The scoop on poop and cloth diapers

Before I even got pregnant I planned on using cloth diapers. I did a ton of research and read a bunch of mommy/baby blogs (Young House Love is the one that really convinced me! Read their post here.) that chronicled their use of them and decided that it was definitely something I was going to do. Most of the blogs I read made it seem pretty easy and so I thought since I'd be staying home with the baby that it was something that I could easily manage.

Why you ask? Well, basically because they are earth friendly and I fancy myself somewhat of a tree hugger. Not a crazy, over the top, hippy dippy, make everyone feel bad, save the whales, seals and spotted owls kind of tree hugger (although I do fret over the endangered-ness of these animals) but just someone who tries their best to help out good ole Mother Earth.

The thought of putting thousands of diapers into a landfill somewhere just gives me anxiety. I don't know why. I realize millions of diapers are thrown away every day so my using cloth diapers won't really make that much of a difference but I just felt like even though it may not change the world at least I'm trying to do my part.

The plan was that since I was going to be a totally inexperienced new mom (read my anxiety ridden post about that here). I figured I'd wait until the baby was three months old to start using them. Most of the blogs said that the baby doesn't really fit into the cloth diapers until they're bigger anyway. I thought three months was enough time for me to get used to the whole diaper changing thing and then transition into the cloth diapers. I planned on using Bum Genius diapers. They seemed to have the most positive reviews and were rated the least leaky, easiest to use and clean. Plus they come in the cutest colors and patterns!

Cameron will be 4 months old this week and I have absolutely NO plans on switching over to cloth. In fact, I knew as soon as he was born and I changed that first diaper that there was no way I'd be doing cloth! Um, can you say instant reality check!

Sorry Earth. Sorry future generations of children and grandchildren. Sorry animals and trees and the atmosphere! But I can't. I-JUST-CAN'T!

I had no idea how nasty the poop was going to be. Really. Everyone (on my blogs) just made it seem like it was nothing. That you simply just sprayed it off into the toilet and called it a day. Ummm... NO! That stuff is just too yucky to even get that close too. And I'm not sure what other baby's put out but our little one makes some crazy stuff that would require a fire hose to spray off. (Sorry for the nasty visual.)

Isn't it enough that I just changed the diaper? Then I have to spend another half hour scraping/spraying the poop and then pre-rinsing and washing it? And then there's the thought of putting all the poopy diapers into my washing machine and then washing all of our other clothes in there afterwards. Gross. I tried, I mean I intended to try and then reality reared its ugly little head.

I give my cloth diaper mommy bloggers all the credit in the world! They are angels, saints, amazing super moms with incredible mommy powers not to mention strong stomachs and a high tolerance for awful smells! More power to 'em. I hope they influence more people to consider cloth diapers or even give them a try, I really truly do! Hopefully more people will be able to hack it unlike this new mama who sadly realized that she is but just a mere mortal, unable to conquer the Kryptonite effects that poop seems to have on her!