Slightly depressed after my friends baby shower

[laurabfig]

I got so depressed after this shower today. All the comments about breastfeeding not being that important, babies sleeping in their cribs in a room by themselves, scoffing at carrying a larger baby in a sling. Plus all the plastic crap that babies just don't need. Ugh. It is her first kid, so I get it...you think you need all the stuff, but it still made me sad. I left the shower feeling bad that I felt judgmental of other moms that were there, but also sad that attachment parenting is just not culturally mainstream in the US. I felt like I needed to come on MDC just to vent a bit and be around other mamas who parent their babies in ways similar to myself. I'm not sure why it bothered me so much. Maybe I should go to LLL meetings to find some friends irl who would support my choices.

[MamitaM]

I understand how you feel. I tired to explain my choices about no plastic toys to a friend and she totally didn't get it. I can't visit "mainstream" forums at all now b/c the women there attack me for my beliefs and make fun of the way I do things, like EC'ing.

[aphel]

Originally Posted by laurabfig 

Maybe I should go to LLL meetings to find some friends irl who would support my choices.

Yes! Do this!

I started going to my local meeting a few months ago, and I met so many wonderful people. I met one woman that I really clicked with, and we've hung out a bit outside of meetings. I love all my friends, whether they're parents or not, whether they make the choices I do or not, but it is so wonderful to have some IRL friends who you really have a lot in common with.

Try using your local tribe section as well!

[Knitting Mama]

Laura-- have you ever checked your local tribe here on MDC to see if there are playdates? Another good thing to check is meetup.com; I found my happy AP group there!

[lunarlady]

I know what you mean about feeling out of place. I am sort of the "freakish" one who home births, cloth diapers, slings my kids...my only "normality" is in letting my kids have a few crazy plastic light up squishy fuzzy mainstream toys and in using plastic sippy cups. If it wern't for those two things I wouldn't even be at most baby showers. As a working mom, it is hard to make AP playgroups, home birth circles, and LLL meetings, but I try to do it from time to time just to feel less weird. It was so funny to look around home birth circle last week and see EVERY baby getting their CLOTH diaper changed. What a nice change to not be the weird one with a wet bag. . Check out a meeting. You might like it.

[Knitting Mama]

Oh, and here where I am, we have a standalone birth center, and they have a mom and baby circle that meets twice a week-- maybe something like that is available near you?