Confessions of a not so crunchy mom

[letabug]

I noticed that in the main thread for the week some people are kinda feeling like they don't really belong...me sometimes too. So I thought I would start this and see how it goes!


~Now that I am tired I used Huggies...I have 2 dozen fireflys and a ton of kiwi pies but I am using disposable b/c I can't even keep our laundry up.
~I have never given up meat EVER
~I will have this baby in a hospital with a Doc too
~My son is circed (if this is a boy I will fight to not circ him)
~I bought Dr. Bronner's to try to be better at the crunchy thing and I hate it I have 2 bottles sitting in my pantry.
~I don't have a garden I buy produce at the store
~ I don't homeschool and most likely will not b/c we have awesome schools around most of the bases
~I drive an SUV
~I tried to breastfeed my son but he didn't know how to suck even a bottle so my husband yelled at me and made me give up nursing b/c we have to travel 20 hours when ds was 1 week old.


I feel better laying it on the line like that, just because I don't do the same as the other mom's on the board doesn't matter b/c we are all moms or going to be moms. And everyone here is NICE I had the same problem at the Babycenter board and I would cry and then I just left they were MEAN~~~~

[wtchyhlr]

Thanks Letabug... I'm going to have to confess.......

-oh. I drive an SUV too.
-My garden has flowers in it. not veggies. I go to Safeway for those.
-I tried being a vegetarian once. turned into a monster. Meat makes me happy. very happy.

I've never tried the babycenter board... and won't. I like this one. Everyone is Nice. nice is good. Its all about respect.

[Boobs]

Oooh! This is fun!

* I'm another SUV driver. (although our next car will be a hybrid)
* I'm no longer a vegan. I will never eat meat again, but this baby likes cheese and ice cream.
* I didn't like Dr. Bronner's either. I do use it to clean the tub, but that's it.
* My daughter goes to public school and this one will too.
* I don't garden or make my own cleaning products. Although I would like to do both someday.
* I rarely buy organic. It's very pricey and limited around here.
* I shop at Wal-Mart for just about everything.
* I wear makeup and get my hair colored.


I do want to cloth diaper and extended nurse and homebirth. Those things alone make me a complete freak of nature to my family and friends.

[oohlalabags]

Me too .. i am trying though ..ever since i've had babies i've changed my views and want to live a healthier lifestyle ...

- all 3 babies wear disposibles - thought about switching but my dh says no
- my babies slept in our room but not our bed(i was too paranoid that we would smush them) until they were about 6 months and then they moved to their own rooms
- all 3 are formula feed because they are lactose intolerant ( i tried i really did and I still wish i could breastfeed them)
- their lactose free formula comes from walmart because it's the cheapest place to buy it and when you have 3 on it .. that matters
- my husband is still learning positive/gentle discipline (i told him that i won't stand for anything else)
- we do eat meat .. kids not so much though
- is a minivan bad?

[wtchyhlr]

not to sound too dumb, what's Dr. Bronner's ?

[mehndi mama]

I, too feel like I don't belong in the weekly threads, but not because I'm not crunchy. I'm too far to the crunchy side, I think. I get irked when I read about multiple ultrasounds and OB appointments and cribs and stuff, so I don't post or read. I don't want to be intolerant or closed-minded, yk? I know that everyone's life and experiences are different.....but I have to sit on my hands.

[Lousli]

Mehndi, I'm probably one of those that irks you! I definately do the multiple ultrasound thing! I'll try to keep my mind open to your crunchiness if you keep yours open to my non-crunchiness, kay?

I have so many, I don't know where to start!
-disposable diapers for this one and probably the next (dh is a sahd, and said "No way!" when I thought about cloth)
-vaccines
-Hospital birth/OBGYN (but I do try to stay very informed and use my mom, a CNM to help me make important decisions, also planning a natural birth this time)
-We eat meat
-I can't usually afford organic, but try to buy it when possible, and alwayss organic milk
-I sometimes eat fast food
-I teach public school, and my kids will go to public school
-I shave my legs and underarms and wear makeup
-had an epidural with my daughter

On the crunchier side, I:
-co-sleep
-nurse my 2.9 year old daughter
-will not circ if it is a boy this time
-intend to babywear, and sling dd whenever she lets me
-practice gentle discipline/AP
- Am trying hypnobirthing for a natural birth this time

[Free Thinker]

Here's mine

We eat meat every night... Me not as much, but one of DDs fav. words is MEAT
My DD slept in a crib, and she liked it better that way. We do a modified co-sleep :LOL
I shop at Wal-Mart, b/c it's the only place around here... I dream of Target, though :
My DC will be born in a hospital w/ an OB, I am not opposed to epidural, and had one w/ DD. I was also induced a week late w/ DD, and was very please w/ the outcome, a 5.5 hour labor!
We work on gentle dis., but it is hard... I like the ideas, but I think I"m more on the parental disc. side than the do nothing, ignore behavior side (not sure if that makes sence?)
Oh, and DD will go to public school, too.

