Which would be better the cheap disposable diapers I can get at Walmart or using cloth diapers? Are cloth any cheaper once you factor in more water usage and more electric? I don't have a clothes line so we would be drying them in the dryer. I don't know how clean they would look. I currently use just a powder detergent and cold water for all our laundry.

If I had a baby now, I'd use cloth. The thought of all those disposables filling up landfills everywhere makes me shiver. I think, in the long run, they'd be cheaper too. You have to hang them outside, or on a drying rack to get the full benefit of the savings though.

You can also make your own laundry detergent - there are recipes here for that.

I found a link for you to read, I hope it helps:
http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/laundry/a/022404.htm

With my first baby I started on cloth diapers that the hospital gave out. They laundered them for a fee but it was a pain to lug them back when they were dirty. And since she was going to the sitter's at 6 weeks so I could return to work we switched to disposables. This time around I do plan on being home alot with the baby. I like to think that at 3 1/2 years old she will help mommy with the diapers. The smell of poopy diapers makes my husband gag so otherwise I have to do them all by myself.

There is lots of controversy about this and tons of info out there.

We tried to do all cloth with our DD, but we were never able to find a detergent that didn't irritate her skin. We could only use cloth part-time, which was a disappointment, but it was better than all 'sposies. We bought a bunch of Little Lambs AIO (all in one) diapers (medium) when DD was maybe 8 or 9 months and they still fit her (snug, and we don't use all the snaps, but they work!) If they are stinky dipes, I use a cold pre-rinse and then a hot wash, only dipes, and set to smallest water setting. If they are just wet, I just wash them with everything else now. Her skin isn't as sensitive anymore and she doesn't get the chemical burns.

You should go to www.mothering.com and check out the diapering board. There is lots of info there, and after you have been ther two months aand have more than 50 posts, you can even use the diaper trading board. Only one of Maggie's dipes was bought new, and we have a lot of different varieties because we were able to buy them uber cheap. Some are even free for shipping from time to time.

And that blanket I said to give to your DH in the other post- take it away. Let him be cold on the couch! (Muttering to myself about how he won't change dirty diapers!!!!

I have found that cloth is almost 80% cheaper than disposables.

We were using the cheapo brand disposables when we used them and still cost us $15 a week. but my cloth stash has cost me maybe $50 in total. I wash every other day.

I use cloth exclusively

forgot to mention www.diaperpin.com its an awesome site.

Wouldn't you also factor in the cost of diaper rash medication when you are considering the cost of disposables?

never thought about rash cream.

hmm

I use unbleached cotton diapers. They are not stark white and so stains don't show as bad:) They are certainly less expensive over the course of the child's life especially if you have more than one child. The diapers make great cleaning rags also after the babies are out of them. I don't have a line for drying either but I use drying racks that you can find at kmart or walmart. They are inexpensive and can be folded for storage. Just a couple of ideas.

As far as diaper rash cream, I've only bought it once, and Maggie was actually worse in cloth. And believe me, I've been a cloth-wanna-be since I became an environmntally-aware teen. Unfortunately, my daughter was too sensitive to any and all laundry products and methods we used. She would get TERRIBLE chemical burns, so we had to (still do) use cloth very judiciously, and certainly never two cloth in a row. (Which is sad, because I have some REALLY cute Little Lambs AIOs.)