Burning Books

I was babysitting for a little boy during his nap time.  He wouldn't go down for his nap again.  When his mom came home I mentioned that maybe he was ready to give up his nap.  She pulled out a book from the shelf, leafed through it, and said, "No- he still needs it.  He is not ready to give up his nap yet."

WHAT!  Mom and baby can not communicate with one another.  You don't know your child best.  He doesn't know what he needs.  THE BOOK DOES!  WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?

It didn't help that the book was Baby Wise, but I am actually just sick and tired of our dependence on all books for instruction.  When did we forget how to have sex, get pregnant, give birth, feed our babies, parent our babies, and care for our children?

I know, this sounds strange coming from somebody who supposedly teaches others how to give birth, but I am fed up with our dependence on experts.  The sad part is, we actually need it.

We have lost woman to woman knowledge.  How many of you have mothers who gave birth naturally?  How many of you have grandmothers who even remember their births?  How many of you are second generation bottle- fed?

Have we allowed our female power to be taken?  Have we co-opted our innate intelligence to carry, birth, feed and care for our babies so that we can get better jobs?  Have we ignored our instincts because a book or our girlfriends, husband or mother have told us how we "should" be doing things?

TAKE IT BACK!  If you have to read a book in order to know how to give birth then do it.  I have, and I reccomend them to other people too.  But remember this- any book that tells you there is one way to do things is taking your power.  The only advice that you should be getting is learning to tune in to yourself and tune out the outside pressures, influences, and "expert" knowledge.

You know how to birth.  You know how to feed your baby.  You know how to raise your baby.  Don't listen to all the doubt and noise in your head.  Don't listen to your best friend whose babies all sleep through the night because of XYZ program.

Listen to yourself, your power, the spirit that dwells in you.  Let go of the fear and the pressures and the expectations.  Let go of the way you were raised and the stories you have heard.  Seek out other wise women who know the power and the beauty and the humility it takes to raise a spirit in this world.  Turn to your creator in prayer.  Begin a generation of positive, intuitive parenting, birthing, and mothering.