Breastfeeding has been Downhill

Welcome to the August edition of Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival: Breastfeeding.

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival hosted by The Positive Parenting Connection and Authentic Parenting. As August is Breastfeeding awareness month, our participants are writing about this exact subject! Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.


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I hadn't announced until the day my first was born that I planned to breastfeed her. My stepmother was a little annoyed that she hadn't been informed. The funny thing was that she and my dad each picked out a t-shirt for me that afternoon... not thinking about the breastfeeding factor. (You just wore button up shirts to breastfeed back then.)

Mamatography - Week 33

Day 225

(08/12/12)

I got these grapes that are so big Sasha takes bites.
For some reason, she doesn't eat the middle.

What makes a favorite?

Welcome to the Taboo Carnival. Our topic this summer is PLAYING FAVORITES! This post was written for inclusion in the quarterly Taboo Carnival hosted by Momma Jorje and Hybrid Rasta Mama. This month our participants reflect on favoritism in relationships with children, parents, siblings, and more. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Everybody in our family knew that my grandmother's youngest child (of 2 boys and 2 girls) was her favorite. Her older son died after Vietnam, so that might have had something to do with it. Or maybe it was just because he was her baby. Her girls both had special needs, so that may have made her extra fond of him, too.

I moved in with my dad and his wife when I was about 15 years old. It was Dad, me (his youngest), my step mom (she has been for most of my life), and my little brother (her youngest). I think it was pretty clear that we were each of our parents' favorites. Boy did that cause for some stress!

As the youngest, my brother & I were close in our own ways.

Sad News, Indeed

I kept hoping that all the suspicions and the news that leaked was wrong. Surely the American Academy of Pediatrics couldn't be bought. Surely they couldn't support circumcision right when so many countries are making the opposite decision. Not when even the American Cancer Society denounced circumcision as a preventative.

And so I waited, with bated breath... for the news to come. And so it did.

My naked, whole son & I, protesting the AAP's Circumcision stance.

There is an awful lot of money to be had by the medical industry from circumcisions. So many mothers have had to battle their families to do what is right for their sons. Now they don't have the AAP to back them up. Shame on you, AAP!

Tonight while chatting with my fellow Natural Parents Network volunteers about the AAP’s abhorrent policy change on circumcision, Amanda of Let’s Take the Metro spouted off a witty retort:

If you are confused by the issues, if you want more information or need help, please check out my Circumcision Link List. Educate yourself and be an informed parent.

Lick It

Our cocoa container is brightly colored. Sasha keeps asking for candy and pointing to it. She just would not believe that it wasn't candy so I finally gave her a little of it to taste. She first tried to tell me it was yummy, but did eventually admit it was yucky.

Do you ever let your kids taste stuff you know they won't like?
Do you encourage them to taste these things?

Once upon a time, I had some in-laws that encouraged a toddler in the family to eat jalapeno peppers. Everyone was so amused by the face he made as he spit them out. He looked up as if to say "what have you given me?!" (I've even heard of people using peppers for discipline.) What effect does this have on the trust the child has in the parent?

I think we've all had the moment when our child tries lemon and we anxiously await the adorable sour face. What is the difference? I feel like having lemon available and letting a child try it is different than coercing them into trying a spicy pepper. Lemons are brightly colored, too. They look like they'd be fun to eat! I think someone might also be more likely to enjoy lemons. But what do I know, I hate citrus and don't care for hot peppers on their own.

Mamatography - Week 32

Day 218

(08/05/12)

My girl after my own heart. Setting up all these pieces of chalk looked like fun! I was busy tending to...

Our power source... melted! The replacement part was under $10, though, and the RV Park maintenance men were willing to do the labor for us. Whew!

Maintance & Tips, to blunt or not to blunt?

I fell behind on my maintenance at one point, but I've taken it back up. I stay really busy, so I often wind up doing some palm rolling before bed. I procrastinated even working on the tips. Some people prefer not to blunt their tips at all. I have given it some thought, though, and think I do want to blunt them. Water doesn't drain out as well if our tips are blunted, but I prefer the classic look of the dreadlock going all the way down the hair.

Knotty Boy has a tutorial especially all about blunting tips. Tabatha came up with a slight variation on the method shown here and then I changed that up a little bit, too. I'd like to film my own tutorial and then make sure it works before sharing it. We'll see. I'm bad about procrastinating this sort of project and it has been majorly hot outside (where I would likely "film"). Knotty Boy invites members to upload tutorials. Tutorials that get chosen for use earn a 10% discount on their next purchase!

Working on my hair after a shower. When I'm trying to get all of the locks, I tend to start in the front and work my way back.

As for that neglected maintenance, there is also only so much I can do alone. No one in my household is interested in helping me. My friend, Tabatha, has agreed to help me touch up my hair. Some locks need more back combing and I could use some solid palm rolling in the back. It is really hard to palm roll the back of your own head!

You're supposed to palm roll your hair after washing your dreadlocks. In this heat, my hair dries really fast. I have to come straight home (from the shower facilities) and get right on it!

Palm rolling your damp dreadlocks help them keep a cylindrical shape, as well as encouraging loose hairs to reintegrate back into the lock. It will also help separate and keep new locks from grabbing onto and growing into each other.

I have really enjoyed all the supportive feedback I've been getting about my dreadlocks, keep it comin'! I am especially amused when I get a comment on an unrelated post and you add "By the way, I love your dreadlocks!" I hope if you're considering dreadlocks for yourself, I hope you will consider Knotty Boy products. Their tutorials have been really great, too!