From unofficial surveys with all of my 'mom friends' I know that the poo factor is what keeps many people from switching to cloth diapers. But this does not have to be so. There are primarily two ways of dealing with a dirty diaper, neither of which involve you up to your arms in a toilet with a poopy cloth diaper. (This image kind of makes me giggle, because I can promise you I have never been that intimate with my commode.)
It is important to note - exclusively breastfed (EBF) babies' diapers do not need to be rinsed. EBF poo is water soluble and will rinse out in the initial cold wash. Once solids or formula is in little one's diet diapers will need to be rinsed before laundry time. And, once little one's poo is solid it simply can be shaken off into the toilet.
Liners
Liners, either washable or disposable, lay between the baby's bottom and the diaper to keep poop from reaching the diaper.
Pros: convenient - liners make it very easy to flush away the mess
Cons: liners need to be added to the diaper at every change (unless your little one poops on a very consistent schedule and you know just when to use them), for those who use disposable liners - the need to purchase additional bits can seem contradictory to the self-sustainability of cloth diapering
Diaper Sprayer
A diaper sprayer is a bit like a kitchen sink sprayer, and attaches to your toilet's plumbing. You use water pressure to spray any solids into the toilet.
Pros: One-time purchase, less waste
Cons: learning curve to using the sprayer, some older children might find it to be a tempting toy
From a cost-savings standpoint, fleece liners are the most economical. Disposable liners or a diaper sprayer is the most convenient.
