Anybody know how CDing got associated with AP?

[tarahsolazy]

OK, so I'm starting to lurk on the MDC boards these days. I can't really post, cause I'm not a good enough mom for there (I'm gonna vaccinate, etc). I was wondering if anyone here has noticed that lots of moms over there link CDing with AP somehow? I do think CDs are great for babies, and are working out well for mine, but I don't see how that relates to attachment parenting. I've read Sears' Baby Book, an AP staple, and it mentions Cds, but not in relation to the AP philosophy. Any ideas?

[papal]

I have not read up about AP but associating CDing with AP or anything else with AP or any other form of parenting is humbug in my opinion. It does a complete disservice to moms (and dads) who dont CD or even those who do. It just bugs me when people set down rigid rules when it comes to parenting styles... it is hard enough already and then to have rules which if you don't follow you are then a failure is just too overwhelming imo!

[egoldber]

Actually I think that CDing is more linked to "natural" parenting and a natural family lifestyly as opposed to attachment parenting.

My rough understanding of the natural family style is try to keep your life as simple as possible: not buying more than you REALLY need, growing and making your own foods and goods as much as possible, simple living, reducing waste, recycling etc. Cloth diapering fits in very nicely with this lifestyle.

That is different from attachment parenting, which is a parenting style. There are some AP mamas that cloth diaper and some that don't. Some AP mamas are also natural family living advocates, but not all are.

At MDC, you will find mamas (and some dads) with a wide spectrum of natural living and AP philosophies. But MDC bills itself as a natural family living community, so I think that is its main focus.

HTH,

[jojo2324]

Interesting! Thanks Beth. This thought popped into my head a few days ago, when I wondered how a CD or sposie could possibly define my parenting style. But that makes lots of sense.

[Calmegja2]

There's actually a wonderful article about this in Child Magazine (last month? I think?). It talks about how some people have co-opted AP'ing, and added things into it that aren't actually defined as AP behavior.

Here, the cloth thing is near the end:

http://www.child.com/pregnancy_baby/babys_first_year/attachment.jsp

Dr. Sears, and Leach, and a few others commented for the story, and they made some really good points about what AP is and isn't, and cloth diapering isn't.

Beth is exactly right. It fits more into the realm of natural, smallered living, but not AP.

[janinegillot]

I just wanted to mention that we vaccinate AND post on MDC. heh heh. Go ahead! Their cloth diapering messageboard is great and I'm sure you have something to contribute.
Janine

[liya]

Wellllllllllllll......LOL

I vaccinate
I also circumsized my son
and do alot of things AP parents dont do....

While i share alot of their beliefs i dont consider myself to be a total AP. PLUS!! I know of ALOT of super APs that dont CD...LOL sooooo i agree with Beth. I think its more of a natural parenting type of style. I do like giving my son food(not gerber foods)..And i am pretty much into the "loving the environment and trying to keep it clean" type of gal...Plus i just love how awsome they worked on my son(miracles i tell you) when he was having such a tough time with sposies....

Edited to add..LOL we are very frequent posters on MDC :)

[jmofarrill]

I suppose some people link the natural living with AP'ing since several of the AP'ing phillosophies are in agreement w/ natural or simple living styles.

Another frequent MDC poster here. There are several of us that post there... I've actually been neglecting BBB a bit lately, and I'm trying to fix that. I miss my imaginary internet friends!

[brookehanna]

>Wellllllllllllll......LOL
>
>I vaccinate
>I also circumsized my son
>and do alot of things AP parents dont do....
>

Same here Linda...though I would never be brave enough to put that in my sig at MDC!

Brooke

Mom to Jack born 12/28/03

[toomanystrollers]

I know where to find you Michelle LOL (And did you see the new custom diaper bag co-op here - kitty cat fabrics!!!)

Yes, lots of us "hang out" on the MDC diapering forum - not a whole lot of "AP" talk going on - just the love of cloth :)

I honestly have never read Sears and I discovered the term "AP" while pregnant with Neve - so some of the "requirements", I've been doing all along - like bf'ing, co-sleeping, etc.


And gasp, my kids all have their vaccs. - the only vac. I have my doubts on is the Chicken Pox vac. And my son is circ-ed.

And I had my babes at the hospital - home births scare me. I know the stats. show the opposite, but still - not for me.

[jmofarrill]

>I know where to find you Michelle LOL (And did you see the
>new custom diaper bag co-op here - kitty cat fabrics!!!)

No way! I don't go to that forum usually since I'm not in the market for a diaper bag, but it looks like I'll be moseying on over there now... Thanks for spending my $$$ Pam! LOL

[tarahsolazy]

Thanks everyone, I thought it was a little funny... I also had my son circ'd, and as a ped, I will get all the vaccines for him. Poor guy, its so many shots now! However, I have actually seen babies with some of the diseases, and they are worse, in my opinion. Also had a hospital birth, with many more interventions than I'd hoped for. But I actually agree with lots of the philosophies espoused by posters at MDC. (Not that MDC is not very diverse, but you know what I mean). Maybe I'll try the waters with a few posts...

Lovin the fluff... (and so is Forrest)

[parkersmama]

Hi, Tarah! Congrat's on the birth of Forrest!

I agree with the others that CDing and APing don't have to go together but are often a natural fit with each other. I love CDing, although I didn't do it with my two older kids, and I do some aspects of APing but not others. I enjoy the Sears' books but don't religiously follow everything they say to do! :)

BTW, did you get the diapers? I'm assuming you did since I didn't hear otherwise. I hope they are okay and you'll be able to use them all! :)

[HoneymoonBaby]

Hmm. I wonder about this, as well. I don't consider myself AP at all (or any other kind of parenting method), and I plan to cloth diaper.

