Re reusable nappies, I only started using them when ds was 12 months old, so I actually need a shed load of newborn/small baby sized nappies as I only bought toddler sizes however what I learned with ds is:
Motherease wraps are hideously expensive but totally amazing.
Bamboo is better for nighttime wetting (once the baby is older obv) but hellish to dry - my lakeland heated airer came in handy for that!
I used little lamb bamboo nappies (with motherease wraps) for nighttime and totsbots all in ones for daytime.
Totsbots v2s were better than the fleecy v3s, although they've moved on to V4 now which apparently fixes the issues but worth considering if you are buying second hand.
Poppers are better than velcro imo. Velcro is ok but gets caught on stuff in the washing maching and can be easily undone by cheeky toddlers who want to be free from their nappy.
Paper nappy liners were as much use (for us anyway) as a chocolate teapot. Fleece liners all the way.
Easiest way to rinse fleece liners of "solids" is to hold/dangle them in the toilet while you flush the chain, then dump in the nappy bucket.
Do not do the above ^ if you have put a Bloo in the cistern. Unless you want blue fleece liners. 
However, as I said I have never had a cloth bummed newborn so I need advice on the best kinds of smaller size nappies to start with... I've been looking at the prefolds... any recommendations?