Please Read: New Forums for Gentle Parenting

Dear all,

As you would have noticed by now, I have set up some specific gentle parenting topics on BellyBelly - one for sleep, one for feeding, one for birth and one for general discussion of gentle parenting. As you would also all know, BellyBelly is a site which I created to offer gentle solutions for pregnancy to parenthood.

While it's taken almost four years to get where it has today, BellyBelly is becoming much busier and for some time I have been wanting to define it's direction in some way, so I decided to introduce these new forums. The main site has been loaded with gentle articles and I feel that now it's time to get the forums in line with this.

The gentle parenting forums are specifically designed to give support and encouragement to those who practise gentle parenting or to those who are interested in doing it. Even if you aren't a die hard attachment parent person, there are those who practise the different methods partly or fully and I find a lack of support and encouragement for these people.

If you would like to discuss issues of sleep, for example, in a general forum where you can get varied opinions, advice and feedback, then you would use the General Baby forums, but if you follow gentle parenting and want advice from other gentle parents or gentle parenting followers, then you can do so in the new forums.

So please continue to use the entire BellyBelly forums as per normal for your discussions on issues from sleep to feeding, but please also allow the four gentle parenting forums to be used for support and encouragement for the parents who practise gentle parenting only, rather than a forum for discussing other parenting methods that work better for you or discounting what others are doing. I have found personally that by being part of my own little parenting 'cheersquad' I am able to parent more confidently and effectively, without all the confusion and debate over what works better... we all do what's best for our children and I am not saying any method is better... but ever since my first was born, whenever I have a problem I am always inundated with people telling me a sleep / feeding routine should be introduced. This is not what I want. I know that other mums are out there like myself - wanting encouragement and support for the parenting method they choose.

I've specifically created the new section as we do not want anyone to feel left out or that BellyBelly is not the place for them - but I feel that I need to give more definition to a site which I have set up as gentle solutions site and I hope that it will attract more to gentle parenting as another option - many have said they do what they do because it was all they knew.

Enjoy the new forums, and here's to a great new gentle parenting section where hopefully we can build up a nice big cheersquad of gentle parenting people :)

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email me at info@bellybelly.com.au

After much consideration and as a result of some past events I have decided to make a revision:

Those who wish to post in the Gentle Parenting forums must be pro- or supportive of the forum subject - e.g. infant led weaning, comforted sleep etc. This way we can keep the gentle forums on the same topic and hopefully reduce/prevent any conflict or debate. I am happy for debate and discussion, but I also think its nice to chat with like-minded people and to know that the replies you will receive will be from those doing the same thing you are or intend to do. This is not an attempt to say any method is better. I truly believe with anything to do with birth or parenting, when you are around your own cheersquad and are getting that like-minded encouragement and support, it makes so much more of a difference. Thank-you :)