Babies (and children) do not come with an instruction manual. Sometimes, parents wish their children did come with one that would provide inspiration and the answers that parents need. This is likely why so many parents seek out books on parenting. As such, there are plenty of them to choose from.
Alicia Silverstone (the actress from the movie “Clueless”) has written a parenting book that many people consider to be controversial. The book is titled “The Kind Mama: A Simple Guide to Supercharged Fertility, a Radiant Pregnancy, a Sweeter Birth, and a Healthier, More Beautiful, Beginning”. It was published on April 15, 2014, and is available on Amazon (as well as bookstores).
The book provides some parenting advice could be considered controversial. This is probably not the advice your mother gave you, or the recommendations your doctor would give. Alicia Silverstone thinks that tampons cause infertility, that postpartum depression can be prevented if you avoid eating sugar, and that cribs are “tiny prisons”.
How do you feel about the idea of pre-chewing your baby’s food for him or her? After chewing it, would you put your mouth up to your baby’s mouth and push that pre-chewed food in? Alicia Silverstone really has been feeding her baby that way, and she suggests that you should do the same. This idea has caused some controversy after a video that showed her feeding her baby using this method went viral.
She also recommends that parents try elimination communication which is a method of potty training that begins while the child is an infant. How does this work? Parents must pay very close attention to the signs and signals that indicate that their baby is about to urinate or defecate.
As soon as a parent notices their baby giving off those signals, the parent must rush the baby to the bathroom. In short, it involves holding the baby over the toilet while making a sound that the baby will learn to associate with either urination or defecation. Alicia Silverstone suggest that parents do not put any diapers on their babies.
The controversial part of that idea has more to do with the time involved than any health aspect. Some parents are not able to stay at home with their children. It is highly unlikely that a day care center will be able to continue with the elimination communication that a parent has begun with their baby.
The book also includes a not-so-subtle suggestion that parents should simply avoid all vaccinations. This is very controversial for health reasons. There are measles outbreaks going on right now that could have been avoided if parents properly vaccinated their children. Outside of the book, Alicia Silverstone has announced that she is starting an online breast milk exchange.
Image by Mark Coggins on Flickr.