baby number 3. Finding diapers and covers that you love to use will give you a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment with every diaper change.

Cloth diapers - who ever knew how addictive or how satisfying they could be?!