Welcome Ladies!

Samantha - posted on 09/24/2012

it came to me naturally, the touch the sensual bonding time. a spiritual beginning. i felt different. changed. i couldnt look away from him didnt want to say goodbye. i always wanted to care to help and love. through this time m ex husband didnt want me spending so much time with my new born. told me i had to let him live and explore things on his own, few months later i divorced.



joined a single mother support group, that supported and encouraged attached parenting, yoga, aerobics, and nudism.



being an attached parent has brought joy and happiness to my life, i love caring and taking care of my children, i am and will always be there for them.



i have two children elena is 11 and joseph is 12



my fondest memory?

bath time fun, waking up cuddled together, holding hands, seeing the two of them breast feed together for the first time. being their mother. they will always come first.

A - posted on 06/11/2010

I have one child, who is now one year old. We now cosleep, are continuing to breastfeed full term (I prefer that phrase over extended breastfeeding), I wear my baby when I need to. I have never heard of EC until I joined this group so I'm looking into it. I've always thought breastfeeding to be the best and most natural way to feed my child. I originally thought I would stop at one year but after researching and following my instincts, I have changed my perspective and will wait until my son self-weans from the breast.

Cosleeping for us has been touch and go. We started off in the crib, and over time transitioned to the same bed. After many months of sleepless nights I finally resigned to the idea and my whole family sleeps better now, and I have to say I enjoy it even though I don't have as much space. Other sleeping problems such as an inconsistent schedule have also been fixed with cosleeping.

I've done lots of research on cosleeping and full term breastfeeding and in the process have come to the realization that where I live in the USA, we have a drastically different idea of child rearing than the majority of the rest of the world. We are actually in the minority. I think some of the ideas we are led to believe have a negative impact on our babies, and for me its sad to hear when these ideas are even brought up to parents by doctors, leading parents to think its whats right. An example of this is I don't know how many times I've been told by my peditrican, and know of other parents, who have been told to leave their children to cry it out, sleep through the night, formula feeding is just as good, etc. My research has led me to find accurate information that describes how letting your baby cry it out can cause all kinds of damage. For example, long periods of crying cause your baby to have increased levels of stress horomone cortisol, high blood pressure, etc, which can lead to major health problems, not to mention psychologically damage and trust issues. Also, I hate the way the importance of breastfeeding is diminished by the media, doctors, society, etc, and people are misinformed and raise their babies on formula thinking its just as good. The trend of formula feeding in our society has had a negative impact on mothers who breastfeed because formula is so popular much advice found on nutrition by health professionals and otherwise is geared towards formula fed infants. For example, weaning at 1 year, doing a feeding schedule of 3-4 hours, etc. Because this is the norm, women often wean early thinking their milk has no benefits after one year, or feed on a schedule and then have supply issues and give up breastfeeding.

So AP has come by trial and error and learning. I wish I had known more before my son was born. I wish more people knew about AP and also how it is whats done around the world and has proven benefits to babies. If any of you wish theres some great info below.

http://kathydettwyler.org/

My fondest AP memories are just waking up and cuddling my son while cosleeping. Very rewarding to hug my little guy!

Hope I didn't come of judgemental or anything. I know different things work for different people of course and everyone has different situations. But AP definitely is what is best for our family and our baby.

Lara - posted on 05/12/2010

HI
1- How did you come to AP?
It was actually unintended. My husband and I believe that a child cries for a reason and that he always has a need but can not express it.
When baby K was born he was what one may call a high needs baby and would let you know he wanted something - Loudly. He was also colicky at 5 days old.... we found out that wearing him and feeding him on demand worked to calm him a little and co sleeping was the only way he would sleep, this along with probiotics help and the colic was gone by 3 months. AS we were doing a lot of reading on colic we feel upon Ap and figure4d we had instinctively done it .

2- Baby K is our first and was supposed to be the only one, but now we are thinking of a second one. I would love to do the same for him/her

3-One child he is 14 1/2 months

4- the smiles he gives me while he breast feeds, he also flashes them to his dad when he is close by. And being able to do everything and anything as I wore him -until he was 9 months and became to active to be worn.... no I cant do much while he is with me but play

Veronica - posted on 01/09/2010

Quoting Chris:

Watching my two year old and my newborn hold hands while they nursed together (and I watched TV or read a book--you go nowhere when you are nursing two at once).

How absolutely heartwarming Chris!

