A resource to inspire, inform and empower parents.

Breasts: The Dynamic Duo

Read this blog post at Breastfeeding Basics!

Breasts: The Dynamic Duo

Question Everything Except Your Instincts

Read this blog post at Breastfeeding Basics!

Question Everything Except Your Instincts

A Mama Lioness and Her Little Lion Cub: Attachment Parenting Student

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder with son.

I am more convinced than ever that I teach Jack absolutely nothing. Jack is connected to the universe on a level that makes my “lessons” completely irrelevant. I am the student: a student of Jack and nature. I hold him, protect him, feed him, stay near him and answer him. This helps him develop trust in the world, but, no, I do not teach him “lessons.” Jack is one with his instincts, he follows his intuition, nature’s law. He is closer to a wild animal than an adult human. My lessons are, as I said, irrelevant. Someday I can teach him the things that I know and want him to learn, but this is not the time. This time is for following him, allowing him to show me what he needs. [Read more…]

Threads Weaving Meaning for Everyone Else But Me

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, and her son.

I have always struggled to connect one part of my life to the next. I was a pretty wild teenager and young adult. When I graduated from college and began working it was like I just dropped the former life completely and started a new one. There was little of the previous life to find when the new one established itself. Now I am a full time Mom. [Read more…]

Mount Mommy: Discovering Real Strength

 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.

[Read more…]

The Sex Argument Ends Here: Sex in the Attachment Parenting Family

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, with husband and son.
***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.

[Read more…]

Not Your Baby’s Growing Pains: My Growing Story

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder

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

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder's son

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…]

Snuggle in Tight, That’s Right, Like That: Co-Sleeping/Bed-Sharing

Let’s begin with a vocabulary lesson. Co-sleeping means you sleep close to your baby. Maybe the baby is in bed with you; maybe she is in a bassinette or maybe in a crib, a co-sleeper or basket in the same room. Bed-sharing refers to the specific type of co-sleeping where the baby and you are in the same bed. There are many types of co-sleeping. Bed-sharing is a type of co-sleeping.

Jack Wearing: My Baby Wearing Story

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder babywearing her son.

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…]