What does it mean to be strong? People used to call me strong before I had a baby. I guess it was because I was opinionated and outgoing and rigid. I’m guessing. I was a passionate advocate for the kids I worked for. I never shied away from a fight for what I thought I was right. I suppose that is why. I never asked. I never really thought about it. I never really agreed. People call me strong now; after having had a baby. I supposed because I went through the process of labor and birth.
The Sex Argument Ends Here: Sex in the Attachment Parenting Family
***My angry rant from the summer of 2012 when Attachment Parenting hit the cover of magazines and AP advocates were taking a beating on talk shows and everywhere else.***
I have many thoughts today about people that oppose Attachment Parenting. I can see the pain in people’s faces when they argue against Attachment Parenting. They become defensive, restless in their seat and overwhelmed. They begin to tell us that our kids are dysfunctional, we are over-parenting, what we do is too hard and what we do makes them look bad. It is very easy for me to become angry right back. I often argue with the TV, the internet, the mainstream. But there is one argument that always sends me into laughter.
Not Your Baby’s Growing Pains: My Growing Story
It’s no secret that your baby is growing leaps and bounds every second. They are crying, writhing around on the floor, grunting, yelling and flapping their limbs. It must be so intense to be a baby. Every moment there is something new to process, a new sensation in your body and a new urge toward motion. Babies appear to be in pain much of the time. As a new mother I always think something is wrong. Really seriously wrong. I mean grunting like that can’t be good, flopping around like that can’t be normal, screaming like that has to be from pain! I still fear the worst like any mother, but in moments where it seems like my baby needs an exorcist I try to remember that it’s most likely growing pains. [Read more…]
Smile at me! I’m a Happy Baby
Today I took my son to the library. I mean I tried, but he fell asleep on the way. So instead we took a walk along the lakefront. He woke up awhile later and started to cry. He has been up late a lot lately. Growth spurt I suppose most would say. He has been cranky and pulling new stunts like push- ups and pulling himself up on the table. So naturally I gave him the boob to calm him down. He quickly lightened up and we headed into a café. [Read more…]
Big: That’s Birth For Ya
Back in high school my friend asked if I wanted to do acid. I asked him what it was like. He said “well, it’s… Big.” “Big? What the hell does that mean?” I asked. “I don’t know how to explain it, it’s just… Big,” he responded. I did acid with this friend and a few days later another friend asked what it was like. I said “well, uuuuh, it was…. Big.” I have read all the books by the writers who have experimented with acid. I have tried myself to explain it to people. Just as our reality is impossible to explain, all other forms of it are twice as hard. [Read more…]
Jack Wearing: My Baby Wearing Story
It wasn’t an accident that I became to be called The Badass Breastfeeder. I have always had a reputation for being tough, cool and ornery. I never pass up an opportunity to flip someone off, tell a creepy dude at a bar to go fuck himself or put a coworker in their place when trying to manipulate me. As a social worker I have been known as a fierce advocate for my clients, not afraid to disagree with a lawyer or judge and I have executed many manual restraints with aggressive teenagers while wearing a pair of high heels. [Read more…]
Control: My Struggle to Embrace the Chaos
I know I said that this endeavor was going to be about Attachment Parenting, but I suppose I have some things to say before I can get on with that. I need to cleanse my soul; clean out my closet if you will. In just 8 months I have become strangers with the “old me.” I have taken on a less popular parenting style with passion. [Read more…]
AP By Surprise: My Journey to Attachment Parenting
Before I gave birth to my son I read all the books; What to Expect When You’re Expecting, The Happiest Baby on the Block, Healthy Sleep Happy Baby. To be honest I’m not sure I am getting the names of these books correct because I threw them all out. But I’ll get to that in a minute. I was going to do this perfectly. I was going to follow each book step by step when it came to sleeping and eating and playing and discipline. [Read more…]
Dear Jack, Lesson 1: My Own Struggles With His Big Feelings
I am far from perfect and I will make many mistakes. Sometimes I will struggle to follow the very lessons that I attempt to teach you. But I will try my hardest. I promise you that.
Last week my baby got sick. Sicker than I have ever seen him. [Read more…]
