So what makes a natural parenting mom/dad?

[JASMAK]

What are the criteria? I am just wondering where I fit in...here or regular? I have two children and I co-slept for two years, and breastfed for 20 mths with my son and 19 mths with my daughter. I plan to for 24 with this one (that is the goal anyways). So far, I do not use cloth diapers as my hubby is not wanting too. I make my own baby foods (sometimes) lol...I use a snuggly but not 100% as I have a bad back (hubby uses it more than me). I guess when I tell people that I co-sleep and BF for so long...it makes some people run. lol....but, do I actually fit in here???

 

[BabyHaines]

Hello and welcome in
I think (for me anyways) 'Natural Parenting' is a term used to cover a different, more baby-led way of parenting.
You don't have to tick x amount of boxes to be allowed in or anything, you just need to have (or be interested in getting) an interest in the more natural way of life. Some people do co-sleep, breastfeed, baby wear, cloth bum etc etc others just do one or two things.
Some find that by doing one (say breastfeeding for example) they automatically end up doing another (maybe co-sleeping).
Others only use cloth nappies and don't do any of the other.

I think I can say though, that the majority of us believe in following our baby's lead. We don't tend to use controlled crying, or stick to a strict routine (other than baby's own natural routine) and we all believe you can't spoil your baba with love

Oh, and don't worry - we're all rather good at convincing hubby's to use cloth nappies lol !! xxxx

 

[AnnaBanana9]

I'm so glad you asked this JASMAK! I've been wondering the same thing myself. I've been BF Alyssa for coming up to 16 months now and we take our cues from her. However, we don't use cloth nappies (although we're talking about the possibility when we have our second). We don't co-sleep either, although I nurse her in bed and the three of us more often than not cuddle in together. I certainly do feel that I belong here more than anywhere as she guides us; no controlled crying here.

Thank you for making me feel like I belong here too

 

[Arcanegirl]

I think its what you see yourself as, theres no specific criteria to "fit in".
We did sleep training (i know most here dont) and i did BF untill 2.5 months and moved onto FF, and we use cloth 100%.
I find myself fitting in here better most times as i dont feel like i follow the norm to everone else around me where i live, im a hippy to them lol
and all the cloth experts are here too

 

[4boys4years]

for me it's following babies lead and doing what comes naturally. The natural mamas homepage sums it up nicely

i have been wearing my babies for just over 2 years (all of them, although not all at once ), i cosleep, attempt cloth (tried once and failed, but giving it another go), breastfeed (although DS3 was formula fed as he wouldn't latch on), and i babyled wean (although made puree for DS1 and DS2). I also have a pram addiction and have used CC out of desperation in the past, these don't generally fit the the natural parenting category.

Some mamas homeschool, gentle discipline, practise unconditional parenting, etc

 

[jen1604]

I find myself fitting in here better most times as i dont feel like i follow the norm to everone else around me where i live, im a hippy to them lol
and all the cloth experts are here too

Yep most people around me say I'm a hippy too

Like everyone else has said I think the one thing we all have in common is that we follow our babies lead.

I FF'ed Ophelia and only expressed for Lennon for a little bit and am only just now switching to cloth but I do co-sleeping,babywearing and don't believe in CIO. xxx

 

[AnnaBanana9]

It's so nice to know that I fit in I guess I'm considered a bit hippy-like here too as I don't really know anyone who has BF nearly as long as I have, and people think it "different" (but in a good way, iykwim) that I've got no plans to stop till Alyssa is ready

 

[BabyHaines]

^^You go girl!!^^

 

[Lu28]

Agree with the others, I'm not sure many of us do everything or tick all the boxes. I bf til she self-weaned at 12 months, started babywearing properly at 7 months, started in cloth at 9 months, BLW and generally just try to do things as naturally as possible following her lead.

We don't cosleep though and she's been in her own room since 8 weeks old

 

[mordino]

I hope I fit in here... I breastfed my DD Alyssa for 8 months sometimes supplementing with formula because my milk supply wasn't great. I don't believe in CIO. We co-slept for more than a couple of years after my DD kept waking up in the night and she was unsettled in her cot even thought it was next to my bed. I didn't use cloth nappies on my DD as I didn't know much about them before but now that I know more about them and I can't wait to use them after this baby is born!

