Special thanks to Lisa Hoang, Windwardskies Photography
for taking this impromptu picture at our recent play date.

I’m not sure how it came up, but the term “hippie mom” was thrown out there in a recent conversation and it got me thinking: what exactly defines a hippie mom?  I’m not talking about tie-dye shirts, peace signs, and Woodstock here.  It seems that a hippie mom usually feels strongly about the following: natural birth (no drugs, instead opting for use of doula or midwife, homebirths, water births), breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, homemade baby food (extra points if it’s organic!), and stay-at-home parenting.

There may be some qualities missing from the list, but that’s what comes to mind.  I hit 6 out of 7.  I failed on the first point. Sorry, but I simply cannot fathom having a baby without the assurances that if there were complications, that my baby (or I) would be able to get immediate assistance by a team of medical professionals in an environment equipped to handle such emergencies.  I’m just paranoid like that.  Baby Champuru was delivered by my OB/GYN in a hospital, induced using Pitocin (she was overdue), and I was numb from the waist-down thanks to an epidural.  I tried to go for a drug-free delivery, but quickly caved in when the doctor informed me that they were hooking me up with an internal monitor and suggested that an epidural would make it less unpleasant.  In hindsight, I don’t regret the decision to have the epidural.  But, I digress.

I’m not sure when I turned into a hippie mom, but to me, it’s all about doing what’s best for baby.  Even if it means donning a psychedelic tie-dyed shirt and bell-bottom pants.  Um, okay. Maybe I’ll stop just short of that.  Besides, I’m sure there’s some independent research study out there that reports that tie-dye is damaging to a developing psyche anyway.

What do you think defines a “hippie mom”?  Are you a hippie mom? I am – and proud of it.