The Strength of Women is the Strength of Women

I’ve often looked back on my college career and thought hmm if I’d only taken that course sooner, I’ve have ended up a Women’s Studies major. No not because I’m some sort of feminist lefty and remember I shave my armpits. But because I often liked the discussions, thought problems, and stories that emerged. Plus I’ve always valued the strength of women — not the kind of shoulder pad wearing women of the 80’s strength but the strength that is inherent in the female gender, the kind that comes from our chromosomal make up. I read lots of books where so called women’s issues are at the heart or where there is a strong female protagonist: Above the Earth and Sky: My Journey to Bhutan; Kabul Beauty School; Breath, Eyes, Memory, the biographies of Queen Noor and Abigail Adams; the list could go on and on. I’ve always looked back at the women who came before us with reverence and am currently reading Our Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts.

In the introduction she has a very interesting passage that I think will stick with me for the rest of my days. She writes:

“When I first started learning about the women who influcenced the Founding Fathers, I thoughts they might represent a unique generation, in the way we have always been told that the men of the era were unique……But as I’ve got to know these women…., I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s nothing inuque about them. The did — with great hardship, courage, pluck, prayerfulness, sadness, joy, energy, and humor — what women do. They put one foot in front of the other in remarkable circumstances. They carried on. They truly were our Founding Mothers.”

I’m going to remember the sentiment at the heart of this even if my house might not be on fire with revolutionary soldiers outside and I might have running water and indoor plumbing. I still have a house to run and a family to look after, a husband to enjoy, a job to manage, friends to stay in touch with, and a toddler to wrangle.

Filed under Books, Women | Comment (0)

One of the only parenting books I read

I was not into reading lots of parenting books. Maybe I will be one day, but thus far (9months in) I’ve only read one and this is it. Our Babies Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent by Meredith Small

Truthfully, this book made me feel a little bad about my parenting at first and I was already a babywearing, breastfeeding, co-sleeping parent. But in the end I’ve decided it’s a great book. It’s based on studies and includes data so it satisfies the science-type in me. I think for me it made me try to be conscious about what was affecting my parenting decision. What was driving me to decide: Were we going to co-sleep? If so, for how long? For how long was I going to breastfeed? How were we going to manage the “does your child sleep through the night” issue. Regardless of our choices, this book made me become aware of what influences were driving our decisions.

It’s almost more of an ethnography or sociology read, but I think one that was very interesting for me. Pick it up online or if you’re on the Northshore, head to Crunchy Granola Baby.  They carry it.

Filed under Books | Comment (0)

So That’s What They’re For

So here is one of my favorite books for the expectant or new mom. It’s a great breastfeeding resource, I think gives a very realistic picture of what you’re in for, and really makes a great case for why breastfeeding is so important.

So That’s What They’re For: The Definitive Breastfeeding Guide by Janet Tamaro

I highly recommend that you pick this one up. It’s a must read. I never thought I’d read a book on breastfeeding and really like it. But I read this one cover to cover and recited half of it to my husband as I was working my way through. He even picked it up after our daughter arrived to help figure out the answers to questions we were having early on in my breastfeeding career.

You’ll soon discover that I am very pro-breastfeeding. One of my friends has deemed me the “lactavist” and I think it fits. I’ll talk about breastfeeding to anyone who is interested.

Filed under Books, Breastfeeding | Comment (0)