Our son Oliver Elliot (who will be referred to as Monkey from here on out) had a check up appointment with his pediatrician. I believe it was his two month appointment. Dr. "Interesting" is around our age group and is very,... well, interesting. Justin (fiancé and monkey's dad) mentioned something about the farmer's market after my long intro involving not getting certain vaccines and veganism. This of course was a sloo of things some one like this Doctor "Interesting" would call "hippie topics". He then said, "So you guys are like my wife, hippie crunchy granola type people." He then laughed and awkwardly stared at my owl tattoo for an uncomfortable period of time.
So I now have declared that a "crunchy granola parent" is some one with a more laid back, eco-friendly, green living, attachment, love everything, live everyday like it's your last, stop to smell the poppies, take the unbeaten bath, soy milk kind of person. Now there are of course many other things that can be added to that list but I really didn't want a really bad run on sentence. :)
Justin and I would be what is referred to as attachment parents. Here is what Wikipedia says about it.
Attachment parenting, a phrase coined by pediatrician William Sears,[1] is a parenting philosophy based on the principles of the attachment theory in developmental psychology. According to attachment theory, the child forms a strong emotional bond with caregivers during childhood with lifelong consequences. Sensitive and emotionally available parenting helps the child to form a secure attachment style which fosters a child's socio-emotional development and well being. Less sensitive and emotionally available parenting or neglect of the child's needs may result in insecure forms of attachment style, which is a risk factor for many mental health problems. In extreme and rare conditions the child may not form an attachment at all and may suffer from reactive attachment disorder as defined in DSM-IV and ICD-10. Principles of attachment parenting aim to increase development of child's secure attachment and decrease insecure attachment.
Per Dr. Sears' theory of attachment parenting (AP), proponents such as the API attempt to foster a secure bond with their children by promoting eight principles which are identified as goals for parents to strive for. These eight principles are:
- Preparation for Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting
- Feed with Love and Respect
- Respond with Sensitivity
- Use Nurturing Touch
- Ensure Safe Sleep, Physically and Emotionally
- Provide Consistent Loving Care
- Practice Positive Discipline
- Strive for Balance in Personal and Family Life
Pretty great huh? I love the ideas and values of each and every one of these things. Now, of course like it says, we don't follow every single step, but here is a list and small explanation of what we do.
Natural Birth
When I was pregnant with Monkey, I wanted so badly to have a natural birth without any meds or monitors, but for some reason every single person discouraged me. Any time I would say something about how I wanted to go "natural" the nurse or doctor would ask me things like, "Why, is it because you're afraid of needles?" or "Have you done your research, because it's more dangerous that way." and, "We don't usually have woman give birth that way here." This completely made me think twice and then for a third and fourth time as well. There was no way I could change hospitals at this point and I knew that I just had to try my hardest to convince them and myself that it would be ok. Well, when I was actually in labor, I wasn't too sure about my previous wants and needs for giving birth. At this point (because I laboured at home for seven hours) I honestly wasn't thinking about anything but meeting my baby and not being in pain any more. I gave birth to a 7 lb 9.5 ounce 21 inch long brown haired green eyed healthy baby boy at 1:21 pm on May 23, 2011. I was fine he was fine, but if I could do it again, it would have been in a hospital that accepts the wants and requests of their patients and it would have been all natural. Next time :)
Anti Circumcision Movement
We decided long before Monkey was born that we did not want to circumcise him. The main reason was because we wanted him to remain untouched, the way he was when he was growing in my belly and the way he was born. We didn't feel the need to take such drastic measures for something so pointless. There are actually no longer medical reasons to circumcise. The locker room theory doesn't exist any more either. Seriously, in 2011 who has to change and take showers in front of the entire PE class? Being circumcised does not prevent or even help to prevent STDs, that's just ignorant. People think its going to be so much harder to keep clean and take care of, but you don't actually do much. You are NOT suppose to pull back on the foreskin and this can actually harm your baby. The skin moves back on it's own and over time when it does retract a little, then you can clean in the areas you can naturally get to. I honestly think it would be harder to take care of a healing circumcised baby. There are those who think of their baby's future and about relationships. Well all I can say there is, if they meet some one who really loves them and they get to know each other first, is their partner really going to say "Uh uh, nope, I can't love you any more." when they see them naked? I don't think so. I do think though that more people need to realise circumcision is nothing but a norm. The only reason to circumcise these days is religion, and if that is your reason then go for it. If you don't really have any reasons and and the old ones don't make a whole lot of sense to you, then reconsider. Think about these things and do your research. There are always other options.
Breastfeeding
Baby Wearing
Baby wearing is such a wonderful thing that has actually been a technique for carrying a baby or small child for thousands of years. Many different cultures have adopted this in their own way. There are now so many different wraps and slings and even more ways to wear them, making it possible to care for your infant and do everyday things. Where do babies receive comfort? They want to be held, cuddled, walked with, bounced, skin to skin, to hear you breathing, and your heart beating. This to them is just like being in the womb. I myself have a carrier, a wrap, and a ring sling. I don't really care much for the carrier, but I love my Moby Wrap and Hava Sling. My Hava Sling was a birthday gift from Justin while I was pregnant and we got my Moby Wrap from Target just a few weeks after my baby shower. I think that they both have their own uses and I love them for separate reasons. Here are a few things to know about baby wearing.
