Gaye Ward (Gayesy)

E-mail: gayesy@oocities.com

Homepage: Gayesy's Attachment Parenting Pages

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Gaye's Thoughts on Gentle Mothering

To me, gentle mothering means following my God-given instincts and meeting my child's needs. I believe that babies should be with their mothers almost constantly, held lovingly in her arms or snuggled in a sling, that children should be breastfed on cue until they self-wean, that their nighttime needs for nursing and other comfort must be met, and that usually the best way to meet these needs is in the family bed. Gentle mothering means valuing our children's feelings and treating them with respect and love. I do not believe that shouting nor smacking are necessary or desirable methods of discipline.

I believe that the way we nurture our children, especially in the first few years, has wide-reaching consequences in their lives. We cannot rid the world of sin; however, we CAN engender in our children a sense of being loved and important, and we CAN teach them respect for themselves and others. Our children today are the future adults of the world.

I believe that all children are a gift from God, and that with this wonderful gift and joy comes a huge responsibility. God has designed us with breasts which produce the most perfect nourishment for our babies and young children, as well as the most wonderful way of sharing a loving bond. God has created babies with nighttime needs, including "immature" sleep patterns, which I feel are beautifully met by co-sleeping. God has given us instincts which enable us to care for our babies in a loving and gentle way.

Gaye's Testimony

I was raised by a family with Christian beliefs, and attended an Anglican Girls' School, but never really FELT much at all. I hadn't accepted Jesus into my heart. Five years ago, when I was suffering from depression, I went to see a Christian counsellor, who prayed with me and explained that Jesus had died on the cross for ME. I guess until that stage, I had thought that Jesus had made his sacrifice for others, but that I wasn't included! Since that time, I have truly felt touched by God in my life. I have had the most BEAUTIFUL little boy, and even though I still suffer from a biological depression requiring medication, I feel truly alive.