Crunchy Mama

So I have long thought that I might've enjoyed growing up in the hippie era.  For whatever reason, I had only positive associations with this label.  Long hair, relaxed clothes, laid-back lifestyle, music.... perhaps it's a reflection of what I wish I were a bit more like, because if you know me, you know that "laid back" is hardly the first descriptor most people would use to describe me!

Fast forward to when I became a mom.  I had already researched nearly every conceivable aspect of parenting ahead of time, found the approaches that I liked, and once Natalia was born, I was ready to start implementing them.  With time, I noticed that there is a term associated with moms who make similar choices to mine: crunchy.  Or granola.  Or.... wait for it - Hippie!  Lo and behold, my dream came true (wink wink); apparently I'm a neo-Hippie!  :)

But as I mentioned at the start of this blog, I do not necessarily ascribe to any one single set of choices when it comes to raising my daughter.  The same applies when it comes to this new label that I found for myself.  (Can you tell that I like labels?  Labels help me compartmentalize my world, which makes it easier to interact with people and ideas that surround me.)

So when I found a list of "signs" indicating that one may be a crunchy mama, I am happy to report that in the spirit of Hodgepodge Parenting, I do not fall neatly within the lines of all the examples given.  Granted, this article I link to here is written a bit tongue-in-cheek (I hope!), but of the 20 "signs" given, our family only fits the bill for less than half of them:

4. You and your husband haven't slept alone in your bed since your first child was born.  This is not fair, because we only just started down the road of parenting, and our only child is still young.

6. You use terms like EBF and assume everyone knows what you mean.  I think this is indicative of time spend on online forums.  At least it is for me.  (By the way, EBF = exclusive breastfeeding.)

11. You not only use cloth diapers, you make them (and wash them) yourself.  Ok, so I don't make my own cloth diapers, but I do wash them myself.  And I do make my own "baby wipes".

12. The only school for your kids is homeschool.  Yep, soon enough.

14. You drive a Prius. Indeed.

15. You have a composter, and you use it.  Sigh.  We did compost before we sold our house.  Now I'm debating if we want to get an apartment-friendly composter (it involves worms!), or wait until we have a little plot of land of our own again to start composting again. 


18. You believe coconut oil and breast milk can cure pretty much anything.  Ok, so I haven't tried the coconut oil, but I have tried the breast milk on the little scratches Natalia sports now and again on her beautiful little face.  Works like magic :)

19. You use a menstrual cup. Proudly.  I haven't had to spend a dime on feminine hygiene products in years.

You have complimented a complete stranger for nursing in public.

You have given birth at home, intentionally.

You have tried elimination communication with your baby.

You charted your BBT and cervical mucus while trying to conceive.

You own and use a composter.

You make your own laundry detergent and use wool dryer balls.

You know at least 3 ways to boost breastmilk supply.

Your friends call you when looking for natural remedies.

You own 2 or more baby wearing devices and know the difference between a wrap, a sling, and a mei tai.

You have a medicine cabinet without medicine in it.

You are an intactivist and you don’t have a son.

You have gone no poo.

Your children are on a delayed, selective, or nonexistent vaccination schedule.

You drink green smoothies or juice your vegetables.

You use cloth diapers and wipes. Bonus points if you made them yourself.

You have watched “The Business of Being Born.”

You think a chicken coop would be an awesome backyard addition.

You make your own granola.

