We are a nation divided. Two sides of the fence. Too many opinions. Too many critics.
Not enough acceptance – and this has nothing to do with the White House.
I’m talking about motherhood, and what I’ve observed in the last two years since becoming a mama for the first time.
Immediately after giving birth, the mama “experts” came out of the woodwork.
“Feed your kid this way,” I’d be warned. “Don’t do this, or else,” I’d hear.
Suddenly, everyone was brilliant – and I knew nothing.
This fueled my insecurity. It fueled my anxiety. It made me feel as if I had just stepped into an alternate universe where everything I wanted to do was wrong – simply because others found it unacceptable.
It all started with my c-section. It was followed up by my decision to stop breastfeeding after a few unsuccessful weeks. It continued with my choice to use a stroller versus a baby carrier, because well, my baby liked it more. I didn’t co-sleep, use cloth diapers, or shun formula
This made me an easy target for the more natural moms on the block.
But then, after a few weeks of navigating the whole motherhood thing, my daughter woke up crying one night and as I held her, rocked her, fed her the best I could, and wondered if I was getting right or not. Then, she looked up at me and smiled for the first time. Her face was calm and she couldn’t have looked more peaceful and content in my arms, and the thought of it brings me to tears. And then I realized that no matter what the judgey moms had to say, no matter what the trends insisted – I was the BEST mom this baby could have ever hoped for her, simply because I was hers, and we were learning from each other.
And then, I became obsessed with mommy equality.
What is mommy equality, exactly? It is the right for any mom to parent as she sees fit. The right to not be judged for how you choose to raise your kid, feed your kid, or put your kid to sleep. It’s a critical call for moms to band together, to recognize that life is hard enough without having to deal with the feelings of insecurity that come from others opinions. It’s what has made me feel whole through the rocky road of motherhood.
And this is precisely why I’ve joined forces with South Florida’s first-ever Eco Baby Expo, a giant convention designed to showcase the best in eco-friendly parenting choices – even though I don’t technically fit the bill. I have decided to sponsor the event to show my support for all moms everywhere to come together, learn from one another, and enjoy a day of doing what they do best – raise their babies.
So join me, join them – join together. Show some mommy equality in any form wherever you are – because a mommy nation divided is no fun at all, and we owe it to ourselves to support one another!