Attachment parenting

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Although he wasn’t walking by his first birthday on March 5th, 12-month-old Shaya Braven Charvet didn’t make his mom wait long! Brooke Burke, 37, twittered the exciting news Monday: “OMG!!! Shaya just took 4 steps!” It was certainly a bright spot in what appears to have been a challenging month thus far for the family of six, which includes Brooke’s fiancé David Charvet and her three older children — Neriah, 9 this month, Sierra Sky, 6 ½ and Heaven Rain, 2.

Lamenting a “tortuous” nighttime routine, Brooke recently took to her Baboosh Baby blog for advice on how to secure some quality sleep for her entire family. “The past four nights have been rough,” she wrote. “I wish I could fast forward to an easier time…Anybody wish that?”

With Neriah and Sierra, Brooke practiced a family bed for five years, but she is “trying to raise Rain and Shaya differently.” To that end, while Rain spent the first six months in her parents’ bed, she was then transitioned successfully to a crib; Shaya’s birth and the family’s move to a new home sparked a regression in Brooke’s youngest daughter, however. Writes Brooke,

“She is in a big girl bed, so every night she makes her way down the hall and crawls into my bed. I have to admit, I love the late night cuddles but I do miss sleeping next to David.”

Click below to read about Brooke’s first attempt at employing “tough love” with Shaya.

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In the second part of our exclusive interview with The Office’s Melora Hardin, Danielle spoke at length with her abouther two homebirths, extended nursing and co-sleeping.

Click ‘More’ to read our exclusive interview! (Click here for part one of our interview.)

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Despite spending much of her childhood in Hollywood filming her sitcom Zoey 101, Jamie Lynn Spears says those days — for now — are in the past. "You know, Hollywood is not really for me right now — not in the place that I’m at," explains the actress. Instead, Jamie Lynn and her fiancé Casey Aldridge have turned their focus to their baby girl, Maddie Briann, 3 ½ months, as they settle into their new life as a family in Louisiana, the couple’s home state. Although Casey shares that they "didn’t plan [having a baby] at all," he is more than thrilled with his new role as a dad, saying the situation has "turned out for the better."

While Jamie Lynn does admit that Maddie’s doctors "say don’t do it," according to the 17-year-old, Maddie is "perfectly happy sleeping right in between" her parents in their big bed! With a baby that sleeps well, Jamie Lynn stresses that neither of them lose any rest with their nighttime arrangements. In fact, co-sleeping, for Casey, allows him to spend each morning next to his daughter when she is "happier," moments he calls his favorite time with her. Casey, 19, — who reveals he has "changed a few" diapers and is "pretty good at it" — enjoys his bonding time with Maddie, whose favorite past-times these days include laughing during tummy-time. As for Jamie Lynn, who considers herself "so blessed," when it comes to her favorite time with her baby girl, she is quick to say "everything!"

"It is a whole new life, but it is a better life than I could ever ask for. Every day, waking up with a reason to go and do something. It is something to live for and to work for. It is that reason every day, right here in my hands."

Click ‘More’ to read about Jamie Lynn leaving Maddie at home for the first time, and her and Casey’s commitment to each other.

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Growing up with a nickname like ‘Busy’ must make playing the name game particularly problematic for actress Busy Philipps, turning 29 later this month, and her husband Marc Silverstein.  The actress, expecting a baby girl in early August, recently told The Cradle she believes that "the name has the tendency to dictate the kind of person that you become," adding that she is "definitely a ‘Busy!’" The couple had a name ready to go in the event that their baby-on-the-way was a boy, but Busy said they’re struggling to find the perfect combination of traditional and unique when it comes to choosing a name for their daughter. 

It’s hard. It’s a lot of responsibility…Plus, my husband is a writer. I think we’re over-thinking it at this point.

As for life after baby, Busy said that although she’s going to employ a "play it by ear attitude" she has some definite ideas about what she will and will not attempt as a mom.  Breastfeeding is a priority, she revealed, and the couple intends to hire help. 

