Musings on the "normal" raising of babies

It says something about the hippie upbringing I've had that every time I see someone walk past with their baby balanced on their hip, struggling to juggle their shopping bags or open a door, I think "why aren't they wearing a sling? It would be so much easier!".  And every time I see a baby being bottle fed, I shudder, thinking how much better/healthier/cheaper/more convenient breastfeeding is (before someone feels a need to tell me that some people are unable to breastfeed, I realize that.  But the fact remains that the great majority simply choose not to!).

I grew up surrounded by lots of granola/hippie homeschooling moms. ;-) Babywearing and breastfeeding (and co-sleeping) have always been what's *normal* to me, and I find myself surprised at how *abnormal* those things are to much of the population!  So many people think breastfeeding is "gross", co-sleeping "dangerous", and so many people don't seem to even know about the existence of babywearing.

Instead, what's "normal" to most people is formula in plastic bottles; strollers and carry-able seats; disposable diapers and cribs.  All so artificial, and so *removed*!  The world is a strange and sad place when that's what's considered *normal*.

Continuing in the same vein, I found this video recently, of art from all over the world depicting the baby Jesus nursing.  I'm not Christian in the slightest, but that didn't make me find this art, or what it says about the cultures that created it, any less lovely.  From the blog, Peaceful Parenting, that created this video:

"Images of Mary breastfeeding Jesus were once ubiquitous in churches around the world. But eventually in North America, as the artificial feeding of babies became more popular, and the plastic bottle replaced the breast, our nipplephobia got the best of us and these sacred images all but disappeared from churches and art galleries in North America."

Enjoy!



Peace,
Idzie