Abstract	Introduction
Purpose of the Paper	Core Values
Core Beliefs	Periperhy Beliefs
Discussion and Conclusions	References

The time period in which we live-the late 1990's-is typified by several emerging value and belief constellations, fueled by dissatisfaction with contemporary culture and aided by the Internet and self-publishing. One constellation of beliefs centers around substantial yet selective dissatisfaction with medicine and science, education, government, consumerism, and popular culture. Customarily paired with a deep spirituality, a strong commitment to family and children, and some commitment to nature and tradition, these numerous dissatisfactions have merged into a constellation of values which promotes a core set of beliefs, specifically unassisted home birth, home schooling, attachment parenting, extended breast feeding, non-vaccination, and non-circumcision as well as selected peripheral beliefs. The paper discusses this constellation of beliefs described as a "re-invented family" as well as briefly analyzes the social context within which these beliefs have coalesced.

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The present time period-the later 1990's-is typified by the proliferation of emerging subcultures, new radical social movements, and widespread dissatisfaction with contemporary culture. Although the disaffiliation with contemporary culture is ideological, that ideology is often born out of unsatisfying, meaningless, or problematic experiences with certain and sometimes multiple aspects of the culture. Hardly any area of social life is unaffected. But one area in particular, the family, is under extreme microscopic examination and consistently open for critique.

Rather than withdraw or respond with violence, those for whom aspects of popular culture are problematic have chosen to structure their lives consistent with their emerging values and beliefs in spite of the likelihood of being labeled deviant. Especially is this the case in areas of life over which individuals have direct control; such is the family.

Family life--parenting and child care-illustrates an area within which parents (especially women) may have strong values and beliefs, and with reasonable levels of privacy afforded to families and parents, may structure and organize their activities as they see fit based upon those values and beliefs. (Behavior defined as child abuse and neglect in this culture would represent obvious exceptions to absolute privacy.)

In recent years, several families have initiated specific behaviors which represent a choice to do things differently than that of the majority, despite any and all repercussions. Rather than go to a hospital or birth center for labor and delivery, or make use of a midwife, some women choose unassisted home birth (UHB), whereby they birth at home, usually with a partner, but without medical professionals, medication, or any of the trappings of medicalized birth. Women also choose to breast feed, and when doing so, do not stop at a few weeks or months, but continue in excess of 2 years. They may also initiate attachment parenting (sometimes referred to as the "family bed"), whereby the newborn is introduced to the bed of the parents and sleeps there indefinitely (rather than in another bed in the parents room or alone in a nursery). Children may be home schooled by a parent, from kindergarten onward. Also, parents may choose not to have their male children circumcised and not to have their children immunized. While dissatisfaction plays a part in the formation of the beliefs which support this lifestyle, affirmative values and beliefs not borne out of alienation also serve as a foundation for the lifestyle.

It seems apparent that these behaviors are interconnected in other than coincidental ways. Griesemer stated in her recently-published book entitled Unassisted Homebirth:
 

"Since many homebirthers are committed to childbearing and childrearing, it is not surprising to find that all of the mothers are breastfeeding proponents. Many families believe in the family bed and some nurse their babies for more than 2 years. Most of the families do not support the practice of circumcision or immunizations...Homeschooling fits in with the desired lifestyle of many homebirthers." (1998, pp. 59, 60).
 

Griesemer also indicated that other behaviors are less often associated with home birthing, such as homeopathy, vegetarianism or other dietary practices, natural family planning, home-based businesses, no television, cloth diapers, and implementation of certain family rituals. These practices are secondary or peripheral.

These practices fit together into what we call the Re-Invented Family (RIF), a term developed by the authors since there has been no term created by those involved in the lifestyle. RIF is a style of parenting and family life which is woman, child, and home-centered and based upon dissatisfactions with much of contemporary culture and other affirmative values. Specific components include unassisted home birth, extended breast feeding, attachment parenting, home schooling, non-vaccination, and non-circumcision. There is selective and occasional involvement in peripheral practices such as homeopathy and home-based businesses.

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The purpose of the paper is to describe the constellation of beliefs associated with the RIF, the constellation of values upon which it is founded, and the constellation of peripheral beliefs associated with it. Description and analysis focus on the values and beliefs associated with RIF rather than the behavior. It is proposed that women and families which hold values relating to spirituality, family and children, nature and tradition and a strong opposition to popular culture (i.e., government, medicine, science, education, consumerism) will develop a widely-held core constellation of beliefs regarding unassisted home birth, attachment parenting, extended breast feeding, home schooling, and opposition to vaccinations and circumcision and will share to a lesser extend certain peripheral values, illustrated by preference for cloth diapers and vegetarianism and other dietary practices. (See the Figure 1 display of all the values and beliefs.) Some attention is given to the activism of RIFers facilitated by the Internet and self-publishing.

