Am I the Only One? Where do I fit in the mom labels?

I am not a crunchy mom in the truest sense of those words.  I am someone who believes in doing what is best for their children and I support moms of all kinds.  I had my babies a lot of years ago and when I had my first I was a mere 19, he is going to be 27 this month. (I’m 46 for those doing math)  I tried really hard to breastfeed him and it was horrific.  My mom said to me one day, you have to stop doing that, you are going to lose your nipples. and as funny as that sounds, it made sense enough to me to stop.  My breasts were a mess bleeding and sore.  Bottles were easy and my son thrived.  However, today I believe that breast is almost always best for baby’s.  It’s a great whole food that is so much better for their little tummies.

Now that my daughter is a new mother with a baby with severe reflux, I wish she would just bottle feed, even though I believe breast is best.  She has an over active let down and a bad case of reflux and cries a lot. When she does supplement with formula he is a happy baby, as the formula is thicker, he has less problems.  He can go without medicine if he was formula fed, so how do you decide what is best for a baby in that situation.  Its difficult.  She is pumping some supplementing some and is doing the best she can, her and I talk about it daily.  Her living with me makes it easier for her to take the time to devote to what she is doing, but I would be lying if I didn’t tell you I wish she would just formula feed so the whole house would rest more.  That’s very un-crunchy. 

I guess when it comes down to it I  need a new title, I am semi-crunchy but not fanatical about it, I believe differently than others on some things, I think cloth diapers are essential but, I am not opposed to using disposables at night or when we are out for the day.

 For me, it’s about balance and working toward the best we can do.  I do hate the impact disposable diapers have on our environment and I do think that cloth are healthier for everyone especially the baby, however I buy disposables too so am I a half crunchy here?

Some mom’s are so crunchy they cure everything with breast milk and coconut oil, me not so much, I like my antibiotics when needed and I am one to use all kinds of creams and lotions and while I know that organic products are better for my skin and body, I don’t use them exclusively.  The best cream we have ever used for baby eczema is CereVae and I stand by that stuff. It made a little girl a heck of a lot less itchy, it is not organic and probably has the danger stuff in it, but darn it that stuff works.

I don’t know I am a mom to three great grown kids, they are 27, 24 and 20. I am on my second marriage, I am a full-time “mom” to my grand-daughter, her mother abandoned her at birth, my son is a good dad, but lets face little kids need a mommy sometimes.  In some ways I am in the trenches with all of you other mom’s trying to find out what works and what is good for the environment, and how to feed them and all of those great things and on the other side, I am a tired woman who just wants it done so we can move on to bed time, I make lasagna with jarred sauce and pre grated cheese, but I do it wearing the new baby in a sling.

Am I the only one? The in between grandma, mom, crunchy not crunchy pro breastfeeding, ok with formula and bottles kind of person? Am I the only one?

 
photo credit: Patrick Q via photopin cc