Cloth Nappies - As Hard As They Look?

Now, before the Toddler was born, I was one of those expectant Mum's who was all 'Oh, I'll be sooo good, I'm going to use cloth nappies'. Then, as birth loomed closer, I had a slight change of heat and started saying 'Well, I'm going to use cloth at home, and disposable when we go out.'

Once the Toddler had arrived I persevered with the cloth nappies for home and disposable while we were out for about 2 or 3 weeks. And then slowly, the disposables crept into my daily routine and the cloth nappies were left to collect dust, folded and lined all pretty in the lower shelf of the change table.

Now, my rather excellent friend at Madomi has used cloth nappies since I've known her. And she has some truly excellent and gorgeous nappies (and children!). But for some reason, I really struggle with the whole concept of cloth nappies.

It could be because I started out with your traditional cloth nappy. You know, large squares of fluffy cotton that you fold eight hundred times to get them to the right size and hopefully absorbency, and put a blue, flushable liner in and off you go. They attach with a Snappy (or a nappy pin, if you're brave enough to risk shoving the sharp end under your finger nail).

I won't lie to you - I do love using cloth nappies because I love the idea that the Toddlers nether regions are in something soft and gentle. Huggies are wonderful and I've never had a problem with them, but they still strike me as a bit rough sometimes...

But what I don't love is the hassle of the cloth. As in, having to fold them and everything. I have enough washing to fold in a week without adding 3 million cotton squares to the mix! (A slight exaggeration but it feels that way some days...)

Thanks Papac Productions & Google!

So my question to all you Mummy's out there who use MODERN cloth nappies is:

1. How do you get started? I want to give it a go but I don't want to leap in the deep end
2. Is there any way that I can slowly work my way to cloth only? Or do I have to get the cloth, ditch the Huggies and become a convert overnight?
3. How do you cope with dirty cloth nappies and being out and about? Hell, how do you manage them at home!? I'm honestly terrified of walking around a shopping centre with the scent of skanky nappies wafting behind me. Please tell me there's a way to manage this gracefully. (And I've learnt that they aren't to be soaked in a nappy bucket with soaker added.)
4. Is there any point!? The Toddler is now almost 20 months and is doing all the right things in terms of toilet training. But I keep thinking that if I could get a couple for her now, test them out (including the overnight durability and absorbancy) then for the next one I'd be all set to go and I could start slowly building a collection without needing to spend a fortune right this very second.

Spreading out the cost over time will be very good for the Guru's heart. And will maintain my current status as 'Married'.

I love how the cloth nappies look these days and I do honestly think that the new modern ones would be a nice way for me to be a bit greener in our life but also still be convenient and not too painful for me to deal with.

So tell me ladies - what do you think and how did you do the cloth nappy 'thang'?