Not really a new idea, just one I wanted to write about...

We all remember Grrl's post about 'mommy drive bys'.
I had my own little drive by in my last post.
See, that's the thing that I wish I could change about motherhood.
Of course, many of us do!
It starts off so early!
One can argue so many points of motherhood!

How long one waited to get pregnant...
What one eats or drinks while pregnant...(Not alcohol, but coke for example)
Natural drug free labor vs. epidural
Breastfeeding vs. formula feeding
Pacifiers
Cosleeping vs. in the crib
Attached parenting vs. non attached parenting
CIO vs. No cry sleep solution
What age to begin cereal
To work out of the home or not

As you see, this is all in just a small portion of the life of the baby.
And also, as you see, NONE of this is a life or death matter!
By meeting/talking with a parent who chooses one way over the other it should make you more intune with other moms.
It will in no way impact the way YOU decide to raise your child if you find that your neighbor(coworker, blogging friend...etc..) chooses to feed her child formula and you chose breastfeeding.
If you find out your neighbor co-sleeps and you have your baby sleep in his own crib.
Yes, it may make you feel stronger about the choices YOU make for your child. You might even thing you're right!
Guess what? You ARE right, for you and your family. That is the wonderful thing about being a parent. You get to make choices that affect YOUR life, and the lives of those in your home. You get that responsibility, and hopefully you take it and learn from your choices.
Sometimes it was the right choice, and sometimes not. But it was your choice to make.

You see, having anon tell me, "don't you know that feeding solids before the age of 6mths leads to a higher chance of allergies and obesity? But, your a 2nd time mom, so Im sure you know that." did not make me choose a different way. (BTW anon...here is the recommended guidelines...The Academy of Pediatrics recommends that solid foods be introduced, generally no earlier than four months of age. If a child weighs at least thirteen pounds and has good head control, solid foods can be started as early as three months. )
Miles is about 19lbs on our home scale. Holds his head perfectly.

Why is it that mothers have to challenge each other with choices they have no right to make?
Why is it that you (in general) are so concerned with how another child sleeps, eats, is brought into this world?
What amount of what goes on in the daily life of your neighbor/friend/stranger impacts what goes on with YOUR world.
So, you choose formula feeding and your neighbor chooses breast. Is that a problem? Nope!
So, you choose to co sleep and your neighbor chooses crib. Does that impact your life in any way? Sure, you might feel that you're glad you made the choice you did to cosleep because you feel closer to your baby. I'll bet a million dollars that when your neighbor hears you say you cosleep she feels her decision to have baby sleep in a crib is a much better choice because she can sleep better or whatever reasons she has!
Why do we pick battles on something that will never change.
Why do YOU (in general) feel that your decisions are the right decisions for every family?
Why do YOU(in general) feel that you know each situation so well that you can tell that family that they chose the wrong decision?
What made women, MOTHERS, so angry with each other?
Sure, we all have a common bond, our children.
But when we get in the nitty-gritty of raising our children one is bound to have an issue with the other.

What I wish is that we all could see and agree that each family is different. Each CHILD is different. Each circumstance is different. LIFE is different.
Why can't we embrace all the choice we have and be glad we have them?
Why do we have to feel superior?

I want you parents reading this to know that I don't feel superior.
I chose medicated childbirth, that turned into unmedicated.
I chose breastfeeding that quickly turned into formula feeding.
I chose baby sleeping in his own room.
I did not chose to CIO, although some day I might!
I chose to stay at home with my children, however I don't think it is always the right choice for all families.
I CHOSE to begin feeding my child cereal 3 days before his 4th month.

I do not think my choices are best for you, but they are best for me.
I want to know what your choices are that you made. I will respect those choices. I will not think they are the wrong choices. I might stand more confident in my choices for me and my family, but I will not think you made the wrong choices.