When we take the original AP Ideals as laid out by Dr. William Sears, we see it as an approach, a set of guidelines to set us on the right path. We can find our way little by little as our children grow and we grow in our ability to parent them.
As Catholics, we see the world through our Catholic worldview. We let the Catechism, the Bible, the Magisterium and the whole Church be our lenses to influence our parenting. Every thing we approach in the world is guided by the Holy Spirit and the intelligence we have been given. It is my hope to open and link the simplicity of Attachment Parenting illumined of our Catholic faith. Here is a starting point for your own journey...
Ideal #1
Prepare for Childbirth.
Our Catholic Faith teaches us that married life is a mutual self-giving and receiving. It is through this that the family becomes what it is meant to be. A total self-giving the results in a new life-either a child (biological or adopted), a spiritual child or a gift of service to the church. In this way, faithful Catholic couples can embrace children even before they conceive their first child! When couples choose to ignore the total gift of self or to restrict it from each other, they go against the teachings of our Catholic Faith.
A couple prepares for childbirth by embracing their mutual fertility and welcoming children consciously with God’s gift of life. In times of difficulty in conceiving, they welcome more education and instruction to comply completely with the rules set up by our faith. Parents then become responsible for their choices and are even free to use systematic observations to space births. There are many good choices for systematic observations such as Creighton, Couple to Couple League and Northwest.
Preparation for childbirth may include daily prayers by the parents asking God to intercede in the growth and health of the developing child. St. Gerard and St. Margaret of Antioch have traditionally been saints mothers find to ask for intercession regarding conception and pregnancy. The United States Bishops released a Rite for blessing a pregnant woman in 2012 which parents may ask for by their priest.
Some Catholic parents find passages from the Holy Bible to give them comfort during pregnancy. We can find several passages that show the amazing power of God in taking part in creating the life in the womb of the Mother. Psalm 139:13 might be the most well know passage “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb”. Other passages supporting God’s handiwork include: Wisdom 7:1, Ecclesiastes 11:5 and Job 1:21.
Parents may wish to take childbirth classes. Reading books and watching videos about different options for birth help the parents prepare for the labor and delivery. Exercise and healthy eating during the time before conception as well as during pregnancy increase the chances of a healthy mom and child. Some parents find connecting with other parents who have similar values can give support during pregnancy and childbirth. Parishes may offer ministries especially for pregnant women such as Elizabeth Ministry.
Choosing a health care provider who embraces the Catholic teachings regarding fertility is often high on the list for expecting Catholic couples. One More Soul offers a long listing of providers in the United States as well as options for Natural Family Planning. The companions a couple invites to their birth can increase chances for a calm and natural birth. Increasing numbers of couples are choosing a doula to accompany them during labor and delivery.
This ideal is expanded when the second and successive pregnancies come along. An attached parent melts the other children’s heart by helping the other children welcome siblings joyfully. Blessed Pope John Paul II even exhorted the faithful that a sibling was the greatest gift parents could give a child. The other children learn self giving and to embrace the uniqueness of each unrepeatable person when they welcome a sibling. As developmentally appropriate, parents can share with their children the wonder of God’s creation of man and the wide depth of how as Catholics we see the Theology of the Body.
References:
John Paul II’s letter to Families 1994
John Paul II’s letter to the US upon his first visit in 1979
Familiaris Consortio (On the role of the Christian Family in the Modern World)
General audience talks on Theology of the Body
(I'm formulating a series of posts that look at all the ideals. So watch for the rest of Dr. Sears' Ideals through my Catholic lens.)