Dodging the Question

This is a parenting blog.

I express my opinions on things that WE do as a family; like cloth diapering, breastfeeding, and budget friendly ways to navigate raising a large family. 

I don't "do" politics. 

But I have plenty of opinions on that too ;) 

I, too, hate seeing people dodging important questions. I especially dislike it when they don't know the answer, and try and talk their way around it. 

But there are certain times, when it's just nice to see someone squirm.... 

Just sayin'.... : )

Are working parents LESS of a parent??

It was recently expressed to us that there was a feeling that I was more of a "parent" to our children than my husband because he works.

My husband has two jobs, and some weeks works 7 days, in order for me to stay at home with our 4 kids.

hubby and baby A hiking here in Sobo last year

I've written before about the ability to still be an attached parent while parenting from "afar" in my post about co parenting ; and I feel the same theory applies here. Same as if I worked all the time and my hubby was a SAHD, or if we both worked (as many families in America do these days); our kids are well aware that they have two loving parents, and that daddy works so mommy can be with them to love them and nurture them and PARENT them all the time. Daddy makes it so we have a roof over our head and food on our table. He also provides the home and car maintenance, takes out the garbage, and makes dinner almost every night.

I'm not sure where we would be as a family without my wonderful husband.

Regardless of how much and how hard hubby works, we eat dinner as a family EVERY night.

Hubby attends school functions for the kids, comes with me to birthday parties for the kids, makes time to attend family gatherings and just enjoy some down time with me and the kiddos.

hubby and the kids shootin some hoops at a family cookout 

We play games at night, we bring the kids to events here in our community, we share bedtime responsibilities, and Spiderman and Baby A LOVE playing "superhero" with daddy and being lifted up to the ceiling ;) , he takes Spiderman fishing, he teaches Baby A to ride her bike, and plays soccer with Sissy and Spiderman.

How does your working partner balance work and family?

Do you consider your working partner "less" of a parent?

we sure don't <3

Happy Breastfeeding Week! Now, Let's Talk Bottles...

Happy Breastfeeding Week Mama's!

baby A nursing for the first time, post C section

I'm seeing all over FB and twitter lovely nursing photos and a bunch of helpful BFing links! It's great! But having this all in conjunction with the formula ban is making me think of all our fellow bottle nursing mamas, and I feel the need to send a shout out!

I have nursed all my kiddos. But as I've mentioned before, both Spiderman and Baby A both were also both bottle fed- some pumped breastmilk and some (gasp!) formula! dun dun dunnnnn...

Spiderman was born a chunky 8lb and 9 oz, and being my first baby, I was made to believe he wasn't getting enough milk nursing, so I supplemented with formula. Regardless, I was forced to return to work when he was only 4 weeks, so I more than likely would have supplemented by that point anyway.

Baby A was not bottle fed until she was about 4 months, but we had used the Medela SNS system with her since she was about a week old because she was so small. She consistently teetered on the FTT line. We struggled with nursing, as she had an extremely poor latch. We met with a lactation consultant weekly, a visiting nurse weekly, and baby A was adjusted by a chiropractor twice a week. There was little time for pumping, which is why we ultimately used formula in our SNS system.

But my point is that bottle nursing mamas deserve props too! They are not less of a mom, or "hurting" their babies in any way. Formula is not some horrible, toxic chemical. Sure, it's not the most natural thing in the world; but neither is all the processed foods most moms eat while BFing, or fast food, or "nutrition" shakes, or any other plethora of things a BFing mom (or any child) can consume.

There is more information on  bottle nursing from Attachment Parenting International.

Let's give all our fellow mamas a little love during Breastfeeding Week!! <3