Am I still an ‘Ehh. Pee.’ parent if sometimes I pass out at the wheel and swerve into mainstream parenting? Does it have to be ‘You’re AP.’ or, you’re not?
I know, that on the inside, I consider myself to be a totally AP parent – and believe this issue is certainly illustrative of how one may learn that one’s ‘personal needs’ are not always consistent with societal convictions or of ones personal opinions in a previous incarnation. Opinions vary depending on where one stands. Or strolls.
I am very responsive and attentive to my childrens needs, and have been for many MANY (MANY) moons now. I breastfeed, child-led wean, co-sleep and still pick up the babe often (in spite of the arguing I get from my lower lumbar region! 
) plus I carried her in a sling. She got heavy, and I’m old.
Admittedly, there are times when I use a buggy/stroller. Doesn’t everyone? Sometimes you just have to. Like when you need the wheels to manuever into a better slot at the grocer. They can be hard to navigate around for an ametuer. Or if you are on an adventure to the beach or a music festival that will have you out all day and you must have someplace to store all your gear. Stroller. And boy do they come in handy. Am I a traditional parent for wanting to walk the pug after dinner but before the sun comes up? Lyryk isn’t exactly into evening/night walks and trying to ‘uppy’ her for the length of time it’d take (she’s pushing 40 el bees these days) to get a poo and pee out of Sheila-la would put me in rehab. So, we stroll in our Joovy. She thinks it’s groovy. The window up top lets us play peek a boo, share a smile or just allow her to watch the treetops pass.
But, this was our choice and now I wonder if someone like me, the quintessential AP parent, finds themselves in the traditional turn of parenting practices, which type of stroller would you have chosen and at what age? When Lyryk was itty bitty, but we had her in an Emmaljunga Buggy facing us for as long as she would stand it before demanding to be put back. (Into the wrap or womb I could never tell be she quieted in the wrap so, good enough!)
Hot Moms Use Strollers - See?
A rear facing stroller that allows the child and parent to interact the entire time seems like a really cool thing – but then a forward facing stroller that gives the child a chance to see what is going on in the world around them seems like a really cool thing too. We (obviously) opted for the latter ‘del dia’, but had the former when she was a wee bitty thing.
A good many folk think that rear facing strollers are better for a child’s development because we’re more likely to giggle and chat with our child when they are looking straight at us demanding our gaze. Their cute factor notwithstanding.
I think a forward facing stroller gives a your child the opportunity to take in all the excitement that is going on around her and find pleasure in the wonder of it all Plus if you get one with a peek a boo window like mine you can have the best of both worlds.
So do you think it’s possible to be an AP, co-sleeping parent, breastfeeding, babywearing parent and still have/use a buggy/stroller? Or is this a certain faux pas – a no-no in your book?
I often wonder if we all just get too caught up in labeling people and their parenting styles and if we’d lighten up a bit on each other we’d come to find a common ground with each other… both AP and Traditional style. I’d love to hear from you Mommies! Tell me about it – please? Vote for us at Top Mommy Blogs – Please! Help us raise the bar! (opens in a new window!)
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