Undercover Hippie

I may not look like it, but when it comes to parenting, I’m a hippie.

I’m all about co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and cloth diapering.  No bottles, no crib, no carriage.  Tiernen was worn in a front carrier and then a back carrier until she was old enough to walk long distances on her own.  I made her food, raised her vegetarian, and filled our house with books.

Fast forward to my foster mama-hood.  

Obviously, I can’t breastfeed.  Co-sleeping is a big no-no.  I

Just started cloth diapering (no diaper service here).  There are many things I do as a foster mom I wouldn’t do as a bio or adoptive mom.  We have a crib and a pack n play and about ten different carriages and strollers.  What can I do...  

But here’s one trend I hate.  Loathe.  Simple won’t do.

Using baby car seats to carry babies around.  

I just don’t get it.  

Sure, Tiernen’s infant car seat popped out and you could carry her around, but I never did.  I would just pick her up and either carry her in my arms or put her in the front or back carrier.

Maybe moms did this all the time in 1996 when I was a new mom, but I didn’t notice.  But I notice now.

I see it as minimizing contact with your infant and I just don’t get it.  I don’t get how this is the go-to way to carry your infant.

So you can imagine my surprise when we had to take Baby N to her doctor’s appointment and the nurse practitioner YELLED at me for carrying the baby in.

 She told me I BETTER have her in the car seat the next time.  

AND SHE CALLED THE AGENCY AND COMPLAINED ABOUT ME.

Are you kidding me?  

Since when is holding and comforting your infant a bad thing?

I was livid.  A year later, I still am.