| Attachment Parenting |
| It's been a while since I've written, but that doesn't mean I haven't been around. I've been doing a lot of research on pregnancy and childrearing. I am particularly passionate about the parenting method called "Attachment Parenting". Attachment Parenitng is, by Dr.Sear's definition, " a highly intuitive, high-touch, style of parenting that encourages a strong early attachment, and advocates consistent parental responsiveness to baby's dependency needs." Very simply, it is responding to your child's needs while also responding to your own needs. This is something that is new to me and very new to Mike. However I always planned on parenting by instinct, and AP flows with most mothers' instincts. Some of the things that AP usually includes are breastfeeding (many times extended past one year of age); co-sleeping (as long as it's safe); babywearing (by using slings); lots and lots of bonding; learning to understand your baby's cues (attend to baby before baby has to resort to crying); the list keeps going on, but those are the basics. I love so many of the concepts of AP- Breastfeeding: I've always planned on breastfeeding, and Mike was very happy when I told him "of course I'm going to breastfeed!".I hope to breastfeed exclusively and will let the baby wean his or her self (breastfeeing past one year is called "extended breastfeeding"). I plan to breastfeed on demand, letting our baby let me know when it needs to nurse. Babies nurse for hunger, but they also nurse for comfort. Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to bond with baby and it's only natural that it would be a comfort to them! Co-sleeping: Mike wasn't too keen on the idea of co-sleeping at first, but he came around to that rather quickly, first saying the first month or two, now saying up to a year :) I get the feeling baby will be sleeping with us until s/he get it's own toddler bed and moves into it on his/her own. How do breastfeeding moms survive without cosleeping? :) Babywearing: I hadn't given much thought to babywearing before I became pregnant, but the idea of using a sling to carry our baby is something both Mike and I really like. I now there are those who feel that holding a baby all the time will spoil them, but I disagree. You can't spoil a baby, they need all the love and attention you can give them, and close, continuous contact is a great way to accomplish that! We've already decided we want a Maya Wrap sling, which will last us until baby in a toddler. There will be no carrying my baby around in a car seat- the car seat will stay in the car, thanks. I love carrying babies in the wearable carriers, but the harness carriers are difficult to remove baby from, you can't breastfeed a baby in one of those carriers and they aren't one size fits all. The sling we want will fit both Mike and myself, is easy to use (of course it takes some getting used to) and I can breastfeed with baby in the sling, it even has a "tail" which I can drape over baby for privacy while feeding. They aren't very expensive either, the Maya Wrap sells for under $50. We've already picked out the print ;) Gentle Discipline: It turns my stomach to watch a child be spanked, or even spoken harshly, so gentle disciplining just makes sense. Gentle discipline is about teaching. Teaching your child to be respectful of others and of themselves. Teaching your child to know right from wrong. Teaching your child to take responsibility for their actions. Instead of corporal punishment (i.e.spanking) you incorporate other forms of discipline, such as redirecting (espcially with babies and younger children), communication and consequences. There is absolutely no reason for violence to be a part of a child's life. Yes, it takes more patience to redirect and communicate than it does to swat a tush or smack a hand, but I think a child's well-being and trust is worth the extra effort. Cloth Diapering: Not necessarily an AP must, but it definately goes hand in hand. I know a lot of people cringe at the thought of washing soiled diapers, but I can't say I'm that squeamish. Cloth diapering is gentler on baby's skin, gentler on the bank account and gentler on the environment. Disposable diapers bother me. We have a package of 'sposies (for the period after the baby is born and is passing meconium),and I had to play with one. I got it out, folded it as if it were on a baby, checked it out from all angles, then came the water test. I emptied an entire 20oz bottle of water into that puppy- no leaks, no wet feeling.... of course most would think this is a good thing- but my mind says "how?". Curious, I cut the diaper open- It turned those 20 oz of water in a snowball of gel. Gel means chemicals, not something I want so near to my baby's tender skin, and especially not something I want so close to it's private parts! So, for many reasons, we've chosen cloth diapering. The initial cost is more, yes, but in the long run they are *much* cheaper than 'sposies. I'm not talking about the thin Gerber bird's eye weave cloth diapers that everyone uses for spit-up rags- I'm talking quality chinese prefolds and durable covers, or if money allows, all-in-ones. With proper care (which doesn't take as much effort as you would think) they can last through several children :) |