Who I Am As A Mommy

Some things have got me thinking lately about what kind of mommy I really am. You see I come from a family that was born and raised in the NORTH, but I was being raised in good 'ole Kentucky! What my family was used to when it came to parenting was quite different than here in the south. When I was little I had a friend who's mom had just had a baby...and...she breastfed! *Gasps* Yep to me as a a five year old that was weird, but what was more weird is that he was still breastfeeding when he was 3! How sad is that...no NOT that he was still breastfeeding, but that I thought that was weird!!! Well it's a good thing that I came around when it was my turn to have children :) Yes like I've said before I did breastfeed and I am a huge advocate for BF! It is not only good for the baby, but the bond you develop with your little one is just unmeasureable! It isn't that my family was unsupportive (they actually adjusted quite well to my odd decision), but they just were thrown aback that I had made the decision to BF when I had never been around that kind of parenting. My sister used formula with my nephew which is totally her choice, and I guess it was expected that I would too. Now to the issue of the 3yr old BF...for those of you that aren't aware of this style of parenting it is called crunchy and this form of "crunchiness" is called self-weaning. This is where you let your LO(little one) have complete control over when (s)he decides to wean off the breast. I actually chose to do this. I would have let my children BF until they were 1.5-2 if thats when they weaned. Unfortunately, I was only able to exculsively BF Maddox until he was 4mths and then I stopped all together when he was 7mths when I found out I was preggo with Jakk. I would have kept on BF, but I wasn't too sure how that worked (because BF causes uterine contractions) and I was SO sick that I don't think I could have anyway! With Jakk I was able to BF exclusively for 8mths! I feel that to be an accomplishment. I then tried to supplement with formula, he then had an allergic reaction to cow's milk, so since he was almost 1 by this time, I just starting him on soy milk. J barely took a bottle which means he was so easy to break from one (he didn't even really know what he was missing). So you think I'm kind of weird yet? I don't really know about letting my munchkins BF until they were 5, but yesterday I was holding M and I was like "I could handle BF a 2 year old!" I used to not be able to imagine that, but once you have kiddos, your views seem to change alot!

SPANKING: Have you ever seen those children and thought "Man, that kid need a spanking"? I know I have I used to babysit a couple of them!
I know, I know big controversy...but... here I go!
I have always said "I was spanked as a child, and I turned out just fine!" Cliche, I know! Well I have stuck by this even after having children. Neither of my boys are really a spanking age, but I have had to swat M a time or two, and swat J's hand to show them not to do something when NO just simply didn't work. BUT.....I have found that since having J I have really kind of started a new form of discipline. I know my boys are still babies, but I have found this more effective than spanking. For example, when M is doing something he shouldn't, I simply say "M, look at me" then (it's so cute because he will look straight into my eyes, which makes me not want to discipline at all!) when I have his attention I explain (in toddler language) why he should not do what he's doing, and then offer an alternate idea. Lately, we have found this to work GREAT! Now don't get me wrong he IS 2, so there are times thatwe still need to use spanking or time out as a punishment, but lately this has really worked for us!!!

There you have it...2 ways that we have gone "against the grain" so to speak when it comes to parenting. But what I always say is "I am the BEST mom there is for MY children" :)

I am slowly but surely sculpting into a mommy all her own. I have different beliefs than most, but I don't care because I want what is best for my children. I have had two C-Sections that I DO NOT regret, but know that in those situations I had really no choice. I do know however that when we decide to have another baby, I will be going all natural. Derek is all for it and totally supportive, and if I can't find a provider that will let me VBA2C I will labor at home until I know it is time to push! They will then have no other choice once I get to the hospital :) That is a whole different post though ;)

LOVE!