What Babywearing Means: Our Story
I would like to introduce you to a style of parenting which will bring out the best in your baby and yourself. During my thirty years as a pediatrician, parents in our practice would often say, "As long as I carry my baby she's content." After years of watching a whole parade of babywearers we dubbed these thriving infants "sling babies." Many kids ago we noticed that the more we carried our babies the less they cried. With each baby, we began carrying them more and more. By the time baby number six, Mathew, entered the family we wanted to become more experienced at wearing our babies.Because we noticed that cultures throughout the world carried their babies in homemade slings we began fabricating different styles of slings to carry Mathew. I remember one day when Martha fabricated a sling out of material from an old bed sheet and said, "I really enjoy wearing Mathew. The sling is like a piece of clothing. I put it on in the morning and take it off in the evening." Hence the term "babywearing" was born in the Sears household.
Since that time we have worn two more infants, Steven and Lauren, and over the past fifteen years have encouraged hundreds of parents in our pediatric practice to wear their babies, as well as promoted the art and science of babywearing in our many articles and books. Since 1985, when we began our personal study on the beneficial effects of babywearing on babies and their parents, we have logged many miles wearing our own babies and have continued to advise this style of parenting in our pediatric practice. At their baby's first check up, we show new parents how to wear their baby. During this personal course on babywearing, we advise parents to experiment with various training positions to find the one that is most comfortable and allows the baby to mold to the contour of the parent's body. I encourage parents in our practice to wear instead of wheel their babies.
Babywearing means changing your mindset of what babies are really like. New parents often envision babies as lying quietly in a crib, gazing passively at dangling mobiles and picked up and carried only to be fed and played with and then put down. You may think that "up" periods are just dutiful intervals to quiet you baby long enough to put him down again. Babywearing reverses this view. Carry your baby in a sling many hours a day, and then put her down for sleep times and tend to your personal needs.
I wore Mathew a lot during the first year of his life. We were buddies from birth. Mathew grew up associating the sling with a fun and exciting place to be. When I would mention the cue word "go", nine-month-old Mathew would crawl to where the baby sling was hanging (because in his developing mind was a flashback that "go" meant daddy would put Mathew in the sling) and we'd take an exciting walk together. These babywearing moments Mathew may never remember, but I shall never forget.
There's a problem here its become quite clear.
Got a 6-month-old Sling fanatic who is clearly an addict.
Wakes in the mid of night screams with horrific might.
So outa the bed I fling and don the medicinal Sling.
Over the head the tool I fit and in it, him I sit.
Instantly he begins to cooo tis amazing what the sling will do.
Which route should I pursue, when he's 20 what should I do?
I gotta wean him from the Sling I tell you, its an addictive thing!
— Bondweign, Hanrath
I love Dr. Sears. More on him later. Anyway, I love my sling and wrap and so does Monkey. You can use them any time any where and if you start young, your child will love it as long as they can fit in it! :)
Co Sleeping (Family Bed)
Oliver started out sleeping in a bassinet next my side of the bed. This made night time feeding easier and also, I was afraid to have him in his crib. It got to the point that we would both just fall asleep laying down and slept all night that way. It's not really "sleeping" to me though. I am still very conscious and know where he is at all times and I sleep only on my back or side facing him. I sleep well but not fully which I am ok with because of the benefits. We do not plan on kicking Monkey out any time soon, but I'm sure one day he will be in his own bed. :)
Vaccines
We are following Dr. Sears' alternative vaccine schedule.
Here it is:
I happen to have the book in front of me, so here you go ...
(Note: This comes directly from The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears. Someone please let me know if posting these schedules violates any copyright laws.)
Selective schedule:
2 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months - PC, Hib
4 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months - PC, Hib
6 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months - PC, Hib
15 months - PC, Hib
5 years - Tetanus booster
10 years - Blood tests for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and hep A immunity. Consider vaccinating if not immune. Also consider a 3-dose polio series if travel to Africa or Asia is a possibility.
11 years - HPV (3 doses, girls only)
12 years - Hep B (3 doses)
Alternative schedule (if you want child to be fully immunized but spread things out a little):
2 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months - PC, Hib
4 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months - PC, Hib
6 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months - PC, Hib
9 months - polio, flu (2 doses)
12 months - mumps, polio
15 months - Pc, Hib
18 months - DTaP, chickenpox
21 months - flu
2 years - rubella, polio
2 years, 6 months - Hep B, Hep A
3 years - Hep B, measles, flu
3 years, 6 months - Hep B, Hep A
4 years - DTaP, polio, flu
5 years - MMR, flu
6 years - chickenpox
12 years - Tdap, HPV (girls only)
12 years, 2 months - HPV (girls only)
13 years - HPV (girls only), meningococcal
Phew!
:
(Note: This comes directly from The Vaccine Book by Dr. Robert Sears. Someone please let me know if posting these schedules violates any copyright laws.)
