I'm a mom. Yes, I'm 18... and?

Hello, my name is Zoe and I'm an 18 year old new mommy to a beautiful baby boy named Clay. There are a few reasons why I'm starting this blog... One is because I have always loved writing, especially journaling, but I seem to have ditched it for the most part since I graduated high school (no boring classes to distract myself in anymore lol). Two because I'm a total advocate for attachment parenting (I'm all into baby wearing, breastfeeding, bed-sharing, cloth diapering, elimination communication, etc, etc...) and want to help others along their path if that's what they're interested in. And three, because I want to share My story, and help show others that just because I'm a mother who is a teenager, it doesn't mean that I can't/won't be the best mom I can be for my little boy. After all (here's something you probably weren't expecting), I had this beautiful baby on purpose!

Did your jaw drop? I can see why, from the mainstream point of view. People tend to criticize me because of financial concerns, or say things like, "your ruining your life, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into," and so on. I am not going to miss out on life, thank you. In fact I see things quite the opposite :). As for secondary education, I was never interested in going to college or university. All the things I strive for are achieved through specific training programs and workshops that I can perform while being a mother. Things such as Reiki (which I've had my level one in for over a year), becoming a birth and postpartum Doula (which I will begin later on this year or the next), infant massage, and permaculture & sustainable living. I had little knowledge of what I was getting myself into in the beginning, yes, but from the moment of conception I accepted the path I chose. I knew I would flourish in it. I knew I would love being a mom. I stuffed my noggin over full with knowledge on pregnancy, labour, birth, and parenting. Mostly the alternative "natural" methods, and some of the mainstream knowledge. I read books such as Childbirth Without Fear by (Grantly Dick-Read), Birthing From Within by (Pam England), Unassisted Childbirth (by Laura Shanley), Husband Coached Childbirth (by Robert A. Bradley), Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (by Ina May Gaskin), etc. I watched documentaries such as The Business of Being Born, Orgasmic Birth, and What Babies Want. I went to two prenatal classes (one was once a week for a month (by the hospital) and one was a day long course (by a midwife friend)). I also did super extensive research on the internet on how to have a healthy pregnancy, home birth and unassisted birth, unnecessary and invasive hospital procedures and how to avoid such things, kangaroo parenting, breastfeeding, bed sharing, cloth diapering, elimination communication (we'll get into that ;P), etc... I wrote a birth plan and went over it with my OB. As for financial concerns, my fiance works and we live simply. By that I mean that we don't want for new and expensive toys, we grow our own food and make things from scratch, and we're experts at finding the best sales ;). We believe that having and raising a healthy happy family has little to do with money, and that there is always a way to flourish and do much more than get by, by simply letting go of materialism and thinking outside the box. We were as prepared as we could be. but who is ever really prepared to become a parent?

So there you have a bit of my philosophy. I understand if I'm stepping on some toes here, and if those toes are yours then please know that this blog is only to share my life, and my opinions, not to push them on those who would see things another way. It's a journal to share my experience and to assist those who may be on a similar path. Thanks for reading :) There will be more very soon!