Archive for the ‘Mama Peeves’ Category
Getting Unsolicited Parenting Advice
By Monica Cravotta | Published: Friday, April 13, 2012
So I went to my first baby shower in probably three years this weekend and was reminded how outrageous people are about giving unsolicited advice to pregnant women.
I know I’m guilty of this and am vowing to stop it. Showers are the worst at drumming up Mommy advice en masse. Mamas – pregnant for the first time — consider asking the host of your baby shower to make a request to attendees coming to support you in your transition to motherhood to focus their best intentions in another way. Like putting together a food calendar for you. (Your local friends and family sign up on a calendar that goes into effect after the baby is born to bring dinners to your house.)
In my opinion, the best thing we can all tell a fretting mom-to-be is: trust yourself and be kind to yourself.
What happens throughout pregnancy and following the birth of every angel that joins us is nothing short of miraculous. (Yeah Monica, we know that. Duh.) But you may not know about the primal intuition and sensitivity to Truth that you gain as a mother. I believe this is universal. It’s like growing another heart inside your body.
Mothers know. You know when something is not right with your baby. You know when something’s not right with the world that threatens them or you. You become a Lioness that will do anything to protect your young. And you will hear, see, feel what no one else does.
Some of the advice thrown at my friend this weekend (I held my tongue):
- Don’t listen to the Breastfeeding Gestapo
- If you’re a light sleeper at all, don’t let your baby sleep near you
- You have to get a swing — it’s the only way you’ll ever get through a meal
Of course I have my opinions about all of the above, but my personality loathes conflict and I wasn’t about to start a counter-advice session with my friend. She’ll figure out what works best for her and that is none of my business.
However….on the subjective of breastfeeding — the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Austin is in desperate need of donors. New mamas, or Mamas-to-Be, please consider it. Right now for Texas and the surrounding states this milk bank serves, the demand for donated breast milk to feed premature babies in hospitals is 3x the available supply.
Thank you milk makers.
XOXO
Posted in Mama Peeves | 1 Comment
Mama Pet Peeves — Join the Purge!
By Monica Cravotta | Published: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
* Nipple twiddling, pinching and biting. Always a good time.
* The Double Cry (for parents of more than one you know what I mean…I can only imagine the Triple Cry).
* The desperate need of a toddler to have something seemingly small be a certain way. And each of these needs accompanied by intense, tear-filled despair:
“But I wanted to put the lid back on!!”
“Noooooooo! I want the GREEN bowl!!”
“But Mama I don’t like that kind of noodle!!”
* When we’re all together (Mom, Dad, 3 year-old and 1 year-old): the inability to have an adult conversation. To even finish most sentences.
* Baby rapidly flinging and throwing food before I can prevent it.
* Dirty fingernails. I know. Random and petty. But that’s why they call them “pet” peeves right?
* Walking into Casa de Luz (an Austin seat-yourself vegan restaurant that we frequent) alone with my two Littles — one that needs to be carried and the other that needs to be watched — and experiencing a room filled with people absentmindedly half-watching me while I attempt to get the stuck high chair out off the top of the stack and awkwardly walk with it to a table while holding baby and no one feeling inspired to offer a hand.
* Reliving the college experience without the fun freedom perks: intense sleepless nights like studying for finals — but “finals week” lasts for three years and there is no sleeping in. Ever. Eating a lot of beans and rice because we can’t afford anything else. Feeling hungover all the time without the good-time alcohol buzz that should precede it. And being in a perpetual state of learning something new the hard way.
* When people say, “You look tired.” How do I respond to that? Usually with a smile and a simple, “Yep, you nailed it!” What I’d like to say is, “Glad to know I look hot — thanks for noticing! It’s been so fun sleeping and showering and exercising and primping lately!”
* Floor level merchandising directed at children. The local master at this: Book People. Their children’s book section is on the second floor. Each step leading to the second floor has on it a different, random, completely unnecessary, but visually and texturally appealing to a child, thing. Highly irritating to me. The last time we were there my 3 year-old picked up one of the balls and threw it down the stairs. I watched as it bounced all the way down and then flew past one of the employee’s heads at the bottom of the stairs. The employee gave me a shaming look that said, “Why don’t you have better control of your child?” And I slammed him back with my newly assertive, post HBAC look that said, “Are you kidding me? Your store created this, Asshole.”
* People who have a problem with public breastfeeding, people who think violence is the best way to raise a child to be respectful, and people who think being a Stay At Home Mom is mindless, easy work.
There! Feels good to get the oogies out as I like to say. That was almost as satisfying as going out on a long run which is 100% in order today because it’s 75° and sunny in Austin today — Woo-hoo!
Any other mamas feel like adding to the Attachment Mama Pet Peeve list — I welcome it.
Posted in Mama Peeves | 14 Comments
-
You are currently browsing the archives for the Mama Peeves category.
Categories
Popular Posts
Follow Me
Blogs I Like...
Places to go
