Crunchy Mom Explained: What It Actually Means

What is a crunchy mom vs a silky mom? And where does a scrunchy mom fit? Don't worry, you'll be a natural in no time.

Part of becoming a new mama is learning a whole lot of new terminology. First came the TTC lingo.

Next, you’ve had to find out about everything from colostrum to fontanelles to object permanence. And before you know it, you’re knee-deep in terms that describe parenting styles.

But what about mama style? Crunchy, silky, scrunchy — these are terms you may see knocking about on social but what do they mean.

On a scale of silky to scrunchy, where do you fall in? And how do you know if crunchy parenting is right for you? We got you.

In this article: 📝\

What is a crunchy mom?

Searching for the crunchy mom meaning is the first step to truly understanding the crunchy mom energy. 🧘‍♀️

Kidding.

A crunchy mama is one who embraces the natural parenting style and lifestyle in general. Think organic home-prepared baby food, zero waste, and unmedicated births. They’re the sustainable moms who can tie a cloth diaper with one hand and love an eco-friendly baby toy.

So where does the term come from? If crunchy has you thinking of rustic granola then mama you’re halfway there.

In ages gone by, granola was slang for hippy culture but these days describes someone who loves the outdoors, saving trees, and considers recycling hip. Think new-age hippy. ✌🏼

Granola moms are the ones making homemade granola for their kids and using essential oils to medicate most ailments. Crunchy mom is the granola girl all grown up.

(That’s why there are some references to crunchy moms also being “neo-hippies.”)

What does it mean to be a crunchy mom?

There’s more to the crunchy mom meaning than organic food and a love of nature. Let’s take a look at what crunchy parenting believes in:

• Breastfeeding exclusively. That means plastic baby bottles or formula feeds for at least a year, and often beyond.
• Unmedicated vaginal births, at home rather than in a hospital.
• Co-sleeping, which means to sleep near or next to your baby.
• Everything organic — and that includes homemade baby food. 🌱
• Wearing your baby.
• Using coconut oil as a multipurpose miracle substance that can be used on everything from flesh wounds to coughs. It’s also used as a hair conditioner and for diaper rash.
• Essential oils, supplements, and diet changes over medication.
• A plastic-free household.
• Cloth diapers, rather than disposable diapers. Or, as an alternative, the practice of elimination communication, where you use timings, signals, and your own intuition to help your baby go in a potty or toilet rather than in a diaper.
• Not vaccinating, or delaying vaccinating, your children.
• Not following routine circumcision practices.
• Limiting technology in your home.
• Homeschooling over public schooling.

It’s easy to write a crunchy mom off as a health nut, or confuse them with almond moms. In reality, they’re unapologetic about questioning the status quo especially when it comes to being socially and environmentally responsible.

Deep down, we all have a little of the neo-hippy in us.

What is the opposite of a crunchy mom?

Enter the silky mom. Silky mamas are the modern moms who embrace scientific developments and parenting conveniences – all the better to ease mom burnout.

What does being a silky mom mean? A silky mom opts for a medicated hospital birth, is happy to use disposable diapers, and is pro-vaccination.

They embrace both bottle and breastfeeding, and using formula is a-okay. When it comes to sleeping, cots are fine, as are sleep training techniques. They’re also happy to give their children medicine that’s recommended by the medical establishment. And they trust their OBGYNs and pediatricians to guide them in the right direction when things go wrong.

In every sense, silky moms and crunchy moms are worlds apart.

But what if you don’t fully identify with either? Is there something in the middle?

What is a scrunchy mom?

A scrunchy mom takes elements of both crunchy and silky moms and chooses what works best for them. They might opt for cloth diapers (like these top-rated ones by EcoNaps) but approve of vaccinating their kids early. Or they might go for exclusive breastfeeding for a long period of time, but would also be happy to use medicine prescribed by their doctor when their babies are sick.

Basically, if you’d like to try your hand at making your own organic baby food while reading up on sleep training techniques, you might just be a scrunchy mom. The scrunchy mom vibe is all about keeping an open mind to parenting rather than being limited by strict beliefs – whatever works for the family and for mama.

Balance.

The bottom line is there’s no one way to do this mamahood thing. Every parent, every family, and every circumstance is different

Finding what complements your needs (and abilities) is the most important thing. Mom guilt has no part in it. If that means leaning into the crunchy mom lifestyle or using the elements that fit your means à la the scrunchy mom, then we say do it with self-compassion.

And if you want to meet other moms who get your vibe ✨, check in with your Peanut community – the ultimate judgment-free zone. Because if there is one thing that we can all agree on is that we don’t have to do this alone.