Selective schedule:
2 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months - PC, Hib
4 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months - PC, Hib
6 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months - PC, Hib
15 months - PC, Hib
5 years - Tetanus booster
10 years - Blood tests for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and hep A immunity. Consider vaccinating if not immune. Also consider a 3-dose polio series if travel to Africa or Asia is a possibility.
11 years - HPV (3 doses, girls only)
12 years - Hep B (3 doses)
Alternative schedule (if you want child to be fully immunized but spread things out a little):
2 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
3 months - PC, Hib
4 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
5 months - PC, Hib
6 months - DTaP, Rotavirus
7 months - PC, Hib
9 months - polio, flu (2 doses)
12 months - mumps, polio
15 months - Pc, Hib
18 months - DTaP, chickenpox
21 months - flu
2 years - rubella, polio
2 years, 6 months - Hep B, Hep A
3 years - Hep B, measles, flu
3 years, 6 months - Hep B, Hep A
4 years - DTaP, polio, flu
5 years - MMR, flu
6 years - chickenpox
12 years - Tdap, HPV (girls only)
12 years, 2 months - HPV (girls only)
13 years - HPV (girls only), meningococcal
Phew!
: Homeschooling/ Unschooling
We are planning on "unschooling" Monkey starting, well, now! Here's some very interesting things about unschooling.
The term "unschooling" was coined in the 1970s and used by educator John Holt, widely regarded as the "father" of unschooling.[2] While often considered to be a subset of homeschooling, unschoolers may be as philosophically estranged from other homeschoolers as they are from advocates of conventional schooling. While homeschooling has been subject to widespread public debate, little media attention has been given to unschooling in particular. Popular critics of unschooling tend to view it as an extreme educational philosophy, with concerns that unschooled children will lack the social skills, structure, and motivation of their peers, especially in the job market, while proponents of unschooling say exactly the opposite is true: self-directed education in a natural environment makes a child more equipped to handle the "real world."[3]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unschooling
You should check out everything else on the page. It is all very interesting and wonderful!
Cloth Diapering
We decided we wanted to do fluff instead of disposable stuff while I was still pregnant. There are so many reason to choose cloth diapers. It's not just good for the environment, but it's also great for you and your baby.
6 Reasons to Switch to Cloth Diapers
 Courtesy of Charlie Banana |
They’re not your mom’s (or grandma’s!) cloth diaper. The cloth diapers available today are more suited for the modern parent’s needs. You no longer need to worry about pins or a diaper service. Plus, today’s cloth diapers are available in adorable colors and prints from bright, bold colors to pastels.
They’re more comfy and healthy for baby. Disposable diapers contain so many chemicals, including chlorine which causes some babies to break out in rashes. Cloth diapers are comfortable, breathable, absorbent and have super soft interior liners. There are no hard, sharp plastic closures to irritate or even cut baby’s skin (like many disposables on the market).
Charlie Banana diapers have a fleece interior and micro terry inserts, so it keeps baby dry and diaper rash-free. Cloth diapering cuts down on diaper rash tremendously.
Options, Options, Options. There are TONS of cloth diaper brands and products on the market that fit every parent’s need and budget. I recommend researching the best option for your family. If you’re not ready to go 100 percent cloth, hybrid options are the best bet for you. Charlie Banana provides a Disposable Insert option — it’s 100 percent biodegradable — made of wood pulp. It’s also a great alternative when traveling or when you’re out and about running errands.
They help reduce your family’s carbon footprint. Whether you’re super eco-conscious or not, this is truly priceless! One child will need about 6,000 diaper changes by the age of 24 months, which equals to one ton of rubbish. And disposables diapers take 500 plus years to decompose. Actually, we’re not even sure if they ever fully break down.
And parents are supposed to remove the solids prior to disposing of them, but this rarely happens. Mostly, they end up in the landfills, sitting in the sun. And since they are full of bacteria, viruses and vaccines, they pose a threat to wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole.
And we haven’t even mentioned the packaging, the wipes, the plastic liners for the disposable diaper buckets and all the resources required to produce the diapers, shipping, trucking etc.
You’re not truly green until you use cloth diapers. From the best organic baby food and softest organic cotton duds to a eco-friendly nursery and green baby care products, more and more parents are jumping on the earth-friendly bandwagon. But when it comes to diapers it seems totally acceptable to let your adorable tot sit in a rough plastic bag full of chemicals 24 hours a day for 2 years!
Babies’ pores and skin are so fragile and new — the skin absorbs everything. For a happy and completely healthy baby, we highly recommend making the switch to cloth diapers.
I'll put up another post about what diapers and accessories we use and everything else we do cloth including our wipes and home made wipe solution.
Just a quick list:
1. I make Monkey's baby food. It's all vegan.
2. We try to go to the Farmer's Market as often as we can.
3. We never let him cry for much time and try to get to him right away.
4. Provide nurturing touch and are consistent with love.
5. I am a stay at home mamma and love every second of being with my little monkey everyday. I never miss out on anything and see him change and grow.
Oh wow I guess that's it for now. I'm sorry I wrote so much and completely understand if you don't want to read it all haha. Now that Monkey is asleep...on to the next post!
peace, love, and baby fluff!
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