http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog a gentle beginning for you and your baby Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:20:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en  How long you continue to breastfeed is a matter between you and your baby. Although breastfeeding a toddler isn’t everybody’s drink of milk, if you choose to nurse beyond babyhood (the definition of ‘baby’ is relative to the culture we live in), you can expect some disapproval. In fact, you ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/hes-too-big-for-that When my own babies were small, neither social ideology nor wakeful babies caused me a lack of sleep – my babies slept snuggled up with me at night. My choice to co-sleep wasn’t based on research studies, it was simply ‘best practice’ for our family  - or, where we all ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/co-sleeping-is-it-part-of-bonding Breastfeeding has been going well: your baby is thriving and happy. But now you are returning to work and feel sad at the prospect of weaning your baby. Take heart, returning to paid work doesn’t mean you have to stop breastfeeding. Your baby can enjoy the health and nutritional benefits ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/breastfeeding-and-returning-to-paid-work Attachment parenting or ‘AP’ as it’s often referred to by more devout proponents, is a label that can arouse strong emotions and create  divisions among mothers. For some, it conjures up visions of latter day hippies with bare bottomed babies strapped to their bodies  around the clock and seems too ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/close-to-you   Forgot the flashcard saying ’you are being born’? Don’t have a curriculum beyond cuddles for your 3 month old? If you are worried your child may be ‘slipping behind’ his peers because you haven’t been providing enough educational enrichment, relax!  New research shows that the most critical factor in helping your baby’s ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/how-love-makes-your-baby-smarter   “Mummy, he’s got brown hair!”  My (then) ten year old exclaimed as she stood shoulder to shoulder with the midwife, watching her baby brother’s head crown. This time it was my turn to tell her, “ he’s got black hair!” as she gave birth to her own baby son .   I ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/a-parent-is-born You may have heard the term ‘accidental parenting’ which implies that you, the parents, have inadvertently caused (or will cause) your baby to have sleeping difficulties if you encourage ‘bad habits’ such as letting your baby fall asleep  in your arms or not following a strict regime of one sort ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/accidentally-in-love You may have heard a million jokes about mother-in-laws, but when it comes to dealing with your own, up close and personal, especially when you become a parent, it isn’t easy to see the funny side.  Unfortunately, we can’t choose our in-laws – they come as part of the package ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/surviving-the-inlaws As I was checking my files for some mothers' day inspiration, I came across something I saved long ago. It was written by that wonderful person 'anonymous' .   I hope it will be as inspiring for you as it is for me.   The young mother set her foot on the path ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/mother-a-living-presence A crying or demanding child (or simply a different style of parenting) is like a green light for other people to become experts about your kid. Judgement and criticism – whether direct or indirect – can chip away at your resolve and make you feel vulnerable so that it becomes ... http://pinkymckay.com.au/blog/uncategorized/confronting-your-critics