1. How did you come to AP?

I fell naturally into it. My husband and I have very family-centered values and knew we wanted to have a hands-on approach with raising our children. I have always wanted to be a mommy (when people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up this was always my answer). Having a husband who understands and supports my need to stay at home with our children is the best gift ever.

2. Have you been an AP with all your children? What has been different?

Well, Ava is our first but we plan to have 5 or 6 when all is said and done. And yes, I will co-sleep, breastfeed, babywear, fondly and fairly discipline, homeschool (hopefully), etc. all the blessed angels that the Lord sees fit to bring to our family.

3. How many children do you have? Ages?

Just Ava so far. She is 7 months and I can hardly keep her in my lap anymore because she's mobile and such a secure little person now. She can do anyhting, as long as she can still see me... lol

4. What is your fondest AP memory? Breastfeeding while walking around at the fair when Ava was 3 months and her Nana (MIL) said, "I can't believe you can do that and walk!" I just laughed and said, "It's really easy." :)

All my love to the AP's out there. Good on you mom and dad.

Chris - posted on 04/29/2009

Hi. I (We) started AP before the birth of our first child by attending La Leche League meetings.

With our first child, we co-slept, baby-wore, breastfed exclusively--what were the other things? Can't remember. Anyway with the second, we added elimination communication. I have never fed my children babyfood more than once. My husband tried to with our oldest, but was met with such incredible disappointment that he apologized and it wasn't an issue again. I wean my kids on the night before their fourth birthday. Oh, I did tandem nursing, too.

3 kids--7, 5, and 3 in the summer.

Watching my two year old and my newborn hold hands while they nursed together (and I watched TV or read a book--you go nowhere when you are nursing two at once).

Kimi - posted on 03/29/2009

I came by it naturally as well as knowing some great friends that do it as well. I just found I didn't want to put her down!

I only have one child, and don't plan on others, but if it happens, it will be the same with any others.

well, bedsharing is awesome, and so is carrying her, I love the reactions I get sometimes too, like "isn't she heavy", well I don't know, I'm so used to it, i don't feel it, though her diaper bag IS heavy LOL

Aphie - posted on 02/25/2009

I only have one child, and am kinda feeling my way through the whole Attachment Parenting thing! It's just grown naturally from my own experiences and observations with younger siblings and cousins, as well as my own history.
I always swore to myself I would not have children until I really wanted them, and that I would then do my best by them, and to help make them always feel loved and accepted by me. I really think the majority of kids respond best to gentle direction and requests, and lots of cuddles and a firm emotional attachment, to help teach the interconnectedness of people. I think most kids WANT to please the adults in their lives just as we as parents want to do well by our kids and naturally desire to please them, and APing seems a lovely way to me to nurture that parent-child relationship, and bring kids in on decisions that effect them.

Gala - posted on 02/18/2009

Hi!
I'm not sure if I'm AP 100% but I'm what I like to call semi-attached parent... :)

1. How did you come to AP?
It came naturally, once I stopped ignoring the "well meaning advice" of friends and relatives (feed on schedule, don't hold too often etc.) and started listening to my baby and my instincts My baby is much calmer and happier.
She now sleeps 9 hours per night, feeds on demand and hardly ever cries.
She sleeps in her own crib in our bedroom but comes to sleep with me in bed for a couple of hours every morning.


2. Have you been an AP with all your children? What has been different?
This is my first child but I'm definately planning to do this with my future kids as well.


3. How many children do you have? Ages?
One, She's 4 months old tomorrow.

4. What is your fondest AP memory?
I think every moment I spend holding her and playing with her is my favorite.
They're kids only once in their life and I think you should enjoy every moment of it.

Amanda - posted on 02/11/2009

1. How did you come to AP?

It came to me naturally.  When I had been a mother for mere hours, I discovered that I not only couldn't take my eyes off my son, but that I couldn't put him down.  He still needed to be close to me to feel safe, and it felt natural to do so.  We bedshared from the first moments until he was 4 consistantly, and for special circumstances (i.e. weekend, sick) at present.

2. Have you been an AP with all your children? What has been different?

Yes, it didn't seem fair to parent my daughter any differently, although she is not the best sleeper and likes to kick me.  We're working on getting her to her own sleep surface at present so I can be a happier momma.  The playpen is going to be sliding beside the bed again I think!

3. How many children do you have? Ages?

2 --> DS 6, DD 9mos

4. What is your fondest AP memory?

DS: bedsharing for sure

DD: watching the faces of other moms at my son's school when day after day I carry her to school.  Isn't she heavy? Nope!  She's grown in there and I can't tell the difference! :)