Attachment parenting

Yavvy

Im going to be a father in a few months. September to be exact.
MY betterhalf has really set herself on the attachment parenting style of parenting.

Now obviously we realise that parenting cannot have a deffinate style per say and you have to go with the flow. But im wondering has anybody got any experiance with this style of parenting or with the Dr.Sears style of parenting as it might be known.

If you have never heard about it check it out on the internet
its interesting

Beruthiel

nope
never heard of it!

Carnate

Day to Day

Thats the only way!


No books no teachers not even your own Parents can help.

Just be there for them.

PhilipMarlowe

^ what the man said.
Listen to the midwife about how to feed & bath the child... most everything else you will make up as you go along.
Loads of people will often offer conflicting advice on what to do - ye have got to figure out what works for ye all as a family.
Most important - have fun

iuil

IME you can read all the books and websites you want but the baby won't

The best advice I got was to listen to everyone, smile and thank them for their advice and then do your own thing. If "attachment parenting" is for you, then you'll find out pdq but don't go breaking yourselves trying to follow the instructions given by a stranger who wants to sell books.

Oh yeah, I can't recommend La Leche League highly enough - encourage your partner to attend at least one meeting *before* the birth.

Beruthiel

I looked it up on the net
it looks like something every normal parent would do, except the yankees have put a name on it

Kernel32

I am an Irish guy, with an american wife living in the US, we have a 9 month old son. Attachment parenting is something we have a little experience with. My wife was very interested in it when she was pregnent and read a load of books on the subject, on the other hand I managed to read one book on being a new father.

Anyway, its really nothing more than a simple idea that instead of popping out a kid and simply trying to go back to life as it was before, like putting him/her straight into daycare and heading back to work, that instead you make your child a big part of your life.
In our case my wife is a stay at home mother, she breast feeds and we have a co-sleeper that attachs to the bed, which is fantastic for a breast feeding mother. It also means you have to get creative about other areas of the house when you feel frisky!
Also apart from the odd baby-sitting with family and close friends he is with us all the time.

We did a trip to Ireland in March and it was very weird to see the reaction to breat feeding by even my close family, I have 2 baby nieces who are bottle feed which seems to be the "modern" thing to do in Ireland. In the US breast-feeding is considered the "modern" thing and bottle feeding is even frowned on in some ways.

I have to warn you though that my wife attended an attachment parenting meeting some time back and it freaked her out a little. It can be taken to an extreme with some parents, there were 2 year olds who were very demanding and still breast feeding. The WHO reccommends 1 year, which I agree with personally but each to their own.

My advice is read the books, be ready to compromise though, nothing works exactly like the books say, do what you feel deep down is the right thing. Everyone, family friends etc will give you their nightmare birthing story and then proceed to hand out advice, just nod and be agreeable but in the end its up to you to decide how to raise your child.

Good luck!

iuil

Actually the WHO organisation recommend *two* years and as long as mutually desired after that. Regardless of where you live ie it doesn't just apply to third world situations. Unfortunately, most of the studies surrounding breastfeeding past 12 months have been done in the third world so many health care professionals think that the benefits don't apply in the western world. :rolleyes:

Nevyn

funny just sound like the way we rear our kids , and we just did what we think is best and what was done for us growing up.

I breast fed both of our but only till they started sprouting teeth. I have breast fed them every where but discretely mind you.
Cant say i have any adverse reactions form any one.

And once we had our second I gave up work to provide the best home enviroment we could. Having the babe in bed with you is great up until 6 mnths. then they need a cot. Ours still at the age of 3 and 5 climb in our bed first thing in the morning for cuddles.

Yavvy

Thanks for the advice guys...

I really do realise that its impossible to plan a parenting style untill you become a parent and then you have to just do what comes naturally.

Im interested in learning more about this La Leche League can you tell me their phone numnber please iuil

iuil

They're in the phone book 01/8641516 is the first number listed (of four).

They also have a website http://homepage.eircom.net/~lalecheleague/ where you can find the nearest group to you.

HTH