Attachment Parenting

As a new mother, the information on being a parent is overwhelming. It's taken 2 and a half years, but I have finally become extremely happy with the parenting choices we have made and with the instincts I was given as a mama. I was blessed with a gorgeous baby boy, albeit a very fussy one. Tough for your first baby! He loved being held, disliked sleeping anywhere other than my arms and had a huge appetite. He is still the same as a toddler! I quickly learnt that it was my job to adapt to him rather than try and mold him into a schedule to fit in with what I wanted and what was easier for me. I read a lot of books and I a lot of what I read I didn't like. I didn't like the idea of not breastfeeding on demand, or leaving my baby to cry, or being made to feel like I was 'spoiling' him by holding him and cuddling him so much. So many parenting books around tell new mothers to do things that are so against our natural instincts! We naturally want our babies close to us and to comfort them when they need us. 

So ... I 'fell' into attachment parenting. I read Mayim Bialik's Beyond The Sling. And then Dr and Martha Sears The Baby Book. And then Attached at the Heart. It was like an 'a-ha' moment for me. You can parent your baby with love and affection and tend to their needs. You can keep them close and not feel bad about them. You can breastfeed them for as long as you want. You don't have to feel pressured into going against your instincts. 

If you would like more information on attachment parenting, I would highly suggest having a read of the books I've mentioned above. Maybe not all of attachment parenting appeals to you [there is no AP police, where you cannot subscribe to this kind of parenting if you do not breastfeed, co-sleep etc] but I'm sure some will. If you have ever felt uncomfortable with society suggesting you should parent your child in a certain way, it's worth a read. I gave birth in a very pro-breastfeeding birthing centre but have found society to be shockingly anti-breastfeeding. I read far too many articles on people who find breastfeeding a toddler disgusting. I hear how we are making a 'rod for our own back' by co-sleeping. Reading these books and articles I list below make me feel less alone. Yes, I'm secure in how we parent our child and I know what we do is best for us all, however it is nice to hear that you are not alone. That millions of other mothers feel the same way and are bringing their own babies, toddler and children up the same way. 

Helpful articles on Attachment Parenting:


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