Learning things the hard way.

I never listen to people unless I do my own research or I learn things the hard way. Now that I’m 35, I think I might finally have learned to actually listen to other people as they present contrary ideas. Just because I’ve always done something one way, doesn’t mean I should keep doing it that way. Just because someone opposes my life long customs, doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Just because information is not widely accepted, doesn’t mean it’s not true.

Here’s just a sliver of things that, as a mother, I’ve learned the hard way:

• Mothers AND FATHERS should eat organic foods when trying to conceive. (Read more from me about that here.)
• Hospital births are actually less safe than midwife assisted home births. (I show evidence for that here.)
• Herbal sitz baths after labor dramatically speed your healing. (I explain more here.)
• Moisturizing a pregnancy belly will make an enormous difference in how severe stretch marks get. (Read this.)
• The Chicken Pox vaccine is going to have to have repeated childhood boosters and then regular shingles vaccinations after that. (Here‘s what my ped didn’t know back then. Also read, about how it doesn’t work like they told us it would.)
• Due dates mean almost nothing. (Read more here and how it affected me personally here.)
• Hand sanitizer is really, really bad.  (I swear! Here’s why it’s not allowed anywhere near my children.)
• The FDA actually will let them sell foods that are incredibly destructive to kids. (Here’s a few of the foods I’ve learned to avoid the hard way.)
• Co-sleeping isn’t always snuggles, it does have its downsides. (Ewww. Read this.)
• There is no reason for routine circumcision, and it actually IS dangerous. (Here‘s my confession.)

What is something you have, through parenting, learned the hard way? If you have already written a blog post on your own site about a mother or fatherhood lesson you learned the hardway, please post your links as well!