The post about baby advice and opinions...

1. Don't hold them too much you will spoil them.
2. Hold them...you can't spoil a baby until 18 months so hold them all the time.
3. Hold them while they are awake but put them down when they fall asleep
4. Hold them while they are awake but put them down while they are sleepy but still awake.
5. Never sleep with your baby...you will end up with a four year old in bed with you.
6. Sleep with your baby...it makes life so much easier!
7. Never sleep with your baby...you will move in your sleep and kill them.
8. Sleep with your baby...they sleep better with you nearby.
9. Never sleep with your baby...blankets will suffocate them.
10. Put your baby on their back to sleep...it prevents SIDS
11. Put your baby to sleep on their stomach...if they spit up they won't choke.
12. Put your baby on their back to sleep...they wont suffocate on the mattress that way.
13. Put your baby to sleep on their stomach...they wont suffocate on the blanket that way.
14. Blankets are breathable...they wont die if it covers their face.
15. Put your baby to sleep on their side... they wont suffocate on anything!
16. Baby wearing....it is a hippie thing.
17. Baby wearing...it is good for physical and mental development.
18. Baby wearing will delay walking.
19. Baby wearing...it spoils them being held against you all the time.
20. Baby wearing...you can still get things done AND hold your baby!
21. Breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your baby!
22. Breastfeeding...why are you gonna do that? You'll never be able to be away from your baby
23. Formula is terrible!
24. Formula is fine....but only these kinds...
25. Formula is perfectly acceptable.
26. Pumping breast milk is a great way to give your baby your milk.
27. Pumping breast milk isn't as good as breast feeding directly.
28. Don't nurse in public. No one needs to see that.
29. Nursing in public is okay as long as your covered up.
30. Nursing in public is totally okay!
31. Circumsion is terrible.
32. Circumsion is fine.
33. Don't take the baby out the first couple of months...they will get sick.
34. Limit exposure to people the first couple of months...they will get sick.
35. Take baby out and have lots of people hold them...it builds their immune system.
36. Don't use a pacifier...it will confuse the baby when they nurse.
37. Use a pacifier...you can't cut your kid's thumb off when they get older.
38. Let your baby cry it out...he needs to self soothe.
39. Never let your baby cry it out...they will have trust issues.
40. Let your baby cry it out but only after a certain age.
41. Never let your baby cry it out...it is mentally and emotionally harmful.
42. Don't give your baby vaccinations...they are poison.
43. Vaccinate your baby...it could save their life and the life of someone that can't get vaccines.
44. Vaccinate your baby but only certain vaccines.
45. Vaccinate your baby but space them out more than recommended.
46. Don't vaccinate your baby...vaccinations cause autism.
47. You should have another right away to get pregnancy over with.
48. You should space your kids out...more than one in diapers is a pain.
49. You should have another right away so they can entertain each other.
50. You should space your kids out so your older one doesn't need you as often.
51. Start feeding rice cereal at four months.
52. Start feeding rice cereal at six months.
53. Don't feed rice cereal at all.
54. Don't give jarred baby food.
55. Jarred baby food is fine.
56. Skip baby food all together and just give them regular food in small bites.
57. Cloth diapers are best!
58. Disposable diapers are the way to go!

Everyone has their own opinion and their own way of doing things. That is fine. But don't Mommy shame people because their way isn't your way. The hardest thing I have experienced while being pregnant and in the (almost) six weeks I have had a child is judgey eyes...or repeated comments on Facebook about a certain way of doing things. As a new Mom it is frustrating to thing I am doing something "wrong" or not the "best" way.

But I realized something the other day that warranted this post.

There are billions of people on the earth. Clearly parents are good at not killing their children. What works for one person might not work for another. What one person believes might sound really crazy to someone else. Even though sometimes I wonder if my way is the best way I have a little chunker butt that is healthy and happy.

I appreciate everyone's opinion and all the advice I get I do consider and think about...but I now know I can take things with a grain of salt and smile and nod if I don't agree with it.

I know I will not break my child. :-) I may make mistakes along the way...I may wish I had done things different in a few years...but that remains to be seen.

I'll figure it out...and I won't let anyone make me feel like I am doing it "wrong". (Unless it comes to proper car seat use...in which case I fully expect my Mommy friends in my Facebook group to jump their Car Seat Nazi selves all over my ass. :-D )

Much love to everyone!!!!