Here is how my journey started with gentle parenting.

With DD1 I went with the advice I was given.... I had no clue and did everything against my own instincts, such as control crying, little smacks on the hand for being naughty etc which, was so heartbreaking for me as I was going against everything I felt in my heart, to me it was unkind and I felt like I was doing something so wrong. Anyway when I fell pg with DD2 and when DD1 was 15 months old I decided to ignore every piece of advice I was given and go with how I felt and what I felt my children were telling me. When DD2 was born I carried her around on my chest and then hip for the first 12 months. I never let her cry herself to sleep or anything like that, no smacks etc. If she wanted me to carry her, up to 18 months old, I would (she then became Miss Independent, no mummy she can do it herself thank you!). I had people telling me I'd make a rod for my own back, that I should let her cry, not pick her up etc but I proved them all wrong. I didn't realise that my method of parenting was classified as "gentle" and I'm thrilled that there are other people out there that do the same as me.

I feel a lot closer to my daughters due to me being more sensitive to their needs. I feel I have developed a sense of total trust and understanding. Although I wish I had of started gentle parenting with DD1 from birth as I feel some of her emotional issues could be partly due to the fact that I didn’t give her what she needed when she was a little baby, yet with DD2 who experienced gentle parenting from birth she is very secure emotionally, some might say a coincidence but to me I believe it's due to how I parented her from birth. I’ve done a lot of work to reassure DD1 and nurture her emotions as she is sensitive and feel I've been able to rectify a lot and hopefully make her feel secure. Seeing and feeling the closeness & bond I have with my daughters reassures me that gentle parenting, even now with them being older, is the key.

With Regan, I don't let her cry herself to sleep although there have been times when I've been holding her and she won't stop crying that I think maybe she wants to be put down and I put her down and she'll stop crying and either lay quietly in her bed/rocker or have a little snooze, but if I put her down and she starts crying more I will pick her back up again and do whatever it takes to settle her and now I feel I’m very in tune with what she needs and I can settle her a lot quicker now. I take my direction from her although it's not always easy but I do find in the end I eventually get it right. It's a new journey with every child and every stage and I really feel that I'm doing what's right for me and my children.

I believe using gentle parenting has developed a stronger bond and total trust with my older daughters I feel they are very secure and confident within themselves. I feel so close to them and we have a good understanding of one another. So of course I'm positive I will have the same relationship with Regan.