Breastfeeding. Cloth diapering. Baby wearing. Making my own baby food. Natural birth. Doula.Crunchy Mom: A member of an increasingly growing group of moms who are neo-hippies. They generally believe (for varying reasons) that there is something bad or less beneficial about buying mainstream products or doing other common activities in the mainstream way.
These are all my plans. I never intended to be or thought I would be "alternative" or non-mainstream, but it just sort of happened. Actually, it didn't just sort of happen. I know it is directly related to my natural hair journey. When I transitioned to natural hair was the first time I started to read ingredients on products, become more conscious of the ingredients in the products I bought, and realized that I could make my own products and use household kitchen/pantry ingredients on my body and hair. This later expanded into me having a healthier eating lifestyle because I became more interested in the ingredients in food, and how to make pre-packaged type foods at home. So naturally, these philosophies have made their way into my parenting choices.
I don't really think I'm a hippie necessarily, or that mainstream is innately wrong, I just think that sometimes the old way, natural way, or homemade way of things is healthier, cheaper, and/or more beneficial. Everyone is open to making their own life decisions, and who knows what I'll do when this kid is actually out in the world and not inside of me, but I'm o.k. with being crunchy.
Pregnancy Update:
I am 14 weeks today. Woohoo. Nothing major to report. Baby, mamma, daddy and fur baby are all doing well. We'll learn the gender next month!
Are you "crunchy" or more mainstream?
Nothing wrong with it. It's ultimately better for your baby (cloth diapers, making your own baby food, baby wearing). As a labor nurse, just keep in mind that the actual delivery process sometimes doesn't go how you want. Keep an open mind in that respect, but I believe you can have as low key a delivery as you want to have. What's your take on vaccinations? That's not the hallmark of the crunchy movement anymore, but it used to be (the exclusion of vaccinations from their lifestyle).
ReplyDeleteYou'll be a great mom. :)
Yea, I'm prepared to have a plan, but if things don't go as planned I'm open to it. In regards to vaccines I really want to examine the current vaccination schedule. I'd prefer only one thing to be given per visit, so if something is off, we'll really know what caused it. It seems strange to me to give a baby 3 shots at a time!
DeleteAnd OMG Thank you! I hope to do a good job as a momma!
DeleteCDC has a link up with the vaccination schedule. I'd say spacing them is still within a safe management plan.
DeleteI'm kinda-crunchy :)
ReplyDeleteBreastfeeding
Babywearing
Making my own baby food and baby led weaning
Bed sharing
Anti cry it out
gentle parenting and attachment parenting.
I plan to let max cut her own food too with a butter knife young.
Next time I have a kid in going to hold off on the epidural. ..... Maybe. I was begging for it after the 4th post broken water contraction lol.
I love my mixed parenting style
Yea I think you've got to figure out what works for you. I could see bed sharing when they get older, I'll probably be too scared too when they're really little. I'm actually really afraid of newborns, which I'll clearly get over lol. Did your water break naturally or did they break your water?
DeleteI guess im crunchy and didn't know it lol. I thinks its more along the lines of not wanting to have u kid fall into the mainstream and wanting to give them the very best. Im not into cloth diapers tho.. lol I can't imagine doing thaaaaat much laundry!!! Every mommy style is different... just enjoy the journey and go with your own flow. .. :)
ReplyDeleteIndeed! I'm looking forward to all the things I'll figure out on this journey.
DeleteI suppose I'm crunchy, or somewhat! Breastfed, made my own baby food, and baby creams, wore my baby throughout the day, co-slept with both kids but every mother/father does what they believe is best for themselves and their child. I tried clothe diapers and didn't like it, so I opted for diapers (gasp). LOL! I don't know if I really like the title or the connotation "crunchy" has tied to it, but I suppose it is a positive thing.
ReplyDeleteYea, it does kind of have a mocking connotation to it.
DeleteI'm sure you're not 'crunchy'. That's probably how most of my family was raised! :]
ReplyDeleteThis is like the opposite of how most people I know were raised. I'm so happy I've realized all these things are a possibility through the magic of the internet lol
DeleteBack in my day, they really didn't talk much about "natural" anything. In fact, they pushed vaccines and powdered formula and Huggies diapers. It's a different time now. I applaud you for doing your own thing and not conforming.
ReplyDeleteOh, are you registered anywhere yet?
Yea I think we as a society have just reached a point where we examine the risks and benefits of all the great convenient things technology has brought us over the years. I've just gotten started with my registry at http://babyli.st/laneshe-and-timothy
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