Attachment parenting - if you don't do it...?

[hunkermunker]

Why do people describe themselves as practising attachment parenting? Are people who don't follow all of the basic premises of it detached parents? Or can you pick and choose?

i am semi attached

what is attachment parenting?

I have no idea what the premises of attachment parenting are, to be quite honest.

what is attachment parenting?

can pick and choose, HM. can lend you Sears and Pantley books if you want, before you fork out

it's basically child-led parenting, gentle parenting. AP means you would usually - carry your baby as much as poss in a sling, breastfeed on demand, co-sleep, pick up your baby and never let him/her cry.

I have one Sears book, Din - was really just interested in the thinking behind it and whether if you have a baby who hates being worn and sleeps better in a cot(!), you must therefore describe yourself as detached

lol Misdee

Oh, and he's only gone and self-weaned. Honestly, I've ballsed this AP malarkey up good and proper, haven't I?

Oh i thinkl i do most of that anyway - does that mean i am a good parent because I have always thought i was a bit useless at it!

well, I think I did it with dd without really bfing (made up for it by lugging her round in a Baby Bjorn till she was 14 months old as she LOVED it). With ds, he hates being in a sling but loves bfing. so I am prob semi-attached.

I was amazed when I discovered there is a term for the style of parenting I do. Quite glad too because I felt less lonely.
My friend jokes that she follows the principals of detached parenting.

Attachment Parenting, as I understand it, means three in a bed, extended breastfeeding, wearing the baby for the first three months or so, demand feeding .... all that stuff.

I do WWB parenting - if it feels right then I do it. Which meant breastfeeding on demand but not co-sleeping, picking my baby up lots but not using a sling.

I wouldn't say I was a detached parent, and as dd seems to be doing OK on it I shall continue to make it up as I go along

Doesnt it involve the use of large amounts of velcro?

i co-sleep with dd1,2 +3, most mornings i wake up with them all in my bed(and a foot in my face). i keep a spare blanket on my bed for me as the kids nick the duvet. use a sling as well as buggies, and b/f on demand. i do leave dd3 to cry at times if i am busy with the other 2.

I think it's just a name for a certain style of parenting, like spidermama has described it. I felt very happy when I found the term and the thinking behind it as I, like spidermama, felt lonely in my way of doing things, because all the books and most mothers around me do things differently... definitely no co-sleeping, often breastfeeding by the clock etc.

Basically my understand of AP is though that the most important thing is to be respectful of your baby's needs. If your baby prefers the pushchair to the sling and the cot to the family bed, then fine - IMHO you can still be an AP parent then if you don't regard your baby as being out to manipulate you when crying etc.

understanding

Thought you would be lurking on here,Em! How the debil are you,sweetchops?!!!??

Emkana, that's what I thought - there is no way DS would tolerate being in a sling (he used to headbutt me and cry) - so what should I have done to be a good AP? Forced him to like it?! LOL!

Ah, if being respectful of your baby's needs is the basic premise then I'm all for it. One-size never fits all where babies are concerned, I'd rather be led by the baby and not by a book.

Here here WWB! I know from reading most of our last four posters posts in the past that we are all for bonding the baby way and not the conventional way!

Oh yes, when I hear the words attachment parenting/breastfeeding/co-sleeping I immediately rise from my Friday night lurking laziness...
I'm very well, thanks! How are you?

Isn't the opposite to AP mainstream/conventional parenting?

I'm fine,(tonight!).Haven't spoken to you for yonks!??