So it would appear that things have changed quite a lot since I first became a parent.
Of course every generation will experience their own unique parenting trends, from lotus births to helicopter parenting to eating the baby’s placenta but one thing that is a constant is that all of these ideas, go in and out of fashion.
2015 brings with it, its own set of parenting trends, some which will be useful and others, well, not so much…
Such as:
1. Pee Parties
Now wait, before you type this term into a search engine, it’s probably not what you are thinking. Or maybe it is. Basically, a ‘Pee Party’ is a group of women getting together and peeing on pregnancy tests in unison. They do this virtually by the way, they aren’t sitting around the lounge room holding sticks with urine on them as they sip a latte and eat scones.
There are a few factors; the women need to be on the same cycle and able to get together at the same time in an online hangout where they reveal their test results. This does mean of course that unless their partner is there with them, these virtual strangers know their (good or bad) news before their significant other does.
Also to be considered are the effects of a negative result and how this will be even more devastating to process publically, especially if the other women in the group conceive.
I suppose many would feel this is a bit weird and I was always very much a ‘test in the toilet and hold my breath for 5 minutes’ kind of gal, but again, the times, they are a changing and if this makes these ladies happy and feel included in what can often be a daunting and long process, then I guess, they should go for it.
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Top Comments
I see nothing wrong with early announcement. I had 3 miscarriages and the support network is the only thing getting me through. 98% of my husband and my own family are in the USA, this has been very hard for us. I didn't announce the 2nd one and fell into deep depression. I just bottled it and it pushed me to a horrible place. I'm sorry if this post sounds silly. I don't know what I would do without my loved ones being here for me and hubby.
Breastfeeding selfies are the greatest thing ever. Normalising breastfeeding is fantastic. It would be nice if I could feed my children in 5 months time when they arrive without someone commenting or glaring at me. My grandmother pointed out how society has shifted, when my father was born she received a lot of comments because she was medically required to bottle-feed because technology just wasn't at a point to enable her to breastfeed like it is now, but now breastfeeding is being compared to sexual acts because advertising has normalised formula and sexualised breasts.
Exclusion by vaccination is an odd phrasing. I'm not letting someone unvaccinated come near my newborns without good reason. There are three people who have not had a TDAP shot in the past 6 years that will be allowed to see my children, they're all over the age of 80 and getting the vaccines now could seriously harm their health. I don't think that's weird really, especially in my situation where I'm looking at particularly vulnerable newborns.
The "early reveal" is also fantastic. Personally I waited until my 12 week scan to announce my pregnancy but I grieve privately and without external support, some people need to have a support structure in place, people to surround them and help care for them during harder times. By announcing a pregnancy before it's "safe" we're normalising miscarriage a little bit, it's stupidly common and every time someone brings it up you see people shocked that someone would talk about it or that someone else has been through it.