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The RIF is founded upon a constellation of 4 values, all of which are found to varying degrees in American culture. However, the uniqueness of the RIF is based upon their coalescence and their interconnectedness. They are: (1) spirituality, (2) family and parenting, (3) nature and tradition, and (4) anti-popular culture.
 
 

Many women and their RIF partners are deeply spiritual, holding religious beliefs and participating in religious rituals. The RIF typically includes those who are devout Christian (Moran, 1997, 1986, 1981; Griesemer,1998) as well as those who are New Agers (Shanley, 1994). Morgan (ND/1998), one of the leading Internet spokespersons for the RIF, describes herself as a "Christian libertarian," creatively combining features of social libertarianism and Christianity.

Such religious beliefs evidently provide substantial motivation for RIFers in the area of family and parenting. "mykidzmom" (ND/1998) associates specific parenting activities with Christian beliefs. The author discusses "...breastfeeding as God's design in infant nutrition." Additionally, Griesemer (1998) suggests that her faith was increased with her participation in the RIF lifestyle. For RIFers, spirituality is a serious matter.
 
 

RIFers hold as a preeminent value commitment to family and children, especially for women as wives and mothers. Occupations, careers, and work outside the home are of little significance. RIFers are by definition wives and mothers, and typically do "home work" on a full-time basis. Rather than a drudgery, homework is a sacred vocation (Morgan, ND/1998). Dedicated to the spouse, and to children through reproduction and parenting, these women find fulfillment in their biology. This commitment to children usually means wanting them, and as many as are naturally conceived and delivered. Nurturing and caring for children is believed to be freely chosen, necessary, and rewarding.
 
 

RIFers rely heavily on arguments pertaining to what is natural and traditional. While nature and tradition are separate and distinct concepts, they will be dealt with together. Both nature and tradition serve as a foundation for the RIF.

Human biology as well as evidence from other species provide support for the various core beliefs of RIFers (see Griesemer, 1998). For example, proponents of the RIF argue that "nature" intended women to have children, nurse them, attach to them, and provide on-going care for them. Similarly, since there is no basis in nature for surgically removing portions of newborn's penises, circumcision is an unacceptable practice.

The RIF advocates tend to ignore present beliefs and practices except for purposes of criticism, rather focusing on ancient history as representations of "tradition." Early periods of human history, sometimes explicitly and often implicitly, provide models for numerous aspects of the RIF lifestyles. Continuous breast feeding exemplifies such a traditional practice.
 
 

RIFers are like many others in US/American culture at the present time-unhappy with many aspects of the culture. Griesemer states: "Never in the history of America have there been so many people who are disgruntled with government, big business, institutions and large bureaucracies" (1998, p. 286). In fact, many more aspects of popular culture are under attack by RIFers than specifically mentioned by Griesemer. They include medicine, science, technology, education, consumerism, and the media.

Much of the dissatisfaction is derived for direct experience that RIFers have had with the various aspects of popular culture. Hospital births, for example, have been routinely and strongly criticized by RIFers for excess intervention, unnecessary technology, and a loss of privacy (Shanley, 1994). RIFers believe that there are reasonable, meaningful, and worthwhile alternatives to the aspects of culture with which they disagree and within which their experiences have been less than self-actualizing.

Certainly RIFers are not critiquing all of popular culture. Discontent is selective. For example, religious freedom, individual freedom, and individual and family privacy are all highly valued by RIFers, as they are for most Americans. Furthermore, opposition to technology is selective. While RIFers object to much birth technology (e.g., ultrasound, fetal monitoring), communication technology (e.g., computers, the Internet) is embraced.

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It is asserted that the constellation of values discussed above provide the basis for several core beliefs associated with family and parenting. Six RIFer beliefs will be highlighted in this discussion. They are: (1) unassisted home birth, (2) attachment parenting, (3) extended breast feeding, (4) home schooling, (5) opposition to vaccinations, and (6) opposition to circumcision. Most RIFers hold these beliefs. See Morgan, ND/1998; "Nurturing Online," ND/1998.

