I actually don't soak at all, it's not necessary. ok, well I"ll admit if there's a really feisty one I'll chuck it in a bucket of coles sensitive nappy soaker or napisan babycare, but that's rare.

other than that a good quality, powder environmentally friendly detergent should do the trick. I use Aware Sensitive. no enzymes, bleaches, optical brighteners etc. I haven't had any problems. almost anything will leave stains other than napisan, but they come out in the sun so I use that. even big yellow stains come out straight away on the line in the sun. it is the best bleach of all.

I like terries in the gaynor fold for the first few weeks. search the nappy lady uk site for that fold. after that, go to the bat fold. You could get some newborn fitteds, but they do tend to not use them for long. if you have a baby over 8 pound, you could go straight to a fitted or a mix and match, but under that most fitteds would be either too big or using a v. small size that will be too quickly grown out of.

I wash my dd (and myself, hair etc) with the body wash from Organic instinct, sold in amcals. totally organic and the shampoo, body wash etc all have baby specific versions, although more expensive so I just use the general ones which have been fine.

I use toilet paper to wipe her after the potty, which is most poos. for the odd one, plus the vomits that go all over and need a proper wipe, I use Wotnot baby wipes. Seventh generation are brilliant too, but wot not are half the price and jus the same, basically chemical free.

krys,
some mcn are bulky, others not. the peapods are cheap and quite slim, as are hte bumgenius, bumware. baby beehinds seem a bit bulky to me.