Before I had my daughter, I never imagined I’d allow her to nurse as much as she wanted—sometimes using me as a pacifier. I was staunchly against co-sleeping, and couldn’t imagine holding her nearly every waking hour.

I’ll be honest; my perception of “attachment parenting” was that it’s a new age-y concept designed for SAHMs who would raise clingy, co-dependent children. I couldn’t have been more wrong on every level.

As I read more about attachment parenting, I learned that attachment parenting actually helps to raise more trusting, confident children who are secure in the fact that their needs will be met.

I also realized that attachment parenting is not as challenging as it may sound. After all, who wouldn’t want to keep this bundle of joy as close as possible?

I like Dr. Sears’ views on the matter. On his Web site, he states: “[AP is] actually the style that many parents use instinctively.” That is exactly what I discovered in the first few weeks of motherhood, too.

My daughter isn’t comfortable in a carrier, probably because I don’t feel secure holding her in it, so we’re not completely “attached.” But I often work with her sitting on my lap, carry her around during chores, and do anything requiring two hands while she naps. Even when she’s not in my arms, if she’s awake, I’m doing something with her: Reading, playing, or feeding her. As she grows I’m sure we’ll transition away from this arrangement or become comfortable with the carrier… obviously, I can’t carry her in my arms forever. But I’m fortunate to be able to schedule my day to spend as much time with her as possible.

And co-sleeping? After taking all the necessary safety precautions, it turns out co-sleeping in the early hours of the morning when the baby wakes up and needs to eat, is just easier. She starts the night in her bassinet, but joins us after her four o’clock feeding, when we both fall asleep. Another confession? I rather like having her cuddled up next to me.

Feeding on cue became easy once I learned her hunger signals, and it just so happens she still has a hearty appetite that needs food about every hour-and-a-half. This can be harrowing, but I get through it by reminding myself that she won’t be nursing forever, and when I start her on cereal in a short six weeks, her belly will stay full longer.

I’ve also discovered that feeding her while I eat (especially in restaurants) is a great way to keep her quiet and happy through mealtimes. It’s even kept us from having to leave restaurants mid-meal, as I will never (I don’t believe in absolutes, but there’s no room for compromise with this one) be an inconvenience to other customers by permitting a crying baby to disrupt the entire room.

I’ve often laughed that our approach to parenting would upset the “diehard” AP practitioners as well as those who believe in strict scheduling. When I’ve mentioned my refusal to let the baby “cry it out,” I’ve heard comments like, “Oh, you’re not one of those ‘attachment parent types’ are you?” And AP practitioners probably feel I’m not close enough because I sometimes supplement with formula and don’t use a sling-style carrier or keep the baby with me during her daytime naps.

But I try to avoid extremes and excesses in every area of my life… why should parenting be any different? Maybe I’ll write a book and start my own parenting philosophy. I’ll call it “Do what works for you and your baby.”

Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say – well, emphasis the mother part of that expression.  You know when you are out with your baby, and suddenly you realize that you have forgotten something vital?

I’ve made my own wipes with paper towels, soap and water to change my son when we were out and I forgot to bring wipes with me. I’ve duct-taped diapers shut when the tabs broke off, and made a baby carrier for my son with a shirt. How? Watch this video – you can also improvise a baby carrier with a pair of sweatpants or a towel.

I’ve also forgotten to bring a diaper out on one occasion, and created a makeshift diaper from a receiving blanket and a plastic shopping bag. How? Fold receiving blanket in half diagonally to make a triangle. Long side wraps around baby’s waist, third point of triangle goes between baby’s legs, tie the corners together. Then poke two leg holes in the bottom of the plastic bag, insert baby’s bottom in bag, tie bag handles around baby’s waist together to secure. Replace baby’s pants and ignore strangers who are looking at the odd rustling baby. Naturally, keep an eye on baby to ensure baby doesn’t pull the plastic bag apart and that no plastic bag accidents happen.  The receiving blanket is absorbent and the plastic bag is fairly waterproof.  The best part of this is that I did my MacGyver diaper, not somewhere discrete, but was forced to do so in the middle of Waikiki Beach.

And conversely, baby and toddler products can be useful for moms too. I used a Crayola paintbrush to apply eye makeup the other day, lansinoh nipple cream on a patch of eczema (worked a treat) and used a shovel from the sand box to open a locked window when I locked myself and my baby out of the house. I’m not telling you how I did that just in case someone else decides to break in!

There’s a theme running here… you might be thinking perhaps I need to be a bit more organized and a little less forgetful? Hey, I’m a busy mom, and forgetting keys/diapers/wipes happens… at least to me, anyway! And mom creativity has usually saved the day.

Do you have any clever mom tricks or improvisations to share?

Dr. Sears‘ book, The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know about Your Baby from Birth to Age Two, is my new parenting bible. It’s 740+ pages covers everything from feeding and nutrition to health concerns and remedies, to baby’s stages, to parenting the colicky baby, to baby-wearing and contemporary parenting, to the transition from baby to toddler, to safety issues and baby-proofing, and more. Reference charts and diagrams, including growth charts, proper medicine dosages and stages of teething are extremely helpful.

Dr. Sears emphasizes the Attachment style of parenting. He discusses in depth, the art of baby-wearing, or carrying baby in a sling or similar carrier for much of the day. I finally ordered a sling and can’t wait for it to come. I guess you can say that my baby definitely has his fussy days, allowing me to accomplish very little outside of tending to him, and Sears claims that baby-wearing helps to soothe and calm the fussy or colicky baby. If you pick up your fussy baby and hold him close, he usually becomes content, proving that Sears is ‘right-on’ with his approach.

Wearing baby in a sling, pouch or wrap offers him a comforting transition from the womb to the outside world. Sears suggests thinking of baby’s gestation as lasting for 18 months: nine months inside the womb and at least nine months outside the womb. During baby’s first nine months, the womb environment regulates baby’s system automatically. This is temporarily disrupted at birth. Baby-wearing helps baby regulate the world outside the womb. Mother’s rhythmic walk, the soothing and familiar sound of her heartbeat, and her rhythmic breathing, reminds baby of his womb experience.

What really got me interested in carrying my baby in a sling is that research has shown that continued mother-infant attachment, such as baby-wearing, stimulates baby to achieve a quicker distinction between day and night. For now, I’ll keep using my traditional baby-carrier and carrying baby in my arms. Our sling is due to arrive tomorrow; it will make both of our lives much easier! As my sister, a seasoned baby-wearer, said, a baby-sling makes her feel like she has a third arm. She can get things done with baby nestled in his sling. What busy mom couldn’t use that?

I’m sold on Dr. Sears- don’t know what I’d do without him!