Childbirth Pages


Personal Opinions on Mothering, My Two Bits Worth

just thinking I have come across many good pages in the process of putting this Childbirth section together, and, as with parenting (in general) have found many opinions of differing force and extremity. As you can imagine, over the years I have tried out more than a few. Here is my assessment of some:

Breastfeeding All the research supports this as one of the best things you can do for your new baby (and you). Yes, there are some inconveniences, such as unauthorized letdown, sometimes sore nipples, and unwelcome comments from the odd person or so, but weighed against the benefits, they are inconsequential. For whatever time you can offer your child, please breastfeed. Strengthened immunity, pleasant mommy/baby times, easy and clean food supply, these are just a few pluses ......and there is nothing like that special little baby smile on your child's sweet face.

Attachment Parenting I always practiced a form of this. Just not as a pronounced philosophy! As a rule, I have become resistant to parenting by rote, no matter how "natural" or "expert" or "whatever" the method. Part of my resistance comes from my gullibility and the resulting hard lessons. With one of my children, it took the upbraid of a friend to break through my well-meaning (but misplaced) idea of "letting him cry it out". I was using this type of child raising from the influence of "Christian" teaching. Experts abound, but there is only one mommy for your child's life. Generally, a rule of thumb would be: Express God's Love. I do not believe that a newborn is capable of deliberate selfishness -they cry to communicate need. Those basic needs should always be met.

I have reservations about the parts of attachment parenting that advocate a family bed. I tried to allow toddlers occasional nights in our bed, but the constant squiggling meant they were soon in their own space. Usually, I did have the newborns sleep next to me; but it wasn't always by design. There are concerns of the baby rolling out of your arms or you rolling onto the baby. As for an ongoing family bed -picture this: three toddlers,two middles? where's the room for me? My husband feels the dog house was made for him, so we don't factor him in. Seriously, I value the privacy of my marriage bed, I have a need to my own time and space...and I get tired of locking the bathroom door to have it. Not everyone is going to feel this way, and not everyone will have the longterm parenting time that results in this thinking. I know that and that brings me to a point I'm convinced of: No one parents your child as well as you.

Your feelings, your observations, and anticipations of how your child should be raised should carry weight. Expert opinion, friends and relatives comments, seminars and books, are all helpful; but it is you that God chose to raise your children. You do know something just by virtue of being a mother. I do not have anything to corroborate this idea of mine, but many are the times I was sorry I went against my own feeling of what was best for my child.

Look into this:

Breastfeeding: Recovery Links

Breastfeeding Helps

Some things you can do
Sometimes this is easy and sometimes it takes some effort, but it is worth it for you and your baby. Be sure to drink plenty of liquids. Eat balanced meals. RELAX. Take time with your baby, get used to the rhythms of "letdown", of comfortable position, etc. If you have "afterpains", you may want to rub your uterus. This is temporary until your uterus returns to its normal size.

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Helpful Things - My Blog Posts

  1. Bringing it home, Quiver Full?
  2. More Birth Control Controversy
  3. Bringing it home, Quiver full , Birth Control, Common Sense
  4. Motherhood Poems

Try These Good Books

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Seventh Revised Edition (La Leche League International Book)
The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers Revised and Updated: The Most Comprehensive Problem-Solving Guide to Breastfeeding from the Foremost Expert in North America
BabyCatalog.com