Attachment Parenting--Anti Feminist?

I'm reading a book called "Homeward Bound Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity. It deals with, among other things, attachment parenting. There is a strong argument in the book that because the parenting style is so "mom centric," advocates exclusive breast feeding into the toddler years, encouraging mom to baby wear and develops an acute awareness of their child that it is anti feminist, subordinating women to their children rather than their husband, even going to far as to suggest that it's being used as a way to push women out if the workplace.

What do you guys think about this?

Depends on WHY someone is going AP imo. A small study did actually show that AP parents are more likely to be feminist: http://bluemilk.wordpress.com/2012/...thers-more-likely-to-be-attachment-parenting/

I think they haven't really gotten it. The most zealous feminist I know personally are also attachment parents. It goes the other way too I'm sure but really AP is about the bond between child and parents.

Bull ****, IMO. My mom AP'd all 6 of us, and she's a huge feminist. I don't think being an attached and attentive mother cancels out being a feminist. Weak argument, if you ask me.

I think people get their definition of feminist all goofed up. Women have the right to choose whether they want to pursue a career or stay at home. Just because someone chooses to stay at home with their children doesn't mean they are being subjugated by anyone, provided that is their choice.

If I didn't have to work to support my family I would definitely rather be at home with the kids. It doesn't have anything do to with being subjugated. That is just my personal preference. Some women have different preferences, and that's okay too.

Well and you can work and still be an attachment parent too

Exactly. Feminism should be all about choices. It should be just as "right" for any individual woman to choose "traditional" gender roles as to reject them.

The attachment parents I know are all feminists. So bit of a moot point.

Yes, Feminism is about valuing women as equals - as independent persons with the right to live their life based on their choices.

For ME, recognizing the unique role of mothers is the ultimate feminism. (ANd that is not saying women who are not mothers are at ALL less or anything, just that mothers for so long have been devalued or pushed off as oh, they are just a mom that I think it is very empowering and important to recognize the power in being a mother. Its about society recognizing and valuing parenting and children)

Another big component of AP is recognizing the important role of the father (or whoever is involved in co-parenting)

At its core, AP is about the child. Its about recognizing the needs of a child and realizing the importance of parent/child bonds.