Marilyn Moran (1997, 1996, 1981) led the unassisted home birth (UHB) for several years until her recent death. Other well-known proponents include Shanley, (ND/1998; 1994); Griesemer, Lynn (1998); Griesemer, Bob (ND/1998) and Hygeia Halfmoon (ND/1998). Advocates of UHB usually but not always have had unpleasant hospital and midwife experiences (see Gregson, ND/1998). Holley (1997) presents a comparison of midwifery, medical obstetrics, and UHB practices. Their preference is for a home birth, without any medical intervention, midwife, nurse, or doctor to be in control, pain medication, etc., birthing with a partner or alone. The presumption is that nature will take its course through labor and delivery. Rather than expect pain during labor and delivery, UHBers envision the experience as erotic, sensual, and sexual, culminating in orgasm (Shanley, ND/1998; Morgan, ND/1998; McCracken, ND/1998).

Attachment parenting is variously defined, but generally refers to a style of parenting which involves close, continuous physical and emotional contact between parents and children, especially mother and child (VanLaanen-Smit, ND/1998). It was first described by William Sears (see "mykidzmom," ND/1998). It includes physical closeness immediately after birth, children sleeping in the bed with the parents indefinitely, mothers wearing slings holding the child close to them, etc. The focus of the belief is on the intimacy between the parent and the child, and the benefits derived for both parties, including love and security.

This belief differs radically from much of parenting in the US/America, with separate bedrooms for young children called nurseries, physical distance between parents and children, and emphasis on autonomy and privacy for even very young children.

Breast feeding, rather than bottle feeding and the early intake of solid foods, is considered ideal for both mother and child. According to RIFers, bottle feeding, even after some initial time of breast feeding, is inferior to continuous breast feeding. In essence, breast feeding in general and nursing on demand are critical elements in attachment parenting (Morgan, ND/1998), although analyzed separately here. Discussions of breast feeding within the RIF include numerous physical and emotional benefits for the child, as well as the mother ("Kelly's Attachment Parenting Page," ND/1998). The "naturalness" of nursing is also emphasized.

Nursing for "years" until the child weans himself\herself is considered preferable. Such a belief and practice makes possible occasional nursing of the older child in order to comfort and calm. And, nursing while in "public," is considered neither shameful nor problematic for RIFers.

RIFers are forceful proponents of schooling children at home, even though some may send children to public or private schools at varying intervals (i.e., some grades). For some RIFers, home schooling is "unschooling," which does not use "prepared curriculums" while "...recognizing the child's natural tendency to seek information he finds interesting or needs to know" (Griesemer, 1998, pp. 291, 292). Interest in home schooling is born out of dissatisfaction with public and private school education and selectively practiced based on the needs of the child.
 
 

RIFers tend to be strongly opposed to the routine vaccination of children (Morgan, ND/1998). They see vaccinations as having questionable if not limited success in preventing diseases as well as actually doing harm to children. RIFers propose that their lifestyle, especially with home schooling, insulates their children from exposure to many diseases for which the vaccines are provided. These families believe that vaccinations illustrate excessive and unjustified governmental interferences in family life.
 
 

There is strong opposition to routine circumcision of boys among RIFers. It is apparent that with UHB, RIFers would have to make a special visit to a clinic or hospital for such a surgical procedure, an act which is not likely to happen. Fundamentally, circumcision, while recently justified by reasons of religion, hygiene, conformity, etc., is considered to be unnatural and genital mutilation (VanLaanen-Smit, ND/1998). Preference is given to the "intact" foreskin, despite the fact that many of these mothers have never had any contact with an uncircumcised penis and by necessity must acquire considerable knowledge in order to properly care for the son.

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Certain beliefs lack consensus among RIFers, and are described here as peripheral beliefs. They are selectively adopted among woman and RIFers, and to the extent some RIFers do not hold these beliefs they represent some continuing accommodation to popular culture. Some of these beliefs may well become core beliefs in the future.

Some RIFers are vegetarians, while some others impose additional or separate dietary restrictions (VanLaanen-Smit, ND/1998). Based upon environmental concerns, certain RIFers prefer to use cloth diapers rather than disposable ones. Some do not own televisions, and others rarely or never employ babysitters to tend their children. Others use "gentle discipline" rather than spanking (Morgan, ND/1998). There are RIFers who create new, different, and meaningful home rituals in which all family members can participate.

Some practice homeopathy or other forms of alternative medicine. Family planning, if used at all, is often "natural" rather than artificial (e.g., rather than the contraceptive pill) (Griesemer,1998). Some-based businesses provide income for some of those women who do "home work."

Each of the peripheral beliefs are justified by references to nature and what is natural, by increased closeness between parents and children, and they stand in opposition to much of popular culture.

