In May 2012, a Time Magazine cover capturing 26-year-old mother of two Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her three-year-old while he stood on a chair flummoxed many people who had no clue why a mother would do such a thing. The practice, known as extended or full-term breastfeeding, is just one aspect of attachment parenting–a phrase coined by pediatrician William Sears to describe a parenting philosophy based on the principles of attachment theory in developmental psychology.

While the Time cover shocked many, it also was a microcosmic snapshot, although slightly inaccurate, into the lives of a growing number people who are breaking away from “mainstream” parenting practices and instead choosing to delay or refrain vaccinating their children, extending breastfeeding past the first year and cloth diapering.

These practices and much more will be presented and discussed at the first-ever Natural and Holistic Baby Expo (NAHBE), being held this Saturday at the Bungalow Arts Building from 11AM to 4PM.

zenbabyshopNAHBE, which will bring together families and expectant parents with natural and holistic practitioners, products and information, is the brainchild of Kawani Brown, with help from her husband Edward Yniguez, who opened Zen Baby Shop Downtown just over a year ago to offer “all things natural, organic and holistic.”

“Some people view this way of living as an alternative lifestyle, but we view it as getting back to basics,” explains Brown. “When we opened, we realized there were so many things we wanted to introduce to people that we couldn’t do in this little shop, so we thought we had to have an expo where we can have all these different products, practitioners, and experts on natural birth and vaccines all in one place.”

Guest speakers for the event will include Dr. Jay Gordon, who will discuss his latest book, Preventing Autism: What You can Do to Protect Your Children Before and After Birth, and Dr. Stuart Fischbein, a long-time outspoken advocate of women’s rights to informed consent and refusal as well as a founding member and medical advisor to the Birth Action Coalition, which works to create supportive birth environments in communities through education and advocacy.

Grumet herself will also be on hand to discuss her popular attachment-parenting blog, I am not the babysitter, as well as how her life changed after appearing on the cover of Time.

“Many times when you hear about breastfeeding or home births in the media, it usually has a sensational twist,” says Brown. “After hearing her story, you learn that she really didn’t want the cover to turn out the way it did. Her whole world really just blew up after it came out.”

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Zen Baby Shop owners Kawani Brown and husband Edward Yniguez with their two children. Photos by Alex Roman. 

Brown adds that while open to all, NHBE is designed for expectant families or families with small children.

“For expectant families, there will be resources for birthing naturally and giving their child the best possible start,” she explains. “For families with small children, we will offer ways to live as a natural family and resources to naturopathy, vaccinations and more, so parents can make decisions about those things before their children grow up.”

Sponsors for the event include national companies such as Earth Mama Angel Baby, Ergo Baby, Happy Family Organic Superfoods, and Aden and Anais as well as local sponsors like Rainbow Juices and Cultural Alliance Long Beach.

holisticbabyexpoflerIn addition to the impressive list of guest speakers and natural and holistic vendors, NAHBE will also offer a panel of expert midwives to answer questions, an eco-friendly arts and crafts area for kids, a comfortable nursing and baby changing area, massages from the Berlin Wellness team, a babywearing workshop, and prenatal and postnatal yoga demonstrations.

There are also plenty of giveaways, including gift bags filled with natural products distributed by Whole Foods Market Long Beach, raffle prizes from all the sponsors, and a Babywearing Dads contest where all participants will win a gift pack and be entered to win a BabyHawk carrier. 

Even though Brown owns a shop that offers cloth diapers, baby carriers, amber teething necklaces, and herbs and essential oils, as well as raises her two small children with Yniguez using many of the very same natural products, she says the point of the event is not to “convert” people to their lifestyle, but rather offer them an opportunity to educate and inform themselves of options they may not know are out there.

“Many times parents just don’t know what they should do other than follow what their doctor tells them or go along with what everyone else is doing, but it is huge to always educate yourself and make the most of the resources that are out there,” she explains. “I would never try to tell a person what I think they should do, but I always encourage them to look at their options, do the research, weigh the pros and cons, and make an informed decision. This expo will make it easier for them to do that.”

Natural and Holistic Baby Expo will take place Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11AM. to 4PM at The Bungalow Building 727 Pine Ave. For more information, visit nahbe.com. Tickets also available at door.

Zen Baby Shop is located at 406 E. 3rd St., zenbabyshop.com

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