With the caveat that "We plan, God laughs" (meaning that since my baby isn't here yet, I can't really say for CERTAIN what we're going to do, only that we have plans), these are our goals:

1. Cloth diapering -- we're doing it mostly because plastic diapers scare me. They smell funny and remind me of maxi pads, which irritate me after only 3-5 days of use in a month. I can't imagine how icky it would be to sit in them for up to two years straight! I know that if you change them OFTEN, it's not a big deal, but if I'm going to use 12 diapers a day, I'd like them to be reusable, more for the "not wasting money" aspect of it than the environmental aspect.

2. Breastfeeding -- I'm not going to kill myself over this one, but I do want to try it. It's healthier for baby, cheaper for me, very convenient, and will help me lose the pregnancy weight. I will try hard to make it work, but if the effort becomes detrimental to my sanity or emotional health, or the physical well-being of my baby, I will have no problem switching to formula and will put in his or her place anyone who tries to make me feel like a bad mother over it. My goal is to BF at least 6 months. If I make it to 6 months, I'll probably try for a year. I will not BF more than a year, though. I am not a fan of extended BF, for many reasons.

3. Co-sleeping -- not gonna do it. The first week or so, I may have Ian in a Pack and Play or a bassinet next to the bed, but I want him sleeping in a crib as soon as I can make myself feel ready to put him there. Our house is small, so I can see his crib across the hall in the nursery from my bed in the master bedroom. I'll get a monitor for added reassurance, but I DO NOT want our baby to sleep long-term in bed with my DH and me.

4. Vaccinations -- We'll do SOME of them -- the ones for lethal, easily communicable diseases like Polio. My child will have a Hepatitis B shot over my dead body, though. He's not doing drugs, having sex or playing contact sports, so he's not really at risk for Hep B, and the vaccine is pretty new. We'll wait on that one -- like, until COLLEGE.

5. Circumcision -- we're doing it. I left the decision up to my DH.

6. Babywearing -- Yes and no. I'm not doing it as part of any sort of philosophy, and I don't plan to use a sling. I'm getting a Baby Bjorn for when Ian is small so I can get stuff done around the house or go for a quick grocery run without a stroller. I figure DH will use it a lot, too. So, I will wear my baby, but probably not all the time, and not for any other reason but my own convenience. If I find BF to be incredibly cumbersome without help to hold Ian, I may buy a wrap for just that purpose (BFing), but I can't see myself wearing anything but a Bjorn (or possibly a KKAFP for winter) in public. Too hippie-chic for me. :)

Wow, that was quite the novel. Sorry about that! Anyway, as a soon-to-be-mom, I don't think CDing pigeonholes you into any type of parenting but YOUR type of parenting. It's what works for you.

[pimms]

I just have to speak out and say that you are a GREAT mom for vaccinating your child. The benefits far outweigh any small risks and the concerns about mercury are no longer applicable. (And Sears supports immunizations.) I believe strongly in the concept of attachment, since I am a child psychologist, but I also believe in being a "good enough parent" and doing what feels best for you despite pressure to conform to others' ideals of parenting. I pick and choose what I believe in and what I wish to follow, and I hope that you feel that your parenting is the best for you and your child.

Sorry to rant, but it upsets me when others are critical of parents who don't wish to buy into an entire philosophy or choose to research things on their own and make these personal decisions.

And, I CD, breastfeed, make my own food for now, partially cosleep but intend to move him to a crib, work at home while I have the good fortune to, immunize, use disposables when I need to, use a sling, have a part time sitter, had a doula but used drugs during birth, had a c-section...

Just to let you know - be yourself and be proud despite any critics!

(: Samantha

[tarahsolazy]

Thanks Samantha for the kind words! I was really just kidding, I'm a lot like you. I'm a neonatology fellow, and therefore a ped, so I strongly believe in immunizations. I've seen babies with seizures from pertussis, and teens with brain damage from measles. I totally agree about the criticism you can get from some folks for not following their exact philosophy. I also CD, breastfeed, and cosleep, although we're working on changing the sleeping arrangements in the next few months. Reading the family bed forum on MDC convinced me that cosleeping toddlers are not something I'm interested in! Also had my son circ'd, evil mama that I am.

[Melanie]

>I just have to speak out and say that you are a GREAT mom for
>vaccinating your child.

And I'm a great mom for not.

=)

Mother to one Angelic Boy (with a slightly-crooked halo)

[Dscvrlifewith3]

>OK, so I'm starting to lurk on the MDC boards these days. I
>can't really post, cause I'm not a good enough mom for there
>(I'm gonna vaccinate, etc). I was wondering if anyone here
>has noticed that lots of moms over there link CDing with AP
>somehow? I do think CDs are great for babies, and are working
>out well for mine, but I don't see how that relates to
>attachment parenting. I've read Sears' Baby Book, an AP
>staple, and it mentions Cds, but not in relation to the AP
>philosophy. Any ideas?

Hi Tara!

I have been posting on MDC for over a year. My name is OnTheFence. You are a good enough mom to post over there. My name is onthefence for a reason over there. I would say I am half crunchy half mainstream.
I think the reason a lot of them see CD as part as AP because when you cloth diaper you are more intune to your babies bathroom habits so to speak. I really do not think CDing has anything to do with AP but I believe that is some of the reasoning behind it.

Kim