Cloth Diaper Challenge Update

My son's nanny was in Brazil when we started our cloth diaper challenge. When she came back, I gave her a cursory review, but I guess I was a little rushed because I received this email from her later that day:

"I'm pretty sure I messed it up with the cloth diapers yesterday, sorry. I didn't know anything about it and when I got home I Googled the topic and realized that I only put the cover of the diaper on [the baby]. I'm so so sorry... Could you please teach me how to do it right?"

The poor thing! She actually had not messed it up. I pre-stuffed the pocket diapers so that they were ready to go on demand. However, her email speaks to how intimidating cloth diapering can be out of the gate. 

About a week and a half into our challenge, we seem to be going strong. I feel great about fewer chemicals on my baby's bottom, plus we are saving the environment and some cash. I'm still having a little trouble getting into the cleaning routine, but I'll save those details for another time. It's lunchtime and I'm not in the mood to talk poop.

We are using FuzziBunz, Rumparooz, RagaBabe, Charlie Banana, Evolution Diapers, SoftBums, and Bootyful Babys. These are all pocket diapers but we are also trying a few gDiapers with disposable inserts.

In my day job, I review gadgets. You would think that I could apply my product review experience to diapering. but I just can't bring myself to give a bad review to a product that was designed by a work-at-home mom (or WAHM, as the lingo goes). These women stitched and sewed together these products out of love for their children. How can I say disparaging things about something like that!?

I will say that some work better than others, some are easier than others, and some are just so darn cute! I really like SoftBums for evening because of the extra protection, and I LOVE Charlie Bananas because you remove the pocket insert from the front instead of the back. This means you're much less likely to get poopy hands removing the padding. (I guess I can't avoid talking about poop.)

I also really like Rumparooz and FuzziBunz because they are less bulky and have great designs.

I'm on the fence about the semi-disposables. I somehow feel like maybe that is cheating? My husband saw the gDiapers and said, "Doesn't that defeat the purpose?" Also, when they say flushable, I'm not sure they have New York City plumbing in mind. The flushables absorb a lot of water and get huge. I'm not sure my toilet can handle that so I ended up throwing them in the Diaper Genie. But you can stuff gDiapers with non-disposable inserts so that certainly isn't sacrilege.

I guess my question to the CD community is this: Is there a heirarchy of cloth diapering that I should be aware of? For instance, are you less of a true CDer if you use disposable inserts and disposable wipes? Are there snooty purists who look down their noses at anyone who doesn't use all reusable material? And if that is the case, do those people shun toilet paper on their own backsides? Just wondering.

Note: This post was originally posted on my personal mommy blog, MommyBeta.