tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731595630441188979.post8638939891246752140..comments2022-11-15T04:10:34.545-08:00Comments on St. Louis Smart Mama: What's Wrong With My Kids? Epidurals, Judgements, and Those Damned Mommy WarsSt. Louis Smart Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04199031455731615446noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731595630441188979.post-5100060301890520092010-07-29T07:28:22.401-07:002010-07-29T07:28:22.401-07:00Brenda - It sounds like you had the birth experien...Brenda - It sounds like you had the birth experience that was right for you, and you're absolutely right, no one should judge you for it.<br /><br />I agree that certain members of the AP community, just like certain members of the mainstream community, can be very judgemental. I personally have gotten it from both sides.<br /><br />I just hope that we don't lump everybody in together - you know, like all AP parents will jump down your throat if you had an epidural or all mainstream parents will think you're crazy and stupid if you didn't. <br /><br />Sadly, there will always be other moms judging us, but I also think it's important to remember that there are those who genuinely respect women who have made different choices. I try really hard to be the second kind :-)St. Louis Smart Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04199031455731615446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731595630441188979.post-33972511194377505442010-07-29T01:28:37.869-07:002010-07-29T01:28:37.869-07:00I think the worst is when you are judged by those ...I think the worst is when you are judged by those in the attachment parenting community and told how wrong you are. I'll admit I had two epidurals. Both times I wanted natural births. The first time I was induced because of Pre-E and it took many hourse for me to finally decide to get one. I had a super supportive labor nurse who literally tried everything to help me before I took the epidural. In the end, the horrid back labor made up my mind. The second time, I had a rapid delivery, with back labor, and I was begging for something because it was so intense (my whole labor and delivery was about 3 hours from first labor pain to end).<br /><br />I also chose to circumsize my boys. Maybe today I wouldn't but I won't apologize for a researched decision that I made with my husband, taking his opinion very seriously in the choice.<br /><br />I hate running into the AP folks that feel if you don't do everything AP or natural, you aren't good enough. And I think that's the shame. Instead of trying to spread AP practices, they get too worried about those of us that aren't "perfect" AP folks.<br /><br />And I tell you what, I hand it to any woman who does it natural. It wasn't for me, but that's okay. There are options, and I just wish others would respect that.Brenda Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17348864298549714212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731595630441188979.post-71566187272810527822010-07-27T10:30:41.102-07:002010-07-27T10:30:41.102-07:00Natalie - I agree that it's harder when you do...Natalie - I agree that it's harder when you do things differently from most people. I've gotten plenty of criticism for many of the parenting choices I've made. I wasn't very good at dealing with it at first, but as I've become more secure in my own choices it's gotten easier to assume good intentions in others. It can still be hard sometimes, though :)St. Louis Smart Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04199031455731615446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731595630441188979.post-45854439050966164982010-07-24T03:38:45.221-07:002010-07-24T03:38:45.221-07:00"We're all so sensitive to perceived crit..."We're all so sensitive to perceived criticism of how we raise our kids that maybe we're not catching on to the fact that sometimes we're not really being criticized at all."<br /><br />Love it. Sometimes it is tempting to assume that because I do things differently that others are looking at me like I'm weird, but really, they're probably admiring my cute babies. ;)nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10821740286799375290noreply@blogger.com