SPEAKING AS A MOM… Yeah. You read the title correctly.  This is going to be all about me being a mom.  My views, my opinions, my ideals, etc.  All I can say is "BE FOREWARNED, YOU MAY NOT LIKE EVERYTHING YOU READ!" 1). I BREASTFED AND HATED IT...Let me start by saying that I believe "Fed is Best" whether that be with breast milk or formula.  It has nothing to do with my kids, I want to make that clear, I simply hated breastfeeding.  It made me feel uncomfortable.  Not because of what people might say but because of the hassle involved.  The leaking, the mastitis, the blocked milk ducts.  Hey, at least if the nipple on the bottle was plugged I could run it under hot water and poke the hole with a pin to clean it....can't do that with a breast.  I didn't mind cleaning bottles or nipples.  Making formula was easy, I knew the exact ratio between water and powder and could whip it up in my pitcher which made four bottles at a time.  I would do it twice, fill eight bottles, put them in the fridge and I was done.  Heating them was no hassle either.  Yes, I used the microwave, 30 - 40 seconds and Voila.  It took me longer than that to unhook my bra, remove the pad, get the baby positioned, etc.  And with bottle feeding my arm never got tired.   2)  I FED MY BABIES CEREAL AT SIX WEEKS...Oh My God No!  Is she serious?  Did she really do that?  And the answer is "YES".  I would mix one or two baby spoons full with enough breastmilk or formula to make it a slightly runny consistency and feed it to them.  Why?  Because it helped them sleep longer and better.  And it never hurt them.  They ate, they slept, I slept and all was well.  They never got sick and if they didn't want it I didn't force it on them.  My babies were healthy and happy and that's all that mattered. 3)  I NEVER CO-SLEPT WITH MY KIDS...Again I hated it.  I wasn't comfortable with it.  It was so scary to me.  What if I rolled over on them?  Or pushed them out of bed?  Or some how hurt them?  The few times they did sleep in the bed with Garth and I we were so afraid of rolling on them that they got most of the bed and we slept on the edge.  They were also restless as hell.  The moving, squeaking, grunting, whimpering drove me nuts.  That's why I shut off the monitor.  Once they got a little older and could roll over on their own I tried it but after multiple feet and hands in the face I stopped.  So I started to trick them.  "Yes, mommy will sleep with you."  Then after I knew they were asleep I crawled into my own bed and slept until they were about to wake up...then I snuck back in and laid there until they opened their eyes.  They were none the wiser and I got a full nights sleep. 4)  MY KIDS GOT MEDICATION AS EARLY AS SIX WEEKS...Judge me if you will.  I did it.  Call family services and have me carted away.  It worked like this, my oldest started getting ear infections at six weeks.  He would run a high fever for a day, I would call the Health unit and be told "Don't give him Tylenol, he's too young.  Just give him cool baths and keep him uncovered."  After another 24 hours we would go to the ER, he was six weeks with a temp of 41C.  We would go in and I would be asked "When was his last dose of Tylenol?"  I would say that I called the Health Unit and was told no and they would shake their heads and say "Let's give him Tylenol to make him comfortable."  It was at that point all bets were off.  If the ER nurse says it's okay then so be it.  If they ran a HIGH fever for more than a day I would give Tylenol or Ibuprofen, mostly at night so they could rest.  If they had a cold and were congested they got nose drops and Tylenol Cold, again, only at night.  Humidifiers, steamers, Vicks, and saline didn't work.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't take them to a doctor every time they are sick and I certainly don't treat at home if it is severe.  Here are my rules...HIGH FEVER FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS AND TYLENOL/IBUPROFEN DOESN'T WORK; OFF TO THE DOCTOR.  SEVERE SORE THROAT FOR THREE DAYS; OFF TO THE DOCTOR.  SEVERE COUGH FOR A WEEK;  OFF TO THE DOCTOR.  THROWING UP AND THE RUNS FOR MORE THAN TWO DAYS;  OFF TO THE DOCTOR. 5)  I NEVER ASSUME MY KIDS ARE INNOCENT...My kids aren't angels.  Nobody's kids are innocent.  To Hell with the old adage that says Innocent Until Proven Guilty.  When I get a phone call from the school saying my son has a cut that may need to be stitched I ask how did it happen.  I ask who was to blame then ask if he instigated anything.  Why?  It's not because I don't love my son.  It's because I know there are two sides to every story and until I hear both sides, everyone is guilty until proven innocent.  I refuse to go into a school demanding answers for a small cut.  I will not yell at teachers because my "baby" got hurt.  I will not be rude to the other kids' parents because my son was injured.  Yes, I may be mad but there is a 99% chance it wasn't the school's fault. And that's about it for now.  Just a few examples of my parenting style.  People have called me mean and have called me a bitch.  I have been called an unfit mother and have been told my children would grow up to be hoodlums all because of the five things I stated above.  Those who know me, know I love my kids more than life itself.  They also know the following:  I will bend over backwards for them, I will defend them when they need defending, I will become the "Bitch Mother" if someone hurts them and I will fight the powers that be to get my kids what they deserve. I am outta here.