Cloth Diapering Tips for Beginners

• You are going to touch a lot of pee.  Seriously.  I rarely touched pee before I used cloth diapers.  But between touching the diaper to see if its wet (because unlike a disposable it doesn't get mushy, so you have to check INSIDE the diaper for wetness) and taking inserts out of pocket diapers, I now touch pee on a regular basis.
• It gets less gross.  I mean it doesn't really get less gross, but it bothers you a lot less after just a short amount of time.  I initially tried to use diaper liners to catch the poop, but I was going through them quickly, and it annoyed me to throw the wet ones away.  Then I tried to scrape the poop into the toilet, so I didn't have to swish.  This was extra gross, and swishing, despite the fact that you will probably get poopy water on you is less disgusting, easier, and more effective.  There is always the option of a diaper sprayer, but my husband doesn't want to hook one up to the toilet.
• It doesn't have to be all or nothing.  Cloth diapers don't work for me at night.  I can find leak proof solutions, but I am not really willing to wake up in the middle of the night or early morning hours to change a wet diaper that is bothering the baby.  It is well worth it to me to spend the money on disposables if it means I sleep through the night.  The few times I have tried cloth at night Miss Baby has woken up very early, or in the middle of the night, in need of a diaper change.  Not fun.  I also don't cloth diaper when we are going to be out for long periods of time.  I don't want to carry poop around with me, or swish them in a public toilet.
• It can be cheap!  There are a number of places you can buy diapers for cheap.  In general the lowest cost option is prefolds and covers, but you can get pockets for cheap too!  One option is Glow Bug Cloth Diapers (affiliate link).  12 pocket diapers, in your choice of boys, girls, or unisex prints, and 18 liners for $150.  
• For some reason, its addictive...  I have no idea why poop catchers are so awesome to cloth diapering mamas, but they are.  There are massive Facebook groups devoted to selling, buying, trading, and just generally discussing cloth diapers.  Despite the fact that your stash is complete, you will still be tempted to buy new ones when you hear of a new brand, style, or even just prints.
• Every diaper doesn't work for every baby.  Miss Baby doesn't do great with pockets.  They leak pretty often when she wears them.  Little Guy gets diaper rash from cloth, so I use mostly disposables on him, and an occasional pocket, but never prefolds and covers.  If one kind of diaper doesn't work for you, don't give up, try another style.  The great thing about diapers (and kind of the sad thing too) is that they really maintain resale value.  This is great for sellers, not great for cheap, poor buyers :P  If you have a diaper that doesn't work for you, sell it or trade it for one that does.