The Cloth Diaper Breakdown

Prefolds - Prefolds are the cheapest way to go. The trade-off is that there's some more folding and fastening involved than with other types of diapers. Prefolds are perfect for little babies since they stay pretty still during diaper changes (when you're having to do that folding and fastening) and because they generally fit newborns better than other diapers. If you decide to use prefolds, a few things to keep in mind:

• Be sure to buy Chinese or Indian prefolds, which put the Gerber ones to shame.
• Buy Snappis to fasten them. Don't use pins. Pins are why people think they hate cloth diapers. Well, one reason.
• You'll need to get covers for them. Thirsties are great.

Pocket - Pocket diapers consist of a shell that has a, well, pocket that you stuff an insert into. The beauty of the pocket diaper is that you've got a lot of control over just how absorbent the diaper is. For example, if you're overnight diapering, you can put a big ol' insert in - or maybe even two inserts. Pro: Easy to adapt to different situations. Con: They have to be reassembled every time you do the laundry.

All-In-One (AIO) - These are the priciest of the cloth diapering options, but still waaaay cheaper than disposables. If you find a daycare that will accept cloth diapers, AIOs are usually what they require. AIOs pretty much work like disposables except that they have to be laundered. Pros: Convenience, easiest to teach to family members and babysitters. Cons: Cost, Can't alter absorbency much

One-Size - The idea here is that the one diaper should work from the newborn days through potty training days. However, I'd say the newborn who fits a one-size is rare. After the newborn days, though, a one-size can work for a long time. Pro: Cheaper than fitteds in the long run. Con: Less exact fit than fitted diapers.

Fitted - If you choose fitted diapers, you'll have to buy several sizes over the course of your diapering career. Pro: Exact fit. Con: More expensive in the long run than one-size diapers.