Recently I've had a few expectant moms ask me what I would suggest when it comes to cloth diapering. Since I've only cloth diapered two babies I can tell you that I'm definitely not an expert when it comes to experience, I am, however, very well researched since I write about it frequently. Without further ado, I give to you my cloth diaper must haves before the baby comes:

The Diaper Sprayer - Is it absolutely essential for you to purchase a diaper sprayer? No, however, I will argue that it will be one of the best purchases you will make during your cloth diapering journey. I like to call it a necessary luxury and believe that it will enhance your chance of success. Plus, you can clean your screens with it (trust me I've tried!).

Kelly Wels' Changing Diapers Book - This is a real gem for the cloth diaper world. Kelly has easily laid out many aspects of cloth diapering from the various types of diapers to troubleshooting problems. It's an easy read with big font!

Diaper Pail Liners & Wet Bags - I have a Planet Wise large wet bag in my guest bathroom that serves its purpose for the diapers that get changed on our main level. Then I have a Thirsties pail liner (yes, it's awesome!) upstairs that I use in my dry pail. One wet bag is always in my car, just in case the one I have in my purse is forgotten at home.

A Trial Set of Diapers - In Kelly Wels' book she talks about not sticking to one kind of cloth diaper. It was the first time that I had heard that suggestion and I have to agree. I used bumGenius 3.0's exclusively with my son. Then when I started writing about cloth diapers I was introduced to so many other kinds of diapers that I didn't even consider before because I was intimidated by them. After being forced to give them a try, including prefolds, I found that I really liked other kinds of diapers more than I liked pocket diapers. I think that the beauty in a trial program like what we have here at the store is that you can test out so many different kind of diapers and decide what you'd like to have.

You'll probably notice that I did not choose a specific brand or type of diaper that you must have. The reason why is because every child  is different and every home situation is different. What works for one child may not work for another.

Do you have any other suggestions for someone who's starting out with cloth diapers?