How crunchy is our DDC? - Page 4

[carrierenee]

Hmmm.

DS was born in a birth center with midwives, 100% naturally. He is intact, no vaxes for us. I didn't really start offering solids until 11/12 months. We breastfeed, not as much now as my supply has dropped almost completely, but he still exclaims "BOOBS!" and attacks me...hoping he doesn't forget as I'd love to tandem. I loved wearing him up until he was a year or so, and sometimes I still do with my wrap in the hip carry. I do use a stroller sometimes though. We have a TV but no cable/satellite, but thats because we wont pay for it...lol. DS does watch some shows like Sesame Street, and loves disney/pixar movies. I buy my meats, and milk organic and whenever I can find vegetables or fruit. I don't really cook anything out of a box anymore, though cooking is not something I really enjoy...I do it for the health of my family. Plastic toys consume my house...definitely working on stopping this! They are really annoying if anything. We cloth diaper too, and we will with this LO as well. I'm hoping for a homebirth this time around. We also co sleep, its going to get very interesting if he doesn't decide to sleep in his crib by the time this new baby comes! Its sidecared to my bed, but he still usually exclaims..."NO...nooo" at night and ends up right next to me. I think thats about all. My family thinks I'm pretty crazy, but oh well.

[KempsMama]

Originally Posted by Evie's Mama

Me too, but I think it's been so interesting to learn so much about each other this way. Can you imagine what the average fully main-streamer thinks of all us crazies???

Actually I found MDC because there was a thread on a mainstream board making fun of a post on the Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy board. So I don't have to imagine what the mainstreamers think of "us".

[MyFillingQuiver]

KempsMama,

Yes, how backwards we as a society have become, when what comes naturally (and from my personal view, God-given) is wrong...same things said about large families, homebirth, pro-health/nutrition, etc.

I'm not sure how it became "weird" to simply want to be more natural.

[dannic]

Originally Posted by MyFillingQuiver

KempsMama,

I'm not sure how it became "weird" to simply want to be more natural.

For reals, it is insane! People know I have a vested interest in feeding my family from scratch (allergies and intolerances), but can't seem to fathim why I would cosleep, hs, breastfeed beyond a yr (and I've only ever gotten to 18 mos--sheesh!), or even consider CDipes! I like being natural. Of course, I havn'et found a way to tame my curls with out sham/cond and gel.

[KempsMama]

It's sad that mother's are still encouraged to ignore their own instincts. I think that's what this all comes down to. We don't do a lot of the "AP" things, and I wouldn't consider us AP, I don't believe in following a set philosphy, I follow my heart when it comes to parenting, as well as my faith and my husband. So many women I know that parent completely mainstream I think are afraid to parent this way because it's too hard to be different. I'm already different being a Christian, conservative, skirt wearing, homemaking, anti feminist, so I found being a bit crunchy easy.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

Originally Posted by KempsMama

It's sad that mother's are still encouraged to ignore their own instincts. I think that's what this all comes down to. We don't do a lot of the "AP" things, and I wouldn't consider us AP, I don't believe in following a set philosphy, I follow my heart when it comes to parenting, as well as my faith and my husband. So many women I know that parent completely mainstream I think are afraid to parent this way because it's too hard to be different. I'm already different being a Christian, conservative, skirt wearing, homemaking, anti feminist, so I found being a bit crunchy easy.

I know what you mean. I see this a lot with breastfeeding. I have a friend at church who was really big into scheduling her DD as a baby for eating and sleeping. My DD had just dropped a nap and she was debating if her DD was ready to as well. But, the problem she was having was she couldn't figure out how to schedule her eating times with the new nap schedule. She asked when my DD nursed and I replied, "when she's hungry." This boggled her mind.

[BlackSheepPDX]

I'm not even really sure what crunchy MEANS anymore.

We co-sleep, baby-wear, nursed to 30 months, cloth diapered and EC'd, washed our own CDs, used home-made cloth wipes, didn't REALLY start solids until about 9 months, try to cook from scratch and avoid HFCS and preservatives, INTENDED to only have one child in part out of a sense of environmental responsibility (but got overruled by a higher power on that one), selectively vaxed, and are Jewish, and will likely circ if a boy (but I'd rather just have another girl and not have to deal with that question at all), I knit and sew as much as i have time for (which isn't much). I just generally try to be a responsible member of society and make thoughtful decisions about who I am, and how I'm parenting my DD, in light of who I want her to be.

