Dec 14 2008
Attachment Parenting
I try and write as much as I can about breastfeeding and the importance of it. It’s still not as accepted as it should be and there are a lot of myths out there. So if I seem obsessive or get a little repetitive I apologize now. I am highly against using formula for my baby; I don’t have to worry about recalled products and I know exactly what is going into her body and that she’s getting the best stuff possible. God gave us this wonderful gift for a reason; plus it’s FREE! That doesn’t mean I am against others using formula though. My sister-in-law has used formula for her babies and I’ve fed them the formula myself. I do tell people the benefits of breast milk so they have all the facts but if they choose to formula feed than that’s up to them. I also try and read facial gestures so that I know if someone has checked out and doesn’t want to hear me “lecture” them.
My parents used the “cry it out” method and I know I turned out fine. (ha ha) I originally planned to do things the same until I started reading up on attachment parenting and favored that method more. My dad and I often clash on this topic, especially when my daughter is crying. He likes to tell me I hold her too much and need to let her cry more. Honestly, I think you should do what you feel is best for your baby. I let my daughter cry when I think she needs it and I hold her when I think she needs it. Usually I let her cry when she’s very tired because when I put her down to bed she’ll toss around and crawl away. She really hates the crib but I put her into it and either sit on the bed and watch TV or leave to sit outside the room. (My mom told me my dad had to take her outside once to let my brother cry because it bothered her so much.) This can be hard sometimes because I don’t always feel like I’m doing what is right. I feel this way because I hate hearing her cry and being the reason she’s crying. Even though I’ve hurt her feelings I still know that it’s what she needs. Crying helps us let out stress and it helps tire her out so the next time I try to nurse her to sleep she’ll actually go to sleep. You also have to think that she’s going to have many disappointments in life; times when I’ve told her no and I need to learn to not give in now otherwise she’s going to go through life thinking she can get everything she wants.
Now that you know where I stand and a little on how I am. I wanted to give more facts. 
- Did you know that whale calf’s stay with their mothers and nurse for a full year! Animals obviously know what’s good for them.
- Attachment-parented babies cry less. (There’s a plus!) Because they spend less time crying they will spend more time playing and learning and this means, smarter babies!
- A baby who’s been attended to promptly and had it’s cues and cries answered promptly are more competent in their social skills.
- Attachment-parented babies have hire IQ. (So if you use the attachment parenting method and breastfeed, it is definitely supposed to help raise their IQ.)
If you are a little unaware of how attachment parenting works it’s when you respond to every cry your baby makes. You become very familiar with their cries and cues and you believe there is a reason for each cry. Teething, tired, hungry, wet, hurting, too hot, too cold, missing you, these are all reasons baby could be crying and you respond quickly and understand that they need you. Breastfeeding, wearing baby in a sling or carrier or holding them often, co-sleeping or having baby sleep close to you; these are all things that come with attachment parenting. Attachment parenting builds trust; your baby will know that they can rely on you when needed because you have learned their signals. My daughter and I are proof as she highly trusts me. For months now I’ve been able to put Hylands Teething Tablets in between my fingers and hold them to her mouth; I ask her to ‘open for medicine’ and she does. She lets me brush her teeth and put numbing gel onto her gums when needed (even though she hates this.) Because she trusts me this will make it easier to parent her through out her life. She knows that I can be counted on and discipline wont be as difficult a task.