I talked to a lot of people [about this]… some didn’t have baby nurses, some had daytime doulas, and some swear by a baby nurse. So I think that if I am going back to work while the baby is little, having those first few weeks getting some rest and being able to have someone to help me figure out how to do this will be incredibly helpful. 

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The Office’s Melora Hardin recently sat down with American Baby to discuss her homebirth, extended nursing, and attachment parenting practices, as well as how she deals with sibling squabbles and the importance of individual time with mom.

The 40-year-old actress is mom to Rory Melora, 6 ½, and Piper Quincy, 3, her daughters with actor Gildart Jackson.

Click below for the interview highlights.

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In an appearance this morning on the British talk show GMTV singer Myleene Klass raved about life with Ava Bailey, turning 6-months on Saturday, her daughter with fiancé Graham Quinn.  However Myleene, 29, said that — as is common after a baby arrives — Graham is occasionally the odd man out in the equation. 

He does feel a bit left out sometimes, which I try to avoid. But it’s inevitable, it really is. The first thing that happens when you wake up is you’re looking after the baby. And you want to as well.

The young family is currently co-sleeping, and Myleene says that in the morning their bedroom resembles a scene "out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" because "all our feet are hanging out the bed."  If Myleene isn’t pushing Graham aside to tend to the baby, Myleene says that — at night, at least — it’s often the baby pushing Graham aside to get some sleep!

And [Ava] sleeps like a starfish. Graham definitely has the bad side because she just kicks him in the back.

Myleene also revealed that she "forgot everything" while she was pregnant with Ava, and that her ‘pregnancy brain’ even led her to forget where she and Graham live.

I had my keys color-coded for me. Usually I’m supposed to be able to sit down and play a sonata, and there I am thinking, ‘Should I use the yellow key to get in through the front door, or the green key?’ I couldn’t remember, it was really frustrating.

Ava is the first child for the couple.

Source:  My Park Magazine

Update: The winner isMelissa from Encino, CA, who shared this experience:

I gave birth at UCLA Westwood using the midwives.  I had wanted to use a birthing center, but I was on Medi-Cal and they would not cover a non-hospital birth.  However, I did go all natural, no drugs, vax, or interventions.  I had an extensive birthplan and the only regret that I was talked into temporary fetal monitoring–and I was really well read ahead of time and still fell for it.  Also, the hospital does not allow partners to stay overnight without ponying up for a really expensive suite, and the kitchen service screwed up my food twice (I have Celiac disease and must be really careful).  On the plus side, I guess no one has a successful  natural birth there, because we had nurses and interns coming into quiz us on why and how we did it.  It was a great chance to educate them.  And I have the most wonderful, alert, funny daughter in the world.

I can’t wait to see this movie–which is difficult, since I have a 5 month old at home.  I may have to wait for Netflix   But I’ve become an even bigger advocate for natural birth–and plan to specialize in pregnancy massage as part of my practice–I’m a certified massage therapist.

Natural Mama Media hosted the LA premiere of Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein’s new documentary,
The Business of Being Born, benefiting BLOOM, a nonprofit organization dedicated to natural mothering.

The Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills was brimming with celebrity moms walking the red carpet and placing bids on over 100 amazing items at the silent auction tent.  There was great food, music, The Hot Moms Club greeted the movie goers as they entered the theatre with a table of goodies and information.

The Business of Being Born is a documentary exposing the hard-corerealities of delivering babies in today’s world. Ricki was so committedto this project, she includes footage of her own birth in it. She’s ina bathtub, nude and 195 pounds, by her own admission a very courageouschoice. But also imperative. She and her director Abby Epstein wantwomen everyone to learn how to feel empowered by their birth experienceby giving them real information about the choices they have.

For more information about the movie and the event, read Hot Moms Club’s exclusive interview with Ricki and Abby.

Celebrity moms who came out to support Ricki (who looked fabulous!!) and see her documentary, including Cindy Crawford, a pregnant Brooke Burke and fiance David Charvet, pregnant Angela Kinsey, Holly Robinson Peete, Carrie-Ann Moss, Camryn Manheim, Joely Fisher, Josie Maran, Debra Gibson and many more.  Click Continue Reading for more photos from the event.

