Cloth Diapers and Other "Notions"

OK, so Jeff and I are planning on doing cloth diapers. Whatever, you think I'm weird, or crazy, or just plain insane. That's fine. I'm not offended. I happen to like the concept of saving money and those diapers are so cute! Plus with everything I'm reading regarding diaper rash and other things associated with disposables I'm willing to try it.
OK, that small soapbox aside, I want to clarify that I am not one of those typical tree hugging cloth diapering mommies. I suppose I should include some sort of disclaimer that reads if you are one of the mommies I will discuss below, I am sure you are a great person, I, however, disagree with some of your views. Now, one of the things I knew going into cloth diapering was that TYPICALLY those who use cloth tend to favor home births. And midwives. And doulas. (which I had never even heard of until I went to my college roommate's baby shower. I came home with a new vocabulary and was also exposed to the benefits of cloth diapering.) I, for one, want an epidural and plenty of it. My sister in law has instructed her brother that his main job at the hospital (other than getting me take out so I don't have to east hospital food) is to make sure that my epidural doesn't wear off. Easy enough. But back to my story. So along with home births, nursing until the child is in high school (OK, so not really that old, but you get it) is also a big push with these women. Hey, I think if the child can come up and ask for a drink, THAT'S TOO OLD!! I'm all for nursing and plan to do it but you will not see me at kindergarten graduation giving my child a drink. Just my humble opinion.
So knowing these two "lifestyles" that tend to go along with cloth diapering, I enlisted the help of my mother to go with me to a cloth diapering store here in Houston. That was an event all in itself and full of the above mentioned women. - Just a funny side note - one woman there who was very nice and was very excited to pass along the name of her midwife and lactation consultant (Is that like Creative Memories or Close To My Heart consultants??) showed us her diapering techniques. It was very helpful. We also noticed that she only spoke to her baby in French. hmmm. Then when I told her I was giving birth at Women's (obviously not the preapproved "home birth in a bath tub") she launched into this diatribe about how she was so sorry and that Women's gives everyone C-Sections and how horrible that is and yadda yadda yadda. When Mamma and I got back in the car we had to take a moment and debrief each other as to what had transpired. Where was Rod Serling???
But I was doing some research today on the Internet for cloth diapers and have stumbled upon yet more "lifestyle" choices that seem to go hand in hand with cloth diapering. I am becoming afraid. Apparently women who tend to make these choices also tend to favor home schooling, the entire family sleeping in the same bed, not giving children vaccines, no spanking "hands are not for hitting", not circumcising babies, and nursing in the "family bed". I have to be honest with you. I'm a little freaked out by these things. Not all of them, mind you (obviously I'm on board with the cloth and I do know several people who home school and while I don't think I could do it - that's their business. Just don't judge me for planning on going the *gasp* public school route. I figure I'm already paying for it, right?), but all of them combined are a little too "Earth Mamma" for me. I'm treading lightly as I do not want to offend anyone, but I'm a little concerned that the Nursing Nazis and the other women will swarm me if and when I travel out to the cloth diaper store. Perhaps I will keep my diapering purchases to Internet sites. That is definitely a thought.


Just for fun, these are some of the icons I found while visiting a message board, and, thus, the inspiration for the blog. I had to edit a few of them so they would be more appropriate. :-)

I'm realizing they are a bit small, so I will try to clarify.
The first is a house that says "Home Birth". eeww. As I mentioned to one of my sister in laws at my shower, WHO CLEANS UP??
Then we have the co sleeping icon. I guess you should all sleep together - mommy, daddy, brother, sister, etc. Yeah, no. I like my space. Even with a king sized bed, I need my space.
Yeah, the next was edited for content. It's the "Pro Nursing In The Family Bed" icon. *shakes head*
Then we have the pro sling icon. I actually registered for one of these and am curious to try it out. But little Emma will not be strapped to me 24-7. A girl's gotta have her space, ya know?
OK, then it's the i heart home school icon, the pro breastfeeding icon, No Vaccines or Circumcisions, yay for cloth diapers, oh and an animated one that is a hand with a heart in the center of the palm. That quickly gives way to the message, "hands are not for hitting". We then have yet another breastfeeding icon (again, edited for content) and the last one. I have to tell you, even though it is "animated" it was still a bit disturbing. The mom sits there while a child runs up, lifts her shirt, gets a snack, puts the shirt down, and runs away. I am disturbed not only by most of these practices, but that someone has taken the time to create icons for each of these. Here's the deal people. Do your thing. Do it proudly even. Just don't shove it down my throat and "make" me try to follow your beliefs. And we'll just politely do our things and just not talk about it.