Someone reasure me!!

[Jetters]

"I have never met anyone who actually stuck with cloth nappies, they all have the best intentions but give up"

"Everyone who I know who has a baby carrier says its a waste of money as you dont use it very often, Ive only used mine a handful of times"

"The only reason I feed my baby this way is because this is the only way he allows me to feed him..if he does it himself"

"I tried to let baby sleep in my room but after a week or so he went to his own room as he will annoy you and disturb your sleep with all his sounds"

JESS!
She's totally right that what we necessarily want to do as parents doesn't always fit in with what the babies want- but there was absolutely no need for her negativity.

Look at me- I am a single mum, I go to college full time and still manage to have time to wash all my nappies, play on my messageboard, see my friends, get good sleep, etc etc. Just cos she's not good at time management doesn't mean you wont be!!!!

All you can do is make a plan- give it your all- and if it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out! For me, I always said my NUMBER ONE GOAL when the baby arrived would be to be entirely baby led: that's all that mattered to me. So with that in mind, had I not succeeded at one thing I was hoping to do, then so be it. I gave up breastfeeding at 7 weeks but refused to feel guilty about it; my son is happy and well fed so it doesn't matter how.


Slings... LOVE mine.
I always said I wouldn't get one, I'm lazy and have a bad back, and Garry said he wouldn't use it, but I got my Rose & Rebellion when he was 3 weeks old and LOVE it and so does Garry. I still prefer taking the buggy when I go out for a long day or shopping but that's just cos I like to have the buggy to put all the bags and stuff in. We use ours ALL the time and love just being able to pop it on and go for a walk.

Babys room...
I only have a one bed flat, but I personally would never have even considered putting Kia out of my room. Yeah he's noisy and snuffly but I like that, it reassures me that he's breathing!!! I have a co-sleeping cot and we both sleep fabulously. I could never relax if I couldn't open my eyes and see he's alive

Nappies...
Once you get into a flow, then it's effortless. I enjoy my routine and love cloth so much i'd never go back to disposies.

 

[Jetters]

Oh, and, toughen up girlie: you wont BELIEVE how often you'll hear this negativity, especially from other mums... it's baffling. xxxxx

 

[Missy89]

I also think that the reason so many mums give up on these things is because they don't have the support with them, I mean how many women here can say they would have carried on with cloth after having leaking issues or there nappies hadn't washed propally if they hadn't had someone to ask how to solve it. When I was had a silly question about co sleeping the other day I posted it here and lots of lovely ladies got back to me and reassured me- wihout that I probally would have talked myself out of co sleeping as none of my friends have done it, it's sooo nice to think if I have any worries with anythng once LO is here I can ask

I really do think it makes a difference and as there's not many natural parenting mother and baby groups I think were all lucky to have this place

(p.s incase you've not noticed im feeling rather soppy today! Lol)

 

[mommy43]

i think because u planned to do all that from before ur lo arrives it will be the norm to you n u wont know any different (i mean that in the best possible way) washing nappies making baby food ect ect will just be part of ur adjustment to a new baby its harder when u start off using things for convenience n then decide to change (like me)still its totally do-able either way n if mothers with babies in cloth nappies that make their own baby food didnt get any time to them selves this section wouldnt be here lmao

 

[Lliena]

n if mothers with babies in cloth nappies that make their own baby food didnt get any time to them selves this section wouldnt be here lmao

So true

 

[Kaites]

all of your plans are completely do-able hun and it sounds like you have the right attitude of giving things a go and not beating yourself up if something doesn't work out. Sounds like you are setting yourself up for success with all your research too

A year into this parenting stuff, I can honestly say that cloth diapers are no harder than sposies (especially if your child is prone to BFing poo blow outs in sposies like mine was- sposies were actually more work for us during the first 6 months) once you've figured out what works for you. Babywearing can be comfortable and easier than using a stroller when you are using a good carrier (my child was 20lbs at 4 months too so no feather-weight either). Co-sleeping can mean a good night sleep- I got a horrible sleep when we moved her into her own room, partly because I missed all those "annoying noises" that my mum warned me about and was staying up listening for them, so we moved her back in (Emma's not a great sleeper, but that's a whole different story about not believing in sleep training...). I guess what I'm trying to say is that your choices aren't as hard as your neighbour might lead you to believe- it's your baby and only you know what is best for her and your family

 

[Butterfly2005]

Wow what a negative grouch!

There is no reason at all that you cant do all of the things you intend- plenty of mums do all that!