[TanyaR1024]

Lets see....

I am planning a UC with this baby (had my son in the hospital, medicated. Wanted a "natural" birth but didnt really know what that meant or how to get it)

Will breastfeed for at least 2 years (nursed my son for 16 months)

Will co-sleep but will put a crib up in sidecar arrangement (did with my son, at least part-time until about 3YO. I did succumb to pressure to let him CIO a few times though )

Will cloth diaper (didnt start looking into them until my son was 18 months and didnt think it was worth it to start then. Of course he was in dipes until almost 3 so it would have totally been worth it!) Will also attempt to EC, at least PT. I use a divacup when not knocked up and hope to get some cloth pads for backup when the time comes again)

Will babywear (tried with my son but had a crappy store bought carrier. I have a moby and will either be getting a mei tai or ergo for when baby is older, I think)

baby will not be circ'd and will not have any vaccines until at least 3, possibly never (my DS was circ'd and fully vaxed before I knew better )

I make most of my own cleaning/body products though the rest of the household wont give up their shampoo/toothpaste/etc.

Now the really mainstream crap we do lol: we watch way too much tv and play way too much video games and are online way too much! We also eat way too much crap (though our diets are better than most people thats not saying much!). Cant afford to buy much organic and I'd love to grow our fruits and veggies but I just dont know where to start. Plus we have a little squat piece of dirt living in a trailer park right now, and that will probably be the case for a few more years, unfortunately.

We are hardcore recyclers and composters though so I need to try gardening so we can use up that wonderful compost!

We also try to cut out paper/plastic waste (using cloth napkins, just bought a safety razor-less waste, use reusable bottles etc). I also prefer to get things used as much as possible.

As far as household rolls, I do work right now but wont be once baby comes. I hope to find some work I can do from home otherwise I will probably have to go back after a year or so, but I refuse to put this baby in daycare. I much prefer to be a SAHM but my DH doesnt seem so supportive of that. He grew up in a home where his mom busted her butt working 3 jobs to raise her kids without help. She says now, she wouldnt do it that way if she could go back but its already in my DH's head. Meh. I'm working on lowering our bills so I can stay home as long as possible.

My kids go to PS right now but we are really considering HSing next year.

Also, we are pretty strong liberals and spiritual but not religious, though my DH was Southern Baptist growing up.

[Vaquitita]

i'm having such fun reading this thread, that i thought i'd add on. compared to my irl friends i'm uber crunchy, but on mdc? who knows.

both my kids were born at home. they are not vaxed, i don't do routine checkups, and would only take my kids to the doctor if they were really sick (come to think of the only dr they know is our chiropractor). my kids don't get sick much, but when they do i'm a diy'er. support the body's process and wait. i do try to build up our immune systems through probiotic foods and beverages and of course some dirt!

we eat a buget version of traditional foods, everything from scratch. delayed solids. i nursed ds till 4 (actually when I found out I was pregnant again, I decided he was DONE. he hasn't asked in months anyway), dd is 2.5 and still going strong. i cloth diaper and ec in a laid back way. i am learning to be frugal. i garden a bit, compost, have chickens. i babywear, though i do use a stroller with toddlers. we coslept with our 2 kids till about 4 months ago, when we moved them to a shared bed. i use bs and vinegar for most cleaning. we use reusable products (water bottles, napkins, towels, some mamacloth) haven't completely given up disposable products, but their use is kept to a minimum.

i try to keep the kids toys to a minimum we have a mix of wood and quality plastic toys. i purposefully keep my kids lives slow. we don't do too many activities. including learning games. i want them to get bored and get creative. i try to give them lots of time outdoors to just explore, collect, get dirty! (this may be the thing my irl mom friends find the hardest to deal with. lol) when not pregnant sick and tired, we do 2 park days a week (4-6 hours). on the other days my goal is atleast 2 hours outside. i plan to homeschool, charlotte mason style. our faith is a big part of our lives.