- See more at: http://www.crunchymoms.com/you-might-be-a-crunchy-mom-if/#sthash.8vBZiOiG.dpuf

You Might be a Crunchy Mom if…

1. You make everything from bug spray to cleaning supplies.
2. You have 1 or more children sleeping in your bed/bedroom.
3. You use a cup or Mama Cloth during your menstrual cycle.
4. You consumed your placenta.
5. You have thrown or been invited to a chicken pox party.
6. You swear breast milk and coconut oil can cure anything.
7. You plan to homeschool or unschool.
8. Your going out shirts must be nursing friendly.
9. You dream of visiting “The Farm”.
10. You can pronounce quinoa, tempeh and seitan.
11. You use Family Cloth instead of toilet paper.
12. You drink kefir and kombucha.
13. You buy white distilled vinegar by the gallon.
14. You kids aren’t the only family members that wear Baltic amber.
15. You have shared breastfeeding pics on Facebook.
16. You have breastfed a child that could ask for milk in a full sentence.
17. You cringe when you see a “crotch dangler” baby carrier.
18. You are fermenting food on your counter top right now.
19. You keep your kids in extended rear facing car seats until they meet weight restrictions.
20. You have dreamed about starting or living in a commune.
21. You have complimented a complete stranger for nursing in public.
22. You have given birth at home, intentionally.
23. You have tried elimination communication with your baby.
24. You charted your BBT and cervical mucus while trying to conceive.
25. You own and use a composter.
26. You make your own laundry detergent and use wool dryer balls.
27. You know at least 3 ways to boost breastmilk supply.
28. Your friends call you when looking for natural remedies.
29. You own 2 or more baby wearing devices and know the difference between a wrap, a sling, and a mei tai.
30. You have a medicine cabinet without medicine in it.
31. You are an intactivist and you don’t have a son.
32. You have gone no poo.
33. Your children are on a delayed, selective, or nonexistent vaccination schedule.
34. You drink green smoothies or juice your vegetables.
35. You use cloth diapers and wipes. Bonus points if you made them yourself.
36. You have watched “The Business of Being Born.”
37. You think a chicken coop would be an awesome backyard addition.
38. You make your own granola.

- See more at: http://www.crunchymoms.com/you-might-be-a-crunchy-mom-if/#sthash.8vBZiOiG.dpuf

Here's another great list, and here are some additional indicators that I may be crunchy:

8. Your going-out shirts must be nursing friendly.
10. You can pronounce quinoa, tempeh, and seitan.
12. You drink kefir.
14.  You wear Baltic amber. (this is dumb, I think.  I wouldn't put a necklace on a child so young s/he could choke on it - but being Polish, I have my own Baltic amber jewelry, and don't see what all the fuss is about)
19. You keep your kids in extended rear-facing car seats until they meet weight restrictions.  (Isn't this a safety issue?)
20. You have dreamed about starting or living on a commune.
22. You have given birth at home, intentionally.
23. You have tried elimination communication with your baby.
24. You charted your BBT (basal body temperature) and cervical mucus when trying to conceive a baby.  (This is also an indication that you may be Catholic and following NFP - Natural Family Planning.)
25. You own(ed) and use(d) a composter.
27. You know at least three ways to boost breast milk supply. (Malunggay supplements, daily consumption of oatmeal, frequent nursing/pumping, domperidone... I've had to use the first three and luckily it didn't come to having to get the domperidone.)
29. You own two or more baby wearing devices and know the difference between a wrap, a sling, and a mei-tei.
31. You are an intactivist and you don't have a son.  ("Intactivism" refers to letting a boy's foreskin remain intact.  In other words, I don't support circumcision and am happy to say so when needed.)
35. You use cloth diapers and wipes.
36. You have watched "The Business of Being Born."  (And I think every woman should.)