Sounds like she's just trying to justify her own parenting styles, and feels threatened by you desire to do things more naturally.

Dont be discouraged at all xxx

 

[jessabella]

Oh, and, toughen up girlie: you wont BELIEVE how often you'll hear this negativity, especially from other mums... it's baffling. xxxxx

you are so right..Im learning how not to be a big softy! Im pretty tough usually..damn hormones

 

[jessabella]

I also think that the reason so many mums give up on these things is because they don't have the support with them, I mean how many women here can say they would have carried on with cloth after having leaking issues or there nappies hadn't washed propally if they hadn't had someone to ask how to solve it. When I was had a silly question about co sleeping the other day I posted it here and lots of lovely ladies got back to me and reassured me- wihout that I probally would have talked myself out of co sleeping as none of my friends have done it, it's sooo nice to think if I have any worries with anythng once LO is here I can ask

I really do think it makes a difference and as there's not many natural parenting mother and baby groups I think were all lucky to have this place

(p.s incase you've not noticed im feeling rather soppy today! Lol)

I think you are so right..I mean to be honest when my MIL asked me if i was going ot do cloth nappies and wanted a washin service I was like NOOOOOOOWAY...I was so adomit that I was not dealing with poo..but then a guy at my husbands work told him about the nappies they got and he came home and told me..I then though I shoudl reasearch this..and well here I am 4 months later..with a shelf full of 45 nappies I think you are right that if we have support and a place to ask questions we wont give up so easily...I suppose I was just so unhappy that she was saying IT CANT BE DONE....or that I was being nieve to the fact that a baby means change in life and takes up time..ect...

 

[jessabella]

i think because u planned to do all that from before ur lo arrives it will be the norm to you n u wont know any different (i mean that in the best possible way) washing nappies making baby food ect ect will just be part of ur adjustment to a new baby its harder when u start off using things for convenience n then decide to change (like me)still its totally do-able either way n if mothers with babies in cloth nappies that make their own baby food didnt get any time to them selves this section wouldnt be here lmao

I agree with you...I actaully saw this neighbour today and we were talkinga bout what she does and how she new how to do what she does with her baby because of caring for her sisters babies...I told her that i have no idea of anything else other than what I have planned and spent time researching..so I wouldnt now if using a cloth was harder than a disposable becaues I never had to deal with sposies...if all I have used is cloth then i will use it and get on..or if all I know about is BLW or if it seems natural to babywear then I will just get on with it and work out the kinks...fair enough if something isnt woring .....I will definanlty be looing into a different way of doing things..but will definanlty try what my aims are first!

 

[Rachel_C]

You know, I think there is one valuable thing to take from what she said - that things don't always go to plan! It's great to have ideas about how you'll do things but I'd try to avoid letting them be set in stone in your head because then if they didn't work out quite like you planned you'd feel like you'd failed in some way.

Apart from that, she's talking rubbish. In fact, I bet there are mums who it works exactly the other way round for. Some mums plan to use sposies but they always leak or their LO gets nappy rash. Then they either have to put up with that or if they're lucky somebody will recommend cloth! Some mums buy an expensive pram only to find that LO screams unless they're carried. Some mums spend a fortune on decorating a nursery only to find that they feel panicky and can't sleep with LO in another room! Lots of babies won't let you put food in their mouth so their parents let them feed themselves.

Anyway, I'm sure for most of the things you've planned they'll work out exactly as you planned them, but there might be some things that work out differently. You just do what's best for your baby and for you, whatever that is

 

[mommy43]

/\/\ definatly when u have a baby u have to be flexible what works for your friends, neighbours baby might not work for yours also u may have the best layed plans when your baby has other ideas

 

[T-Bex]

I stuck at everything, and there is no reason why you won't too! BFing and co-sleeping are just brilliant for lazy parenting...

"Baby crying? Boob time!"

 

[nicholatmn]

I stuck at everything, and there is no reason why you won't too! BFing and co-sleeping are just brilliant for lazy parenting...

"Baby crying? Boob time!"

Exactly! !!

 

[Bayleaf]

I think it's worth bearing in mind that millions of women in developing countries haven't got access to prams, formula milk, bottles, disposable nappies, clocks, blenders, bottle warmers, bouncy chairs, cots and all the other gubbins that are so much part of mainstream parenting in the westernized world.
Our so-called mainstream parenting is a relatively recent development.
So really breastfeeding, babywearing, co-sleeping and BLW is very much and always has been the human socio-biological standard