One of my favorite TV characters is Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory. She is so weird and funny and likes Sheldon, another weird and funny favorite. She is played by Mayim Bialik, who besides being Blossom from the 1990s TV show, is an Orthodox Jew, vegan, and practices “attachment parenting.” I follow her on Facebook and Twitter as well and she is engaging and insightful which is fun to get to know beyond the screen.
She recently wrote a parenting book about attachment parenting called Beyond the Sling. While I don’t practice anything she preaches, I find it fascinating. In a nutshell, she had a natural childbirth, practices extended breastfeeding (beyond one year), has a family bed, practices “elimination communication” and gentle discipline, and home-schools her two sons.
While I barely have a parenting style yet, I am pretty sure I don’t do much that she does. I did find many parts of her book interesting and relatable. It made me realize that this little baby needs their mommy for everything. Of course I know that, but Mayim really points out just how much they need and how only the mommy can fix many things. She literally was not away from her children when they were infants, but it made me realize that sometimes mom is better than dad, breast is better than bottle, and simple rocking is better than medicine or another remedy.
She also showed me that many of the things I’m already saying when Logan is upset like “it’s not so bad,” “there’s nothing to cry about” or “don’t cry,” aren’t good to say. I doubt I’ll stop, but she reminds me that babies cry for a reason and they need that outlet to express their feelings. Hindering them or teaching them to not cry isn’t good.
One funny thing that made me think I’m doing it all wrong is that she loves babywearing in a sling or soft material, but does not believe in the Bjorn, probably the most popular of them all. I have a Bjorn and like it, but she says it isn’t good because it is too structured, and separates their legs when they should be together in a ball. And she believes the baby should face inward for most of their first year. I do that at least!
And if you’re wondering what Elimination Communication is–her children were not diapered beyond a month or so and she and her husband learned the signals their kids showed to go potty and literally potty-trained them early.
Overall, I’m glad I read her book. It enlightened me to another style of parenting, whether I practice it or not. I believe in understanding and learning new ways. Mayim kept me interested with facts and humor and that makes a good book!
So Interesting! I’m definitely going to check this book out…mix it up a little after reading fifty shades
It’s hard to generalize a parenting style, but I do think that some of the “theories” of attachment style parenting have merit. But I’m not an extremist one way or the other and I find some of these “styles” so extreme. Mostly we practice the philosophy that the baby/toddler crying means something, even if they only DO need comfort. I’ve noticed that Max is confident because of this, but it could be his personality also. They only “need” us in this way for such a short time compared to the grand scheme of things. You are doing a great job!! p.s. We used the baby bjorn also! I can’t imagine that Max would have liked the Moby at 6 months or older, but who knows!