Let's Talk Feeding

Let's talk about feeding babies.  Being a cloth diapering mom, I tend to speak with other cloth diapering moms during my internet browsing.  This is honestly very nice.  It's helpful when you are having stinky issues with your diapers, if you want some advice or if you want a recommendation.  But there are times when I'm not a big fan.

Cloth diapering moms, tend to have more "natural parenting" tendencies.  "Natural parenting" is probably in and of itself a horrible stereotype, but these are the mommies (and daddies) who cloth diaper & baby-wear, co-sleep & use elimination communication, breastfeed until babies are young children (sorry, this is an exaggeration, but I'm trying to paint a picture) & refuse to feed their babies anything that isn't purely organic.  These are also the "cover your home in Saran wrap, buy inflatable tub and have a home birth" parents.  (Again, please realize I'm exaggerating and pointing to the extreme of natural parenting.)  

Well, I consider myself somewhat of a "natural parent."  I cloth diaper.  I breastfeed.  I co-slept with Kayla for about 4 months.  I tried to make my own baby food.  Actually, when it comes to feeding, there is a technique of introducing solid foods to babies called Baby Led Weaning.  I tried this.  Basically, you skip purees and give baby "finger shaped" foods that you would eat (veggies, fruits, chicken, etc.)  And natural parents rave about BLW (baby led weaning).  I was all excited about it.  Bought the book (couldn't finish it because it was so boring and redundant.)  We started Kayla on solids before we "should have."  We fed (and still feed) her purees (the organic kinds in those suckable pouches.  She stinkin' loves those things.)  She literally would not even touch the foods when we tried baby led weaning.  Supposedly, these babies have larger palates, are less picky, etc.  (I guess probably depending on who you talk to.)  Kayla has some picky days, where all she will eat is bananas.  But overall, I think she's a pretty good eater.  

And like her mother, she clearly loves macaroni and cheese (cue MANY hilarious photos of Kayla and Mac'N'Cheese.)

But before the amazing photos, (you can skip this paragraph if you wish), sometimes I have a real problem with these so called "crunchy" parents.  (I mean, just look at the title of this blog...) These people always seem to think that the way they are doing things is the best way and no one should ever have to do anything any other way.  This drives me completely batty.  I may not be doing everything right, but if I've learned one thing, it's that there is no "right" way to get babies to sleep through the night, to eat their veggies, to take good naps, to get a schedule, to pee/poop when you want them to, etc.  I could go on and on.  I think so many natural parenting ideas are awesome.  And if those things worked for you and your baby that is SO great.  But please stop pushing it on everyone else around you.

The ultimate thing that drives me crazy is this.  As a breastfeeding mom, I can honestly say, I want to punch mom's in the gut who rave about "breast is best" & "there is no better milk than mommy's milk." There are so many woman who have a hugely difficult time breastfeeding, or even physically can't.  I mean, you may remember that I bled so much that Kayla spit up blood all over herself and me TWICE. I'm lucky I've made it this far.  All I have to say is that being a mom is hard enough, we don't have to add extra guilt into it for not doing what is "best," when in actuality, we are.  OK, I'm off my high horse.  And as I side note, I pretty much support all mommies, no matter how they diaper, what they feed, or where their kids sleep.

Look at this little piggy!

So stinkin' excited.

Mom I seriously LOVE macaroni!

And please (please, please!) don't even get me started on vaccinations.  Please.