Thursday 5 March 2015

Crunchy Mama



So what is a crunchy mama, lately I have been watching a YOUtube channel called Mama Natural which is a really awesome channel that I recommend as a valuable information source for all moms, she is also really funny and well natural... she is what is termed a crunchy mom.




Now I know many women do not like that term; loosely it is a term that is given to moms who tend to lean towards or choose the natural paths of motherhood;

- natural (un-medicated) births- as in no drugs nothing no epidural no pitocin nothing
- home births- self explanatory
- placenta encapsulation- having your placenta dried and put into powder form or encapsulated so     you can take it in; according to research it has many benefits to a mom post birth as well as to your baby.
- not cleaning a baby after birth- studies have shown that the gunk left behind on babies skin is really helpful to their skin
-kangaroo care
- letting the cord stop pulsating before cutting- according to studies it is best to do this to ensure baby is not only ready to be cut from the cord but also means they get the last few good antioxidants and such left in the cord
- organic foods- self explanatory- Woolworths is the most well known organic food store, also Dischem or Wellness warehouse
- elimination communication- no use of nappies etc done from birth you rely on your child's cues and patterns and then put them on the potty when they need to go
- cloth diapering- they have come a long way from the old doeke of yesteryear and are awesome
- breastfeeding
- baby led weaning- allowing your baby to choose what foods they are ready to eat  etc from 6 months of age, no purees etc whole foods or sliced foods are used
- no or delayed vaccinations
- no circumcision- they believe like I do that this is unnatural and something that hinders a child's natural development with less benefits than are claimed
- homeopathic meds- no chemical meds all natural oils, herbs and plant infused medications or remedies
- co sleeping- sharing a bed with your baby no crib use etc
- homeschooling- self explanatory

and so forth.





Now everyone knows that I believe that a mom should do the research and then choose from there, the only thing I do not believe in freedom of choice is vaccinations but I'm not going to get into that.

I have given birth to 3 babies I have tried everything but natural birth although my 3rd son was a natural Caesar therefore I went into labor naturally and then had my Caesar, this was because I personally like the idea of baby choosing their own birth date if possible that way you know they are ready to be born and they are choosing to come instead of the doctor saying 38 weeks is better or 39 weeks etc.

I did my research and I have to say that Jesse's pregnancy and babyhood has been my favorite and most enjoyed, I did the best and most research I made decisions by myself on my own without outside interference and without the pressure of those around me...

We breastfeed, cloth diaper, co sleep, we used baby led weaning and didn't circumcise although my eldest is due to medical reasons and no I do not recommend it at all it was traumatic and terrible for us personally so I would not put another one of my children through that by choice, Jesse only had organic or homemade baby food, we only use natural products as far as possible as well as foods and will always try to solve a problem homeopathicly before we treat something chemically although if the condition is serious I will always follow the advice of a medical professional... that aside the homeopathic route does not work for everyone but of course if it does why not- it did nowt work for Loghan and his adhd therefore he is on concerta.

On the other hand; I vaccinate, I had 3 ceasers, I liked my babies clean after birth and was more concerned with my babies than my placenta after birth, so in a lot of way I am crunchy but no I would never consider myself to be a crunchy mom because well I'm not saying that cloth diapering or homeopathy etc is the way to go for everyone, it may have been better for me like my Caesar births but what is good for me is not necessarily great for you and your baby...

I highly recommend the mama natural channel, she is really great and talks about a whole host of mommy and baby topics, she includes her husband quite often which is really great for dads so go ahead and check it out- and remember you are an awesome mom!!!

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