You know how in the mid 90s, being ‘bi’ was often characterized as actually being ‘try’? As in ‘try anything’? That’s basically how I’ve approached my parenting style.
So while I do many things that could be considered ‘crunchy’, I don’t consider myself a ‘crunchy mom’. I think a better description would be ‘Crunchy Friendly’... if that. Maybe 'Crunchy Aware'?
What I Wear and How I Look
- I usually don’t wear make-up, mostly because I don’t make time for putting it on.
- I don’t cut my hair usually because I don’t make time to get to a hair dresser… and pony tails are just that easy.
- I don’t shave my legs regularly. I do shave my armpits and do other trimming regularly. So, I’m not entirely Amazon.
- I did go without a bra when I was exclusively pumping for my son. Otherwise I usually wear one. And I do like my shoes and socks (its cold in England!). I just ask other women to keep it classy… I always do.
- I don’t do Sea Sponges nor Diva Cups. Tampax is my preference.
Around the House
- I did look into making my own shampoo and soap, but it seemed like it would make a huge mess and I didn’t want to risk any fumes near my son. I might look into this again if we get a larger house with the dream workshop room I’ve been asking for.
- I use some some herbal remedies, the obvious ones like tea tree oil or lavender. I get rather sceptical about it sometimes and this is after working for many years in the health food industry. I do avidly take vitamins, however.
- I do make some of my own cleaning products… specifically water+vinegar+lemon as an all purpose spray. I like using it on everything in place of other cleaners because it’s cheap, easy, and I don’t have to worry about my son swallowing it. I still purchase toilet cleaner, however.
Eating and Nutrition
- I don’t make all my own bread but would if I had the time and a bread maker. I encourage others to make their own bread, if for no other reason than how fresh and tasty it is!
- I don’t grow, can, or jar my own food, but I have researched how to do it and I would seriously consider doing it once my next child has grown a bit. I encourage other moms to give it a try so that they can teach their children where their food comes from. I was sad watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and almost all of the kids couldn’t identify vegetables.
- I do take loads and loads of vitamins during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I take a pre-natal, a calcium + magnesium + zinc + vit D, a vit C, garlic, Echinacea (every other week), folic acid, and a pro-biotic (I don’t expect that to cross into breast milk though).
- I’m not vegan, nor vegetarian. If somebody else wants to be, more power to them—just be sure to tell me before you’re invited to dinner so that I don’t botch the meal for you!
- I’d buy more local fruit and vegetables if it were more convenient. I recommend that others buy local.
- I think baby led weaning is a great thing! I didn’t do too well with it, however, because I couldn’t stand to watch my son gag.
Pregnancy and Birth
- Yes, I do pay attention to my fertility signs.
- I do use birth control. I’d like politics to stay out of my uterus. I want all women to enjoy as much reproductive freedom as I do.
- I wouldn’t do a home birth. Seems like too much mess to clean up after. Other people can do whatever they want in their homes, however. Just make sure mommy and baby stay safe!
- I think water births are neat and I might give it a go with my next child… I think it is offered at the local hospital.
- I advocate natural birth. I also advocate pain killers. I think c-sections are way over prescribed. I’ve had a natural birth and I’ve had a c-secton and I am looking forward to my VBAC, because given the choice, I’d push a baby out time and time again over having a baby cut out of me.
- I have not ingested my placenta. I’d consider getting it capsulated, however, especially if it helps forgo PPD.
- I didn’t circumcise, but more because my son should look like his father. I’m not dead set against it, but I’d rather other moms not do it. It had its use in history which doesn’t apply anymore.
- I’m pro-abortion. I’m also pro-adoption. And I’m pro-keeping-the-family-together. And I’ve done all of those at one point or another in my life.
Breastfeeding
- I was unable to successfully breastfeed my son, but I did exclusively pump for him. I can’t say I’d keep that sort of schedule again for my next baby though.
- If I could tandem nurse, I would. I think it’s great for mom and the kids.
- I don’t think I could allow another woman to nurse my children, but I would be just fine with accepting breastmilk from another mother.
- I am a lactavist and I do believe that formula manufacturing companies have far too much influence on our culture. I credit the internet for enabling mothers to network and learn about breastfeeding, for the rise we’re seeing in breastfeeding rates.
Raising the Babe
- I think moms who can use Elimination Communication must be amazing. I’m not one of those moms, however.
- I did try cloth diapers. They are pretty awesome, very cute prints. Thing is, I hate laundry. But if you have the time for it, it’s highly endorsed. You can even ask me questions about it—I learned quite a bit! But for me, given a choice between doing laundry or fingerpainting with my son, I'll choose fingerpainting!
- I co-sleep on occasion, when it’s especially cold or when my baby isn’t feeling well.
- I was late on using a baby sling on my son. However, I totally look forward to slinging my next baby.
- I believe in vaccinating on schedule. I’m not bothered that monkey eye balls are injected into my son. That’s what his immune system is for! I’m perfectly fine with stem cells being used in creating vaccines. I think organizing chicken pox parties or selling infected items online is ridiculous and dangerous to others, besides unlawful, if you’re mailing those items through the post. I don’t think vaccines need to be delayed because I trust my son’s GP and that the doses are designed to be right for that child’s age and weight. I remember when Jennifer McCarthy was snorting coke as a MTV VJ and needed an image change after she had a child, and that she capitalized on her son’s autism. I know that Dr. Andrew Wakefield falsified his report where he claimed autism was caused by vaccines. Polio is not a ‘dead’ nor a ‘fake’ disease—my son’s grandmother had it. I have a lot to say on vaccinating.
- I don’t do Cry It Out. I have tried Controlled Crying, but I didn’t like doing that and likely won’t again.
- I don’t think homeschooling is healthy. I don’t think I’d be able to provide a balanced curriculum for my kids. I think my curriculum would be far too opinionated and I’d rather my kids make up their own minds on things, so I’d like them to have exposure from multiple sources. I also think that it doesn’t prepare kids for a work life in an environment that they don’t have control over. I also wouldn’t recommend homeschooling for your kid for these and many other reasons.
- I’m very big on attachment parenting and gentle parenting.
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