dichotomy

di·chot·o·my [dahy-kot-uh-mee]
-noun, pl.-mies.
1. division into two parts, kinds, etc.; subdivision into halves or pairs.
2. division into two mutually exclusive, opposed, or contradictory groups: a dichotomy between thought and action.
3. Bot. a mode of branching by constant forking, as in some stems, in veins of leaves, etc.
4. Astron. the phase of the moon or of an inferior planet when half of its disk is visible.
Origin: 1600–10; < Gk dichotomía. See dicho-, -tomy

My life is a dichotomy. Am I a natural mama or a working mom? I walk the line and often feel like I don't fit with either fully.

I'm a working mom: I have a full time job. I choose to work because I enjoy it. I go on business trips and still think they are fun. I make good money and I like to spend it. i keep my nails manicured and my hair highlighted. I think that daycare is a happy, healthy, good place for my son to spend his day. I think I would go crazy staying at home--and I certainly wouldn't do a good job keeping my house clean!

I am a natural mama: I'm an advocate for breastfeeding. I think that women are strong and childbirth is what our bodies are made to do--not a medical condition. Scheduled inductions make me sad, scheduled cesarians make me sadder. My son's penis is intact. He sleeps in my bed. He still nurses at 18 months and I have no plans to stop. I wear my baby and seldom use a stroller. I use cloth diapers and am passionate about sharing them with others.

I try to do both. I wash my diapers in the hotel laundry (or I take the subway to the laundry mat). I put my baby on my front and my laptop on my back as I scurry through the airport. I take pump breaks and I'm happy to announce that's where I'm going. I order a crib for the hotel room and use it to organize my diapers.

I see no reason why these two should be exclusive if each other, but I spend a lot of time biting my tongue...


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Location:Service Loop,West Columbia,United States