Working mothers / Stay at home mothers
Pro vax / Anti Vax
Helicopter parent / Whatever type of parent
Attachment parenting / Cry it out parent
Breastfeeding/bottle feeding
The list goes on…
Like really?? There is a label that you are meant to fit into as a parent??? And you are expected to be one or the other!? I have a confession to make! I don’t fit into ANY of those ONE labels. I fit more like into all of them a bit ..and guess what? It’s ok if you don’t either. This is especially important for new mums to take notice of. There is no one way to raise your child. Like me, you might desperately want to breast feed because you know that is best for your baby! BUT You know what is better for your baby? A mother who is not so hyper stressed and feeling like a failure because her premature baby refused to breast feed properly for weeks. Thank goodness for the opportunity of having a second child and letting all labels go. Of course, when I did this, all flowed so much more easily, and parenthood is no longer a stressful journey.
I have an amazing friend who comes up with the best one liners! Her (and mine) favourite line is “DO WHAT IS BEST OR YOUR FAMILY”! That includes the school they go to, the food you choose to eat, the activities they enroll in etc.
Stop beating up on yourself if you needed to formula feed; or because your child watched too much TV today when it was your saving grace; or because your child fell over and hurt themselves and has a lifetime scar to show for it. Stop beating yourself up because you don’t fit into 1 style of “so called” parenting style.
I have used the cry it out method, which left me sick to my stomach at just leaving my baby the way the books suggested. I have laid down with them wanting to co-sleep and all they end up with is a grumpy mum falling asleep on the couch the next day due to the poor sleep I got. It is all about tweaking and adjusting what works for both you and your children
I truly believe that as parents we want what is best for our child and do what is right by them. And when we know better, we do better. If it’s causing you pain or discomfort, then it is not working. So drop the labels, get rid of the guilt, choose to live consciously and do what is best for your family xx