[jorie]

Mehndi-I understand the hand sitting--I always want to go snatch people's babies away when I see them bottle feed by leaving the baby in the bucket and proping the bottle up with a blanket! Please, Please, Please just hold your baby!
Anyhoo,

--ds is circ (though won't do that again--he didn't eat for ~two days after!)
--ds sleeps in crib, though he was in our room (in crib) for 1st 9/10mo
--all about the shaving! Ds lets me know when its time, too "Mommy, shave! Too scratchy":LOL
--will be getting a minivan before baby is born
--eat meat, though not often enough for dh "chicken again?"!
--vax my ds and will this one

crunchy stuff
--cloth diaper, home wash
--bf
--buy organic dairy and almost nothing with trans fat, preservatives, or artificial colors or flavors
--don't spank!!!!
--babywearing; ds has just out grown the sling--it is very sad!
--use a doula for birth even though birth in hospital

I find that my crunchiness is tempered by my dh. I like, love and respect him, so when something makes him really uncomfortable (ie full time co-sleeping) I take that into account. I figure he is a parent too and also wants what is best for our son so try to compromise when we disagree.

[Boobs]

Originally Posted by wtchyhlr

not to sound too dumb, what's Dr. Bronner's ?

You don't sound dumb. It's not sold in mainstream stores. You have to get it online or at healthfood/natural type stores. It's all-purpose soap. Only I don't think it's actually soap. You use it for your body, hair, cleaning the house, laundry....just about anything. It's completely natural and vegan and all that good stuff. I know several people who only use it and love it, but it just doesn't lather like I like soap to lather. I'd recommend trying it though!

[mehndi mama]

Yes, it's an actual soap. And I bet grocery stores carry it - at least the peppermint liquid

[happymamajenni]

Although I have never had the term "crunchy" explained to me, I am pretty sure what it refers to......all I can imagine when I read it is carrots So this proves I am not crunchy. I actually have no idea why I am addicted to you crunchy people The only crunchy thing I think I did was not have an epidural with my last birth. I tried the birth center thing, but it didn't work out. What I do have in common with you is that I am non-traditional, and I love my child and unborn child more than anything in the world!
I am also really into distilling good eating habits into my daughter now because my hubby and I were both overweight children whose mothers sat by and watched us eat horrible things for years.

[Boobs]

Originally Posted by mehndi mama

Yes, it's an actual soap. And I bet grocery stores carry it - at least the peppermint liquid

The grocery stores around here don't. But if you're lucky enough to live in a more progressive part of the country, it's probably not so hard to find.

[Orange]

According to DH and some of my friends I am super crunchy but I think I just have a little sprinkle.


non-crunchy stuff
--I shave and wear make-up (minimal, just enough to even out my horrible complexion)
--eat meat occasionally
--vax my DD and will this one
--co-sleep part-time, DD is in crib otherwise
--sometimes buy instead of make baby food (always organic though)
--i work part-time, my mom babysits

crunchy stuff
--cloth diaper, wash myself
--buy organic dairy
--babywearing; although DD is getting a bit heavy for me so mostly her daddy does the slinging!
--natural birth but in birth center
--won't circ if this one is a boy

[Mama2Chloe]

Just thought I would post so ya'll would know me a bit better.

Crunchy stuff-
~breastfeed my 18 month old and will until she weans herself.
~have used the sling since she was 1 month old
~DH and I are AP parents
~Co-slept with DD from day 1 and will until we all feel it is time
~didn't start solids with DD until 8 months when I saw signs that she was ready and then made her babyfood
~Started cloth diapering when she was 12months and wondered what took me so long. (will CD with this one)
~Go to the farmer's market almost every week to buy my produce (although don't usually get organic)
~SAHM
~active member of our local LLL group (considering leadership)
~didn't have any drugs with the birth of my DD (although I didn't have time...had her 30 minutes after I arrived at the hospital, being 10 cm, Dr didn't make it and nurse was across the room when DD fell out on the bed very impowering!)
~if we have a boy, he will be left intact as God intended him to be
~Will be homeschooling my children

Non crunchy side-
~never been vegetarian
~shop at Walmart and mainstream stores
~drive an SUV
~wear makeup, shave, and dye my hair
~Vax my DD and will this one too
~will have a hospital birth (with a CNM..if she makes it on time)


Nice to meet everyone! I respect all of our differences knowing that our true loves are our children.

[HelloKitty]

Around where I live I'm pretty darn crunchy but on this board, I'm not so crunchy so I like this post!!

OK well I EBF, I co-sleep, I buy *mostly* organic but sometimes the price tag doesn't allow me too - sorry, I cloth diaper (although I must confess that for the last couple months the smell makes me sick so I've been using sposies, I am ashamed but not puking so.... what can I say??) and I love my sling.

I do however drive an SUV, I do circ my boys and I do vaccinate and I do not homeschool nor will I and I eat meat all the time.

Oh and edited to add that I also have hospital births.

Phew!

Kitty