Attachment Parenting Insight?

[MamaMolly]

My (sort of)step-sister-in-law recently had a baby and they are a very crunchy, attachment parenting type of family. My dad is an old fart and seriously old school in his parenting opinions and it has come to my attention that the differences are causing some friction for my dad and step mom (who is the mama's mother in law...or would be if the new parents were married, but that is a whole nother post. :)) and the new parents. There is also the issue of the new papa being the younger son, kind of flake, who I will generously call a late bloomer. Anyway, my I feel the need to step my big foot into it and help.

Can you guys link me to some articles on Attachment Parenting that I could share with my dad? He's actually open minded to education, when I explained it was an actual parenting theory with research behind it he seemed genuinely interested in learning more.

I think it would go a long way to help this new mama feel supported, which would tame some of the Step-mama-not quite a mother in law- granny drama. TIA!

[BunnyBee]

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/attachment-parenting

If he wants a relationship with his grandchildren, I'd advise him to keep his opinions to himself. Especially if she's not his daughter or legal DIL. If the parents break up and son is a flake, she may be the only path to his grandkids.

If you're looking for real research research, look for Ainsworth and Bowlby.

[crispychicky]

When I think of attachment parenting, I think co-sleeping, no cry-it-out, babywearing, extended breastfeeding, (I'm sure there are more)..... Are those the same types of things you're looking for info on? I agree that Dr. Sears is a good place to start.

http://www.attachmentparenting.org/support/articles/artbenefitscosleep.php
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201112/dangers-crying-it-out
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/04.09/ChildrenNeedTou.html <-*
http://www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/extended_bf_factsheet.pdf

[queenmama]

My dad is an old fart and constantly judges my parenting style/choices. I hope yours is more open-minded so the new parents can get all of the support they need! ;)

Lara

[AnnieW625]

I think thee are so many facets of AP out there. I first remencer reading about it in Mothering Magazine when Dd1 was about 18 mos to 2 yrs. old, and all of a sudden I felt like I was a failure as a parent because I wasn't into AP. Then I went to the AP website and read it more and even though I didn't co sleep, my DD was pretty easy to sleep train before 6 months, and we didn't breast feed past 4 months I realized there were a lot of the AP ideas I agreed with and still agree with, and I wasnt a bad person for not following it to a T. By that time I started wearing DD1 a bit more as a toddler, and DH liked it as well. I wore DD2 a lot as a newborn -12 month old too, a lot less between a year and present than DD1, but I am still super close to DD2. I think in your case you have to tell your dad that this is what they do and how they want to parent their child and leave it at that. I think if I were to recommend a website I would probably go to the Sears website (although IMHO it has become much more media centric in the last 5 or so years and they now endorse using their own branded products; but that is really a whole other non related post).

[daisymommy]

Of course Dr. Sears, and Dr. Greene has a great blog with lots of research. Ad one more I'm drawing a blank on. I'll update later.
Update: James McKenna at the Notre Dame research center for moms and babies. He's a huge cosleeping, breast feeding advocate. www.cosleeping.nd.edu



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[brittone2]

I'd add Kathryn Dettwyler to the list http://www.kathydettwyler.org/dettwyler.html She's an anthropologist who has researched topics like average age of weaning, etc.

These are for James McKenna at Notre Dame:
http://www3.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/
http://cosleeping.nd.edu/

[Katigre]

the Sears website (although IMHO it has become much more media centric in the last 5 or so years and they now endorse using their own branded products; but that is really a whole other non related post).
Ugh I so agree! I used to reference dr sears all the time when ds was a baby because their articles were easy to link and clearly explained things, but weren't so outside of the mainstream. But then all the branding /marketing their supplements /pop up ads started and I lost my love for them. I still like their print resources like the vaccine book, but I no longer see their website as the best place to send people about parenting topics .


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