Becoming Crunchy

Mommies, daddies and fellow green enthusiasts…my name is Jessica aka Cloth Diapering Mama and it is my honor to be guest posting over here at Becoming Crunchy, as it is one of my very favorite blogs! I’m an advocate for Natural and Green Parenting and for our dear care-giver…Mother Earth. Please stop by and say hi sometime or find me on Facebook or Twitter. I hope you enjoy my post…had a little fun with this one.

If you’re a reader of the Becoming Crunchy blog you have undoubtedly seen the unfolding of a Natural Mommy and Daddy in Kelly and Dave. We all have a starting point. Some of us were practicing Natural Parenting before we realized that it was actually a way of life…some of us read about it and wanted in and some of us had an epiphany of sorts – or an awakening – once we were blessed with the gift of our little ones.

However you ended up HERE, know that by being a part of this community you are raising awareness and spreading the word about Natural Family Living…grass roots style…and that’s about as organic as you can get!

Here’s a little bit about my Natural and Green awakening:

I knew I was a natural mommy when…

That expensive crib turned into a GREAT laundry basket!!

• Just didn’t feel right to put my newly emerged nursling into a separate sleep space…even with our big-boy, our first born, nearly 4 years old…cuddling, heart to heart and breath to breath remains our bed-time routine.

~Our Family Bed/Circus~ Baby says, "Mom get that camera out of my face, I'm busy bonding with my brother!"

I knew I was a natural mommy when I thought…

Forget a fancy diaper bag! My baby is my best accessory!

• My baby’s favorite spot is nestled close…in a sling, (as much a part of me as when he was on the inside)…gently observing the world in a comfortable, safe place…

Baby Brady sleeping soundly in the Mei Tai carrier.

I knew I was a green mommy when…

The enormous waste of disposable diapers was an eye opener to a more eco-friendly and healthy way of life.

• The Cloth Diapering Mama website would not exist if I hadn’t had my green epiphany when my first son was nearly 2 months old.
• The idea of a one-time use diaper is baffling to me after 4 years of cloth diapering.
• The ease and benefits of cloth diapering far out number any “inconvenience” that they may present.

Pocket diapers double as great swim diapers, great for the beach!

I knew I was a natural mommy when…

The mere thought of CRY IT OUT or FERBERIZING our child was instinctively horrifying to me.

• Its simple really…Baby needs something…baby cries…mommy or daddy responds. The quicker we respond the more trust is built and the less vocal the child will need to be in order to get our attention. Well attached babies cry less and thrive more.
• No, crying is NOT good for my child’s lungs…I never bought that one and never will!

I knew I was a green mommy when…

I refused to bathe or slather my child in anything that he could not ingest without consequences!

• CHEMICALS popped up on my radar like never before. I was spotting them everywhere… Did you ever read the ingredients on a bottle of Johnson and Johnson baby wash… have you investigated what the term “fragrance” means? Toxins. Toxins that smell like flowers or baby powder do not make them less TOXIC!
• We now purchase very little prepared “product.” Most cleansers are homemade and/or contain few ingredients.

I knew I was a green mommy when…

Organic became a word that flies out of my mouth like the air I breathe!

• We eat 90% organic whole foods, very little processed; we do like the occasional baked good.
• I make a gigantic effort NOT to bring any new plastic into our home and I refuse to buy produce wrapped in plastic…what is the point of that!? Why do we want to leach chemicals into our earthly goods? We see this a lot at Trader Joe’s…so when I shop there I only buy loose fruits and veggies.
• I shop in the bulk bins to reduce waste with my own containers from home and we avoid plastic like the plague… believe it or not I save lots of money this way!

A beautiful array of fresh veggies and fruits from Suzie's Farm in San Diego, our CSA provider.

I knew I was a green mommy when…

I started letting my youngest son play in my cleaning cabinets under the sink…

• Don’t worry…I clean only with white vinegar and baking soda…it might be old fashioned but it works beautifully and I actually enjoy the smell.

I knew I was a natural and green mommy when…

I let my preschooler roll around in dirt to appreciate and connect with the astounding energy from our planet, Earth.

• Lessons taught about the earth and its resources lead to respect, principles, values and innate kindness to creation. Time spent in nature is invaluable!

Making "Earth Angels" at Lake Hodges.

I knew I was a natural mommy when…

My kids prefer natural and homeopathic remedies when sick…and respond to them better than Allopathic drugs.

• I can always find something food based or in my little homeopathic first aid kid to take away the symptoms of childhood illness. My sons both respond better with a cool bath for fever than they ever do with Tylenol or Motrin.
• When we hear the unmistakable barking sounds of croup coming from our older son…he gets up and hits the bathroom for a steam treatment before we have to mention it.

I knew I was a natural mommy when…

My husband said, “I don’t care what you do…as long as you keep shaving your armpits!”

• Sometimes new/natural ideas can rub people the wrong way because they seem outlandish or over the top. When my dear hubby found out I hadn’t used traditional store bought shampoo in months he was a bit shocked. I pointed out how great my hair felt and looked…he AGREED! Then pleaded with me not to become TOO natural!
• Once I explained to him that my “naturalism” or “purist” behavior was not just about our planet but about the health of our family, he softened – and he seeks out glass containers and organic products when shopping!

If you can relate to more than one of these scenarios then you, too could be considered a natural & green mommy, daddy or caregiver! We all have one thing in common. We want more for our kids and we want to sustain this planet for their kids, and grandkids and so on…

Please join me on my quest to spread Natural and Green parenting methods…along with Kelly, Dave and many other bloggers in our community.

Thanks for reading!

Live Greenly

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