It all began with the baby carrier. The thought of lugging around a 10-pound wriggling infant strapped to one shoulder felt like a recipe for back problems. Then there was the crib—no way was I going to trek across the hallway every time my little one needed a midnight snack. And when it came to feeding, let’s be honest: I was too lazy to deal with washing bottles. I mean, really. And with diaper runs? Forget it—I’d occasionally overlook buying them altogether, thanks to my ADHD and my knack for misplacing essential items like, well, poop catchers.
So, we unintentionally became attachment parents. While many people claim that attachment parenting requires more effort than traditional parenting—and they’re right—they tend to overlook a crucial detail: it’s actually less work for us. That’s the secret us attachment parents keep under wraps. We’re doing far less work than you might think, and if you catch us chuckling, it’s because we’re in on the joke.
The Convenience of Baby Carriers
Take your baby carriers, for instance. You find yourself wrestling with the stroller when you arrive at Target, extracting the carrier, all while hoping the baby stays asleep. Or you might be hauling the carrier in one arm, feeling like a weightlifter. In contrast, I simply strap my baby into a sling. I unclip him, secure him onto my body, and walk into Target with a cart full of space. No one can reach out and touch my baby, and the weight is evenly distributed across my torso, making it a breeze. Honestly, wearing a baby is just way easier than dragging around a cumbersome carrier.
Feeding Made Easy
When it comes to feeding, think of bottles as the same kind of hassle. You have to buy, clean, sterilize, fill, heat, and then feed your baby. That’s a lot of time, especially at 3 a.m. with a crying infant. So we opted for breastfeeding—partly out of convenience, partly to save money, and partly to avoid dealing with a screaming baby longer than necessary. Thankfully, I had no issues; the baby fed well, and I could keep him close. Not everyone is so lucky, but it worked for us.
Breastfeeding is incredibly convenient. Baby’s hungry? Just lift my shirt—done. This goes double for nighttime. There was no way I was going to set up a crib, buy a rocker, and make that sleepy trek down the hallway. Instead, we co-slept from day one. When he woke up, I’d simply switch him to the other side and drift back to sleep. So while everyone else debated whether their baby was sleeping through the night, I was blissfully unaware.
The Cloth Diaper Decision
Now, while cloth diapers might not be considered traditional attachment practice, they fit into our general ethos of simplicity. We decided to use cloth as soon as we discovered we were expecting. It’s a one-time purchase, while disposables can run upward of $2,000 per child. Cloth is more affordable and easier for someone like me, who sometimes forgets to stock up on supplies. Plus, with all the laundry moms already do, adding a few more loads of “poop laundry” isn’t a big deal.
We never set out to embrace a particular parenting philosophy; we simply made choices based on convenience. Ironically, these choices aligned with attachment parenting’s principles, which reflect natural instincts developed over thousands of years. And let’s face it—people tend to lean toward the easier option, especially when it comes to raising little ones. We’re just fortunate to have discovered that attachment parenting is, in many ways, the path of least resistance.
Further Resources
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In summary, attachment parenting might sound like a lot of work, but it often boils down to sheer convenience. By making choices based on simplicity and what feels natural, we’ve found a parenting style that suits our lifestyle perfectly.