I was attracted to this group specifically because of these words in their description on their group's homepage:
"We...see Attachment parenting as a natural way to parent. Homeschooling comes naturally to many as an extension of Attachment parenting! Some of our past and present parenting choices include co-sleeping, family bed, peaceful birth, homebirth, breastfeeding,There was some discussion about the Gary Ezzo method and Growing Kids God's Way. I feel so at home with this group because they are Ezzo dissenters.
extended breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering, non-vaccinating or selective vaccinations, natural health, homeopathic and holistic health care, healthy eating, and natural living practices."
I, too, had a bad experience with the Gary Ezzo method. A friend told me about the book, "Babywise", to help with issues in our bedtime routine that I was having with my first born (Noah). We tried the whole scheduling thing. It felt so counter-intuitive for me. And what is worse, I made my baby try and "cry it out" for bedtime. Guess what. He cried all night. I couldn't believe it! He would cry until utterly exhausted and then fall asleep for about 15 minutes and then would start cry all over again! He had the sad uncontrollable hiccups and sniffling. And I was suppose to try it out again the next night until he was to understand my direction and leading? How is a mom suppose to know when something is truly wrong if she ignores his communication? What a horrible experience for a new mom and baby to go through.
Eventually I began to realize that he was just smart and knew what he wanted and was persistent on being with me. He still is that way to this day!
After throwing away that book (how could I ever pass it on to a friend?), I read Dr. Sears' books and became a HUGE fan of Attachment Parenting.
With my second, I read "Baby Whisperer". I am so glad I learned how to read and understand my baby's body-language and cries. I feel so fortunate to have picked up that book especially since my daughter needed special care.
It's funny how parenting evolves from one child to the next. With Noah, I had started him on the well-baby check-up routine and it felt counter-intuitive, again, to be vaccinating him when he was so young and new and fresh. I wondered if those chemicals and live-cultures could be detrimental to his little body. Eventually I began to do less and less vaccinating for him and then for my other two babies as they came along.
I always feel I'm doing something wrong/illegal when I have to side-step the doctor's recommendations and/or ignore his professional update/advice on their vaccination records. I know that it isn't illegal, yet. Does anyone know how to effectively address a doctor about one's desire to keep it natural--especially given those occasions where you just have to take a kid in and you other kids are in toe and the doctor's wondering why the kids' vaccination records aren't "current"?
Like you we used Ezzo ideas and later discarded them. . . As you said, it seems like with each successive child we learn and grow more as parents!
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