You need cloth diapers and diaper covers. Do you already know how many diapers and covers you need? We can help you with that. (Article: "How Many Diapers Do You Need?") Is that it? Well, not quite. You will need a few accessories to help your cloth diapering system run smoothly.

Cloth wipes, just the right size to fit in commercial wipes holders (3.75" x 7.5"), are very convenient. You can keep them wet or dry, but you will need them to wipe Baby's bottom. One set should last, but they may disappear over time to become dolly blankets or to go the way of lost socks. You will probably need an average of two wipes per diaper change, which is at least 24 a day in the beginning. Multiply that by the number of days between washing, and add a few for the diaper bag and for emergencies.

Cloths are larger than wipes. You might just want one or the other, or you might find uses for both. The 8" x 9" cloths are a great size for diaper-time, facing washing, and baths. They can also be used as flat diapers for Preemies or diaper doublers for bigger babies. If you are unsure yet how you will use cloths, start with six. Once you discover many uses for them, you may want a couple dozen.

Many babies will never need diaper doublers, but for heavy wetters, nighttime diapering, and long trips, they can be very useful. You could either use the long, thin diaper doublers, or you could fold a small flat diaper or cloth, or even use a cloth wipe or two to add just a little extra absorbency to a diaper. You probably won't want to put your baby straight on the cold, hard surface of the changing table. Cover it up. Use an extra blanket or a large flat diaper. Keep another handy to switch it as needed.

Your baby will not need diaper cream for every diaper change, but there may be times when you find it helpful. There are two kinds of diaper cream: barrier cream, which coats Baby's skin, and medicated cream, which can help heal rashes. We carry Weleda Calendula Baby Cream, a mild barrier cream, and Weleda Diaper Care, a medicated cream with zinc. A small tube of each is a good addition to your diapering system.

Whether you use a wet pail or not, Biokleen Bac Out with live enzyme cultures is a solution to stain and odor problems. You can squirt it in the diaper pail, in the diaper wash, or use it elsewhere around the house. Try it out with a small bottle.

Wool diaper covers are naturally absorbent, but they are not a moisture barrier. They will breathe moisture out. You can treat wool covers with lanolin, the naturally occurring skin oils of sheep, to increase their moisture resistence. How much to treat them depends on the balance you want to strike between breathability inside and dryness outside. Eucalan is a nice, mild wool wash with lanolin as well as eucalyptus, a natural antibiotic. Though you can wash your covers in the machine on gentle, they will last longer and better with just occasional soaking in wool wash. Don't rinse. Just gently squeeze water out then line dry. If you wash one cover per week, using about 1 tablespoon per wash, one 500ml bottle of Eucalan should last nearly a year.

You will need a diaper bag. You could get away with using any bag you have around the house, but it is very helpful to have one bag always packed and ready to go and to have pockets for diapering extras. We offer a stylish hemp diaper bag in solid colors with great batik lining. The bags have inside and outside pockets, and they come with a matching waterproof changing pad and a waterproof stuff sack.

One stuff sack may not be enough for travel. We carry extra stuff sacks in a full rainbow of colors and in two sizes: 9" x 13" and 14" x 18". These are perfect for traveling with wet diapers, wet clothes, snacks and sippy cups, and swimsuits. You may also find them pressed into service as dolly knapsacks and toy bags.

Your diapering system is more than just diapers and diaper covers. Every item you need to make cloth diapering smooth and easy is part of your system. With a little experience, you will be able to see just what you need to make cloth diapering work for you and your baby.