During the month of October 2015, Attachment Parenting International (API) joined with 11 other partners and sponsors in observing Attachment Parenting Month 2015 with the theme: “Parental Presence: Birthing Families, Strengthening Society.”
The purpose of AP Month 2015 was to add to growing national and global discussions on the importance and logistics of paid parental leave following the birth of a new baby. We focused on the critical need of presence in a child’s life, beginning at birth and especially in the early weeks and months when bonding with baby should take center stage and yet is so often thwarted by the financial need of parents to return to work.
We feel we met our goal of getting parents talking and thinking about how they can best balance their child’s attachment needs and their financial obligations and career aspirations within individual families. We hope that our work has also helped to raise awareness of the importance of maternity and paternity leave in communities, workplaces and policymakers’ circles that will eventually translate into universal paid leave time to benefit all families despite their socioeconomic status.
API would like to recognize and thank the the organizations, businesses and individuals — each working everyday to support parents in making presence a priority — for their generosity and teamwork in making AP Month 2015 a success:
Lamaze International
Lamaze is a nonprofit organization that promotes a natural, healthy and safe approach to pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting. Knowing that pregnancy and childbirth can be demanding on a woman’s body and mind, Lamaze serves as a resource for information about what to expect and what choices are available during the childbearing years. Lamaze education and practices are based on the best, most current medical evidence available. They can help reduce the use of unnecessary interventions and improve overall outcomes for mothers and babies. Working closely with their families, health care providers and Lamaze educators, millions of pregnant women have achieved their desired childbirth outcomes using Lamaze practices.
Ask Dr Sears
We are William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN. Most folks just call us Dr. Bill and Martha. After raising 8 children and practicing pediatric medicine for more than 30 years, we have answered questions from thousands of parents. Millions more have sought our advice through our 40-plus pediatric books. How did all of this come about? Because we’ve always loved kids.
Mothering
Founded in 1976, Mothering Magazine was integral in the development of the modern natural family movement. Today, Mothering.com is the largest online destination for parents interested in exploring natural and eco-conscious living — including birth and medical choice, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, gentle discipline, educational alternatives, healthy eating and green products. Providing cutting-edge inspiration, perspective and practical advice for nearly 40 years, Mothering empowers parents to make informed choices that honor the unique needs their family.
Arm’s Reach
The Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper brand bassinet is a unique creation that began with a mother and father’s need for a safe sleeping environment for their baby. They, like many parents, had rediscovered the benefits of cosleeping with their infants — increased bonding, ease of feeding and a greater sense of closeness — yet were concerned modern beds weren’t appropriate for a baby’s space. They solved this problem by placing the child at the side of the bed — literally within arm’s reach! Their result is a wonderful series of bassinets that keep babies close to their parents during the important early months of development, whether you choose to breastfeed or bottle-feed.
WYSH
WYSH was founded in 2009 by Lu Hanessian, grateful mom of 2 boys (her muses) and giddy bride of one swell guy she’s known for half her life. WYSH is founded on the science of connection, relationships, engagement, curiosity, positivity, mindfulness, growth and well-being — based on 9 pillars for optimal, mindful living both with ourselves, in relationship and the world. When we live aligned with our personal and collective needs values, we embody and share the full expression of who we are with others.
Families for Conscious Living
Families for Conscious Living (FCL) is a 501(c)3 national nonprofit whose mission, since 1996, has been to provide education and support to parents who wish to make compassionate, sustainable and conscious choices for their families. In a modern, industrial society, conscious living choices, especially for families, is considered counter-culture and even radical. However, over the past 20 years, FCL supporters have watched as homeschooling and home-birthing families — marginalized at best and jailed in some U.S. states — have now been accepted, not only as a needed alternative to industrial approaches to education and childbirth, but as pioneers of human development.
Infant Massage USA
Infant Massage USA is the U.S. chapter to the International Association of Infant Massage and was founded in March 2005. Our mission is to promote nurturing touch through training, education and research so that babies, parents and caregivers are loved, valued and respected throughout the world community.
Parenting in the Workplace Institute
The Parenting in the Workplace Institute researches and provides resources for the implementation of formal programs in which
parents can bring their children to work and care for them while doing their jobs.
DONA International
Pardon us for bragging, but we are the oldest, largest and most respected doula association in the world. Our founders are among the foremost experts on doula care, and DONA International certification is a widely respected measure of quality and professionalism. We are an international, nonprofit organization of doulas that strives to have every doula trained and educated to provide the highest quality and standards for birth and/or postpartum support to birthing women and their families. To that end, we promote continuing education for doulas and provide a strong communication link among doulas and between doulas, families and the medical birthing community.
Peter Ernest Haiman, PhD
For more than 4 decades, parents have met with Dr. Haiman to resolve child- and adolescent-rearing problems. He has provided individual counseling and/or psychotherapy to adults and adolescents over the past 50 years. Dr. Haiman has served as a child custody expert witness to courts and provided child custody advice for parents involved in divorce. In child custody divorce cases, he provides competent psychosocial developmental knowledge that can be applied to the individual child and family situation. In particular, he specializes in promoting child custody attachment parenting and aiding with child custody visitation.
Linda Folden Palmer, DC
Science is Dr. Palmer’s first love and continuing inspiration. Prior the birth of her son, Dr. Palmer ran a successful chiropractic practice for 11 years, focusing on nutrition and women’s health issues. With the birth of Dr. Palmer’s son in 1995, her usual passion for research turned toward infant health and parenting, leading her to lead attachment parenting groups for 5 years and then to write 3 books, including her latest, Baby Poop.