Each guest walked away with gift bags worth over $750 containing goodies from Bloomin’ Belly Soaps, Fresh Mommy, Fuzzi Bunz Diapers,BabyLegs, Hot Moms Club, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Oasis Child, Hotslings, Wubba Nub, Love Me Baby Me,Moby Wrap, Ah Goo Baby, Tiny Revolutionary, G Diapers, Mothering magazine, and you can WIN ONE for yourself!

Click Continue Reading to find out how to enter!

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As she heads into the Australian Open, Lindsay Davenport — who just seven months ago gave birth to her first child, Jagger Jonathan — has become an unlikely role model for her often younger, often childless peers on the WTA Tour.  Her decision to return to the court so soon after becoming a mom was viewed with a certain degree of skepticism by the tennis community, but she has since proven the skeptics wrong, dropping just one match while going on to win 18 others.  Lindsay’s play has caught the attention of Serena Williams, who recently said,

I mean, I’m speechless because she looks better than me and she’s seven months out of having a baby.  I’m convinced if I had a baby, seven months later, I’d probably still be in the hospital trying to get over the pain. She is my ultimate role model. I mean, I’m really so motivated. Like she’s just taken it to a new level.

Jagger travels with Lindsay on the road, along with a full-time nanny, and since his birth the two have spent just two nights apart.  Mom and son sleep together in their various hotel rooms, so it is Lindsay who tends to the baby when he wakes overnight, usually at 4 a.m.  Lindsay says that at that point she and Jagger usually co-sleep until the sun comes up.

I haven’t really forced anything because I’m too tired in a week like this (leading up to the Australian Open) to really sit there and wait for an hour for him to go back to sleep.  I’m giving in.

At no time is Jagger’s presence more apparent than when Lindsay begins to pack for a tournament, however.  As anyone who has ever flown with a baby knows, airline travel is never quite the same.

Life is obviously so much greater now, but traveling is way more difficult.  I swear I didn’t appreciate even silly things like reading magazines or books, and packing is way different. I pack for myself at the very last minute, throwing things in, and for him it’s like ‘Do we have enough diapers, do we have enough formula?’ All of that stuff is much more important.

Click ‘continue reading’ for more of Lindsay’s interview.

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Women have been giving birth naturally (without drugs) for thousands of years.  In a time when elective c-sections are on the rise, there are still many mothers opting to give birth at home, in water, and/or without medication.  Here are a few celebrity mothers who went this route and talked about it this year.

Charlotte Church delivered daughter, Ruby Megan Henson, at home in a birthing pool with minimal drugs.  She is also breastfeeding and co-sleeping. Talking with boyfriend Gavin Henson to OK! magazine, she said,

I was telling you I loved you, wasn’t I? Saying ‘I loveyou, but I can’t do this!’ You were brilliant, you kept saying, ‘Justget through this one.’

I was so anxious before, thinking, ‘Is it really going to hurt that much?’ And it really does hurt that muchand ten million times more! The pain is outrageous!

Kellie Martin was set on giving birth naturally and was disappointed she had to be induced because daughter Maggie didn’t want to come on her own.

I was induced, and I really, really wanted to have her naturally.No drugs, no nothing, because that’s what my mom did with me so Ifigured — you know — I’m as tough as my mother!   

She changed her mind after her water broke, but her husband and her nurse helped her get through it.

We got a couple of hours into the real, good contractions and theybroke my water… and once that happened, I said ‘Okay, no, no, no,no… can’t do it.  Can’t do it!  Drugs!  Somebody help me…I have tohave drugs.’  And my husband knew how important it was to me to haveMaggie naturally so he just kept changing the subject, and my nursekept changing the subject…She’d be like ‘Ooooh, look!  It’s sobeautiful outside!’ And I was like, ‘Seriously, no one is listening tome.’  And by that point I’d really forgotten that I needed the drugs,and it was time to push.

Lisa Bonet (aka Lilakoi Moon) gave birth to daughter Lola Iolani Momoa at home.

