Claire's favorite book opens my eyes.

We won this book at Life Is Good this year. It is A gift for baby by Jan Hunt at THe natural child project. You can find it here. And Claire has me read it several times a day mostly everyday. She does switch up sometimes but she takes it with her alot. Most of the pages fit us. The baby loves to look at Mommy, and hug Daddy, and be held and co-sleep, and be carried. And like most situations it isnt going to fit everyone absolutley perfect to a tee. We have never nursed. I wasnt able too.
I never labeled my parenting as "attachment parenting". I actually never even knew that there was a name for it. I just did what felt right to me. I think I was actually trying to do the opposite of what my mom did (um, no offense mom). I was young when I had Tori. I was eighteen. And no one really ever said to me, "you shouldnt do it this way or that way". The hospital gave her a pacifier and when I was asked if i was going to breastfeed, I said no. I didnt know what I was doing and basically, I didnt have the right kind of support. I was smoking cigarettes and drinking and sometimes doing drugs. So, I am really glad I didnt breastfeed. She wouldnt have gotten good nutrition from me. I didnt breastfeed any of my other kids either. I tried with Kyle and Claire and neither of them were getting milk from me. They were hungry and crying. I got fed up and gave them bottles. I didnt want them to go hungry. My mother couldnt breastfeed me either. She tried for a few days and I just cried and cried. Finally she gave me a bottle and i slept for sixteen hours straight. LOL. Scared the crap out of her too. So, when the page comes that says "I like to nurse" I explained to them that some mommies can give babies milk from the breast. It dosent take away from our relationships that they didnt nurse. I still cosleep with them and they always brought the bottle to my bed if they needed milk.