ou can pronounce quinoa, tempeh and seitan

You Might be a Crunchy Mom if…

1. You make everything from bug spray to cleaning supplies.
2. You have 1 or more children sleeping in your bed/bedroom.
3. You use a cup or Mama Cloth during your menstrual cycle.
4. You consumed your placenta.
5. You have thrown or been invited to a chicken pox party.
6. You swear breast milk and coconut oil can cure anything.
7. You plan to homeschool or unschool.
8. Your going out shirts must be nursing friendly.
9. You dream of visiting “The Farm”.
10. You can pronounce quinoa, tempeh and seitan.
11. You use Family Cloth instead of toilet paper.
12. You drink kefir and kombucha.
13. You buy white distilled vinegar by the gallon.
14. You kids aren’t the only family members that wear Baltic amber.
15. You have shared breastfeeding pics on Facebook.
16. You have breastfed a child that could ask for milk in a full sentence.
17. You cringe when you see a “crotch dangler” baby carrier.
18. You are fermenting food on your counter top right now.
19. You keep your kids in extended rear facing car seats until they meet weight restrictions.
20. You have dreamed about starting or living in a commune.
21. You have complimented a complete stranger for nursing in public.
22. You have given birth at home, intentionally.
23. You have tried elimination communication with your baby.
24. You charted your BBT and cervical mucus while trying to conceive.
25. You own and use a composter.
26. You make your own laundry detergent and use wool dryer balls.
27. You know at least 3 ways to boost breastmilk supply.
28. Your friends call you when looking for natural remedies.
29. You own 2 or more baby wearing devices and know the difference between a wrap, a sling, and a mei tai.
30. You have a medicine cabinet without medicine in it.
31. You are an intactivist and you don’t have a son.
32. You have gone no poo.
33. Your children are on a delayed, selective, or nonexistent vaccination schedule.
34. You drink green smoothies or juice your vegetables.
35. You use cloth diapers and wipes. Bonus points if you made them yourself.
36. You have watched “The Business of Being Born.”
37. You think a chicken coop would be an awesome backyard addition.
38. You make your own granola.

- See more at: http://www.crunchymoms.com/you-might-be-a-crunchy-mom-if/#sthash.8vBZiOiG.dpuf

You Might be a Crunchy Mom if…

1. You make everything from bug spray to cleaning supplies.
2. You have 1 or more children sleeping in your bed/bedroom.
3. You use a cup or Mama Cloth during your menstrual cycle.
4. You consumed your placenta.
5. You have thrown or been invited to a chicken pox party.
6. You swear breast milk and coconut oil can cure anything.
7. You plan to homeschool or unschool.
8. Your going out shirts must be nursing friendly.
9. You dream of visiting “The Farm”.
10. You can pronounce quinoa, tempeh and seitan.
11. You use Family Cloth instead of toilet paper.
12. You drink kefir and kombucha.
13. You buy white distilled vinegar by the gallon.
14. You kids aren’t the only family members that wear Baltic amber.
15. You have shared breastfeeding pics on Facebook.
16. You have breastfed a child that could ask for milk in a full sentence.
17. You cringe when you see a “crotch dangler” baby carrier.
18. You are fermenting food on your counter top right now.
19. You keep your kids in extended rear facing car seats until they meet weight restrictions.
20. You have dreamed about starting or living in a commune.
21. You have complimented a complete stranger for nursing in public.
22. You have given birth at home, intentionally.
23. You have tried elimination communication with your baby.
24. You charted your BBT and cervical mucus while trying to conceive.
25. You own and use a composter.
26. You make your own laundry detergent and use wool dryer balls.
27. You know at least 3 ways to boost breastmilk supply.
28. Your friends call you when looking for natural remedies.
29. You own 2 or more baby wearing devices and know the difference between a wrap, a sling, and a mei tai.
30. You have a medicine cabinet without medicine in it.
31. You are an intactivist and you don’t have a son.
32. You have gone no poo.
33. Your children are on a delayed, selective, or nonexistent vaccination schedule.
34. You drink green smoothies or juice your vegetables.
35. You use cloth diapers and wipes. Bonus points if you made them yourself.
36. You have watched “The Business of Being Born.”
37. You think a chicken coop would be an awesome backyard addition.
38. You make your own granola.

- See more at: http://www.crunchymoms.com/you-might-be-a-crunchy-mom-if/#sthash.8vBZiOiG.dpuf

Interested in finding out if you may be a crunchy mama?  Here's a fun quiz to take. Though it certainly isn't all-inclusive.

So, read anything here that surprised you?