Calling all Natural / Attachment Parents of Southern Africa

Throughout my first year of being a parent I felt completely isolated as a South African who chooses to parent alternatively / naturally. I believe there is a large group of lovely people parenting this way in and around Cape Town, however I am based in Natal, and battle to find like-minded mothers and fathers to chat to, let alone hold playdates with.

As Jesse gets older I have realized how important it is to 'choose' his play mates wisely. Many people do not understand why I limit his television viewing, do not let him eat sugar laden treats and will continue to nurse him until he self-weans. Typical children's birthday parties will become problematic the older he gets.

Therefore, I would like to invite all my fellow South Africans, who share all or a few aspects of my parenting philosophy to join me in a Natural Parenting Group on Facebook. I have aimed this group specifically to KwaZulu Natal, as this is where I am based and I would love to eventually form get-togethers and even perhaps meetings with guest speakers. I wont turn away parents from the other provinces in South Africa, as I am sure we can all benefit from the online support.





I hope that this group will become a place where parents can come for support and advice with any parenting issue, and where we can respond with sensitivity and empathy. Where we can form friendships, and motivate each other to become even better parents.

If you share one or more of the following views on parenting, then you can count yourself as a natural parent :) 

[For more information, please see the Natural Parents Network]

Natural parenting is based on a desire to live and parent responsively & consciously, which may or may not include any of the following:

Attachment / responsive parenting

• Prepare for pregnancy, birth and parenting
• Full term and exclusive breastfeeding is possible
• Respond with sensitivity
• Baby-wearing & skin-to-skin contact
• Bed-sharing & co-sleeping
• Gentle discipline

Ecologically responsible & Eco-conscious (green)

• Using cloth nappies

Holistic Health Practices, which means researching your options when it comes to

• Vaccinations
• Circumcision
• Medications etc.

Natural Learning, which includes homeschooling or unschooling and alternative classroom learning.

Click here to go to the group and request to join, if you are indeed a South African - even if you only spend part of your time here - I will approve your membership and you can join the community :) 

If you are not in South Africa, but still wish to be part of the African Babies Don't Cry community, like my page of Facebook!

If you have friends or family in South Africa, please consider sharing this with them, likewise if you blog and have readers in South Africa.

I look forward to meeting many of you on Facebook :)