I'm proud of being a geek parent, but I have to admit I'm also a parenting geek. I tend to research the heck out of whatever stage we're in. I prefer my information to have quality, peer-reviewed references and those little footnotes that always make me secretly hope for Pratchett-esque humour.*
During my first pregnancy (once my hyperemesis eased a little), I looked up a little embryology. I found it absolutely fascinating. The biological processes behind it all are just amazing.
It came in useful when the twins were born. Finn had a birthmark on his nose and upper lip. The doctors were a little concerned about the placement of it. I asked "Because it's on the midline?" and suddenly the information I got was more in-depth and not so patronising. There are definitely benefits to being seen as an informed and intelligent parent. (Thankfully there were no related defects, and the birthmark faded fairly quickly.)
After our fateful twin-discovering ultrasound, I scrambled to find out what the "di/di" scrawled on our notes meant. My twins were dichorionic/diamniotic (two placentae and two amniotic sacs), the type with the best risk profile. Most di/di twins are fraternal, but until they are born you can't tell if they are fraternal or identical (unless an ultrasound shows a hamburger and a hot dog!).
I researched birthing outcomes for twins in different presentations. What I learned made me comfortable to try a natural birth for their customary vertex/breech position, but I also found information on how to help optimal positioning. Spending time on hands-and-knees encouraged them to flip to vertex/vertex, and I had an easy (though intense!) labour and birth.
Modern mothers are somehow supposed to generate informed opinions on so many things: cloth nappies, baby-wearing, vaccinations, discipline, co-sleeping... I do my best.
I read many parenting books, and still usually get one out every library trip. Part of it is that as a parenting blogger I do feel a certain responsibility for providing accurate information, but about a range of topics. Sometimes they trigger a train of thought that leads to a blog post. Occasionally approaches that I disagree with still have ideas that are applicable to our circumstances.
And of course, part of it is the niggling fear that I am doing things all wrong and that there are simple answers, somewhere out there.
I suspect people who go with the flow find it less stressful than I do, but I want to know. My brain wants to quantify things. It's a shame that parenting mostly doesn't work like that.
* Made you look!
By Donnelle Belanger-Taylor
Source: Stuff.co.nz - http://goo.gl/wpGqM
