To be or not to be...

There is a lot of buzz these days about "attachment parenting". Basically, its the general term for lots of closeness with your baby ~ holding, wearing, sleeping. Its what we've chosen so far with Amelia. We came to a point a few weeks ago, however, where we began to reassess what is truly best for us, as a family and individually. We came to the conclusion that we needed to make some changes.
I remember walking with another mama when Amelia was barely two months old. She commented on how she had not been out (baby-free) for more than 2 or 3 hours on her own since her child's birth - 7 months ago. We talked about the choices we were making, and she said that she did not want to be a martyr. This style of parenting has its consequences. I didn't think much of that comment in the moment, but reflected on it weeks later, when I was feeling too tired for much of anything, except complaining to Joe. I found myself saying "I'm so exhausted, Amelia just isn't a good sleeper..."
Was that true? Or was it a combination of our choices and Amelia's stage of development??
I had to ask myself "What is truly best for Amelia?? What does she need?"
One thing I concluded is that Amelia needs a well-rested, energetic mom. Oh, and sleep. I weighed the benefits of co-sleeping and having her sleep in her sling (strong bonding and attachments, security...) with developing good sleep habits (well-rested, able to soothe self). Not an easy decision for many of us mamas who want to choose the most compassionate approach.
Ultimately, we chose to introduce Amelia to her crib, and to see sleep as the foundation for her growth and happiness. We still hold and love her when she's awake, and we check in on her frequently when she's in her crib. Low and behold, Amelia has been napping better and better each day, and seems more rested and mellow when she is awake.
Still, its hard being a mama, and making choices when some are poised as "good" and others as "bad" or "neglectful". I believe every new mom needs to assess for herself what works for her child, self and family. And the labels (i.e. "attachment parenting") only make it more confusing, in my opinion, because there are so many varying degrees of bonding, loving and raising a child.
Am I an attachment parenting mama? To some degree. I am also realizing the value of creating a structure within which Amelia can thrive. (Oh, and that is not exclusive of tons of love and fun within that!)