I don't follow baby "manuals", I just went with the flow, letting my baby lead me. I mean I noticed that some so-called experts aren't parents themselves, so I felt I don't trust baby books. Some of the advice are good but I believe every baby is different and we meet their needs accordingly.

 

[Pops]

I never came in here and always thought I would never "fit in" either but then the further into cooking Missy we have got, the more we have realised that some of what we want to do does come under natural parenting so I ventured in and I must say, I love it!

We won't be co-sleeping but we are having a Home Birth (all continuing as is), we are using Cloth nappies and re-useable wipes, plan on wearing her in a BabyHawk and I am going to try to BF her and only yesterday, we were called "raging hippies"...well so sodding be it if doing what we think is best for our baby girl makes us hippies then I'll wear that title with pride

xxx

 

[lorrilou]

With my other 2 i would never have come in here but since i wanted to do things alittle differently this time, especially with charlie being my last i feel that i fit in best here. I co-sleep, i bf for 4 months, i use cloth nappies and ive gone down the blw route this time, which i love.

Most people i know think im abit mad for using cloth but i really couldnt give a toss.

 

[redpoppy]

I don't breastfeed (although I did try VERY hard to carry on past three months), don't intend to do BLW by the book (I'll do a bit of everything and see how it goes), I don't co-sleep but I have done and sometimes manage to convince my LO to co-sleep with me instead of me holding her upright for naps (which is getting cumbersome!!!!), I babywear because it's practical especially on the tube, I never really thought about routine until I started wishing I had one, I don't think crying it out damages babies and if my LO doesn't stop her almost daily 40 minute screaming sessions I will be instilling some training as soon as she hits 6 months. I am still in disposable diapers (but hopefully not for much longer) and I doubt I tick all the boxes when it comes to being a natural parent. But I'm a hippy. So I sometimes hang out here.

 

[JASMAK]

great! I do attachment parenting...and following baby's cues. That is why I coslept with my kids for two years each. That is what they wanted. I had a little trouble tranisitioning my daughter to her own bed and weaning, but when she was almost three, she was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (ASD or autism spectrum). Now it all makes sense. This is my last baby, and I am going to be doing everything the same as it worked for us. My kids are well adjusted, intelligent, and my son is not a pervert (as someone once told me he would be if he coslept). I guess this is where I will be soon then!!! Thanks for the warm welcome. x

 

[OmiOmen]

I would say if you feel you fit in here then it is the right place for you. I think a lot of things that we post here we do because we feel comfortable doing so whereas we would get a lot of hassle for posting in the baby section for example. Also if you get called a hippy or people seem to think you are mad then this section of the site is probably about right for you (not saying we are, but people tend to call me mad). I came in here to find out more about cloth nappies and read up on carrier reviews during pregnancy and found I had a lot in common with people here and did not feel judged so continued to use this section.

I wanted a natural home-birth but ended up with a high-risk pregnancy and a breech baby so needed a planned c-section. I breastfeed and will be making our own vegetarian food once we start weaning. My intention was to sleep in a single bed next to his cot for the first 6 months but he ends up in my bed most nights now despite feeling against co-sleeping while pregnant, I have him with me (on my lap or sleeping next to me) almost all the time and am starting to use my mei tai more and more. We intended to use 100% cloth nappies but are only using them part-time at the moment with the hope that once he hits 9lbs-10lbs we will get on better with them and are practising elimination communication part-time with the hope of doing it more full time (and fully using a tiny potty) once my son can hold his head up (to make holding him over a potty easier). We don't leave our baby to cry but I understand that when he is constipated there is nothing I can do to help and he does not like bath time but still gets them. I know they are not natural parenting related as such but I do find that people are less judgemental about having pets and babies/children, the sort of education you give a child, how you explain things and such in this section. As with many people who fit into this section I do get some hassle from people I know but I feel that I am doing what is right for my child...and just wait until my family (in-laws particularly) find out that I have no intention of lying to my son about anything including Santa!