Dave Matthews and his wife Ashley welcomed their third child, August Oliver Matthews, at home.  Dave said, believing homebirth comes with its own set of benefits,

We had him at home, which was nice, because I knew where the beer was.

Ani DiFranco gave birth to daughter, Petah Lucia DiFranco Napolitano, at home, and believes,

Birth is the epicenter of women’s power.

Actress AJ Langer, best known as Rayanne on My So-Called Life, gave birth to daughter Joscelyn Skye at home in water, with her husband, Lord Charles Courtenay, the future Earl of Devon, helping to catch the baby.

Supermodel and cosmetics entrepreneur Josie Maran considers herself to be relatively eco-conscious, and integrates her green knowledge into motherhood as well.  She said,

I gave birth to Rumi in my backyard. Ipractice what I preach.

Ricki Lake’s documentary about homebirth, The Business of Being Born, debuted with a standing ovation at the Tribeca Film Festival. Catch a screening near you in 2008.  She gave birth to her second son Owen, now 5, at home in a bathtub. She told The Huffington Post,

I wanted to make this movie after my two very different birthexperiences with my children. I felt like I had an opportunity toexplore and question birthing practices in this country and perhaps bean advocate for mothers’ rights and better maternity care.

Joely Fisher gave birth at home to her second daughter, True Harlow Fisher-Duddy, saying,

I decided to have her at home and had a lot of friends around and ofcourse her father was there. And of course, the doctor, the doula, themidwife, the butcher, baker and candlestick maker.

For more information about natural childbirth, visit childbirthconnection.org, choicesinchildbirth.org, cfmidwifery.org, birthworks.org, lamaze.org, bradleybirth.com, birthingfromwithin.com.

Attachment parenting is a philosophy that is based on certain nurturing parenting practices in order to create strong emotional bonds which help the child develop secure, empathic, peaceful, and enduring relationships. These practices include natural childbirth, home birth, stay-at-home parenting, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering, homeschooling/unschooling, not circumcising, not vaccinating, natural health, and support of organic food and other products. It’s not necessary to subscribe to all of these practices but many hardcore APers do.  (For example, many women breastfeed, wear their babies, co-sleep, eat organic when possible but delivered in a hospital with an epidural.) 

The things that celebrities say and do can clue us in to their parenting style. Here are a few quotes we posted about this year.

Co-sleeping
Angelina Jolie told Esquire magazine:

Rightnow, Pax is sleeping in our bed. It’s kind of nice, him immediatelyknowing and feeling comfortable with us. Mad slept with meuntil Brad and I got together. They’re fun to sleep with. We havefamily sleep on Sundays. Everybody sleeps together.

New Zealand model Kylie Bax told Woman’s Day magazine, after the birth of her second child, Dione Nefeli, "We have four people in the bed now!" (Her other child is daughter, Lito, 3.) 

Kevin Kline, his wife Phoebe Cates, and their children, Owen, 16, and Greta, 13, still share a bed.  He told OK! Magazine,

There is a theory that a child has to teach itself to go to sleep, andif every time it cries, you whisk them out of their bed — the jury isstill out on that. But our kids still sleep in our bed.

Cloth diapering

The following celebrities cloth diaper their children…

• Singer Dave Matthews — son August Oliver. Dave has also spoken on the issue.
• Actors Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard — daughter Ramona — uncle Jake Gyllenhaal has spoken about his niece’s diapers.
• CSI: NY actress Anna Belknap cloth diapers her daughter.
• Singer and actress couple Brad and Kimberly Williams-Paisley cloth diaper their son William Huckleberry.
• Numb3rs actress Diane Farr cloth diapers her sonBeckett Mancuso.
• Model and actress Josie Maran uses gDiapers with her daughter Rumi Joon.

Babywearing
For the year in celebrity babywearing, click here.

Breastfeeding
For the year in celebrity breastfeeding, click here.

Home/water/natural childbirth
For the year in celebrity natural childbirth, click here.

For more information on attachment parenting, visit Attachment Parenting International and Nine In Nine Out and read Dr. William Sears’ The Attachment Parenting Book : A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Baby.