Crunchy Mama?

I got called a crunchy mama the other day. I didn't really feel that it fit. I know and admire several women who I deem to be crunchy mamas, but I never considered myself to be one of them! I guess I associate the term with a very specific type of woman and lifestyle, and do not feel that I live up to it. It was pointed out that I exhibit several behaviors that are often typical of a crunchy (or "natural") mama.
1. I birthed Ben without any type of pain medication. Well...yes, that is true. I did a lot of research before our birth and was pretty convinced that an epidural was not the best decision for us. I went into the birth experience wanting to do it without chemical assistance, but open to whatever was needed. As it turned out, the labor was so quick that I wouldn't have been able to get an epidural even if I asked for it right when things started getting intense. To be honest, with the level of intensity that we experienced, I would have gone for one had it been an option (I begged Josh to call the nurse and tell her I needed one)! Now I am glad that the whole thing was unmedicated (other than some IV antibiotics) and hope to do it again. Hopefully having "survived" a crazy and intense labor once will give me strength to draw on and remove the fear that was the hardest part of the last labor (and the part that made me want an epidural)!
2. We use cloth diapers. Also true. We originally looked into cloth diapers because I am, as noted in other places on this blog, allergic to spending money. Cloth diapers are much more up front than buying a bag of disposables, but over the "diapering life" of a child, you save a lot of money! And, since we hope to have more children and cloth diaper them, we will save exponentially with each child. Ben is almost 3 months old, and most people we know spend about $100 per month on disposables....so we have almost made our money back and everything from here on out will be savings! Plus, cloth diapers are so extremely cute! Now that we have been using them for a while, Josh and I both have discovered that we actually enjoy cloth diapering. Both of us find the smell of disposable diapers and wipes to be unpleasant (I was previously unaware that they had a smell, but they do!) and like it when Ben just smells like himself (not him plus diaper odor). I actually kind of even like laundering them (I know, I'm probably crazy). I honestly don't find them more difficult to use than disposables. Now, I am fully aware this may change when Ben starts eating solids!
3. We cosleep. Yep, sure do...have since he was born. Now this is purely due to my laziness. Ben's room is all the way across the house (not far, really, but still...) and sleep is so precious. By cosleeping I can stay mostly asleep even while feeding him in the middle of the night. I have done extensive research on the pros and cons of cosleeping as well as how to do it safely. Unlike the previous two, I don't necessarily plan to do this with future children. Instead, my intent is to do whatever sleeping arrangement gets all of us the most sleep possible. I'm aware that this one is probably the most controversial of the 3 so far (the first two may draw some "You must be crazy" thoughts, but people get very animated on both sides of the cosleeping debate), but the bottom line is, we do it safely, I feel much more rested than I expected to feel, and since I am the breadwinner in this house and also the only one who can feed Ben, I HAVE to get as much sleep as possible. I am not necessarily a proponent of sharing a bed with a toddler! We intend to get him into his own bed long before that. However, as long as he (physiologically and developmentally speaking) needs to eat multiple times at night, I think he will probably stay in our bed. We are working on getting him to sleep alone for naps and for the first part of the night (this way I can get some time with Josh and I don't go to sleep at 8 PM...though I bet I could!).
4. We baby wear. This one is mostly because I don't like to hear him cry, but it's nice to have hands available sometimes to do things like eating, laundry, playing games with my spouse, etc. I guess you could say it's a matter of laziness too! :-)
5. I breastfeed. This is a combination of "I'm lazy" and "I'm allergic to spending money." Also a knowledge that breastmilk is so ridiculously better for Ben than anything else out there. Plus, my body seems happy to produce an abundance! I am very thankful that we don't have supply problems, and are even able to give some of it to a friend for her adopted preemie son.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that all of these behaviors are done because we are trying to save money, rest as much as possible/be lazy, or because we just feel they are the right parenting decisions for us. I deeply admire the women that I feel to be crunchy mamas...maybe I don't think I am one because I work, and that doesn't fit my picture of a crunchy mama? I also think I don't fully fit the picture because none of these decisions were born of a deep conviction that this decision is best for the environment or the only way to raise our children. Instead, these are our decisions for raising this child, and I feel open to other ideas (with future children, or maybe even with this child as he gets older). Perhaps I'm just weird in that I don't think there is one right way to parent, or even one right way to parent within a family! I fully expect to make separate decisions for each child, and I have no illusions that what is right for us will necessarily work for another family (though I am happy to talk to any of my friends about how these things have worked for us so far as they try to make their decisions!).  Maybe I can call myself a lightly toasted mama?