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RIFers hold their values and beliefs out as a model for family life today and into the next millennium. Having evaluated contemporary family life and parenting (as well as much of contemporary US/American culture) in overwhelmingly negative terms, they provide the foundation for a more meaningful lifestyle for all, families, spouses, parents and their children. For RIFers, neither feminist ideology nor technology, while portrayed as helpful for women, provide what is promised. These RIF core values and core and peripheral beliefs offer hope, emotional and physical health, self-actualization, and meaning within a world replete with alienation and anomie. RIFers are neither "withdrawers" nor revolutionaries. Rather, they create change in their own lives and within their own families as they become social movement activists.

The RIF movement, to the extent it exists today, has been facilitated by mass media. Since the popular media has given little attention to the RIF (Shanley's (1994) work represents an exception), movement leaders have been forced to look to alternative avenues of information dissemination. Some authors have published their own works (Moran, 1997, 1986, 1981; Griesemer, 1998; Halfmoon, 1996).

The Internet now serves as the most inventive and forceful technology for RIFers. Many, many home pages created by people around the world provide tributes to one or more core beliefs, with additional information and links to other home pages relating to other core and some peripheral beliefs. Internet communication also provides for group identification and cohesion.

Such publication of information on the RIF provides leaders an avenue for dissemination of their views, opportunities for leaders to dialogue, and means by which the disaffiliated and "seekers" can locate non-traditional, alternative, and counter-cultural information. While strongly committed to their values, beliefs, and lifestyle, RIFers seek to make a strong case intended to persuade, not force, others to their way of thinking (see Shanley, 1994).

As with many social movements, the dominant culture seeks either to ignore or dismiss RIFers. That this is becoming an international movement fundamentally alters what once was solely intra-cultural dynamics. It is possible that such international social movements will experience greater insulation from deviant labels, social control, and institutional cooptation.

Have modern social institutions and bureaucracies become so formalized and rationalized that such radical social change is impossible? Has technology advanced to such an extent (i.e, McDonaldization) that there is less freedom and meaning in life than at some earlier stage in technological development (Ritzer,1996; Holley and Wright, 1998)? Is it possible that nature, simplicity, non-violence, love, tenderness, and nurturing will win out against violence (spanking), mutilation (circumcision), isolation (home nurseries), mass education (public and private schooling) and invasive technology (fetal monitoring)?

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Gregson, Charity. (ND/1998). Unassisted Homebirth. (WWW document). http://www.kjv.com/family/homebirth.hts.

Griesemer, Bob, Jr. (ND/1998). Griesemer's Home Page. (WWW document). http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bgriesemer/home.html.

Griesemer, Lynn M. (1998). Unassisted homebirth: An act of love. Charleston, SC: Terra Publishing.

Halfmoon, Hygeia. (ND/1998). Hygeia Halfmoon, Ph.D. (WWW document). http://pkp.com/hygeia.html.

Halfmoon, Hygeia (1996). Primal Mothering In A Modern World. Pahoa, HI: Author (P. O. Box 1275).

Holley, Philip. D. (1998, April 3). A Preliminary Sociological Examination of Childbirth: A Comparison of Ancient, Contemporary, and Emerging Practices: Midwifery, Medical Obstetrics, and Unassisted Home Birth. (Revised). Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the Oklahoma Council On Family Relations, Edmond.

Holley, Philip D. and Wright, David E., Jr. (1998). A Sociology of Rib Joints. Pp. 67-84 in Alfino, Mark, Caputo, John, and Wynward, Robin, (eds.), McDonalidization Revisited: Critical Essays On Consumer Culture. Westport, CT: Praeger.

"Kelly's Attachment Parenting Page." (ND/1998). (WWW document). http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/3490/parenting.html.

McCracken, Lora-Lee. (ND/1998). "The Revolutionary Passion of Mothering." (WWW document). http://www.virtualxpressions.com/rm/.

Moran, Marilyn A. (1997). Pleasurable husband/wife childbirth: The real consummation of married love. Leawood, KS: New Nativity Press.

Moran, Marilyn A. (ed). (1986). Happy birthdays. Leawood, KS: New Nativity Press.

Moran, Marilyn. (1981). Birth and the dialogue of love. Leawood, KS: New Nativity Press.

Morgan, Laurie (ND/1998) Welcome to Laurie's Humble Home on the Web. (WWW document). http://members.home.net/lmommy. .

"mykidzmom." (ND/1998). Kidz are People, Too. (WWW document). http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8148.

"Nurturing Online." (ND/1998). (WWW document). http://www.nurturing.ca/home.htm.

Ritzer, George. (1996). The McDonaldization of Society. (Revised ed,). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Shanley, L.K. (ND/1998). Bornfree! The Unassisted Childbirth Page. (WWW document).http://www.childbirth.org/bornfree/.

Shanley, L.K. (1994). Unassisted childbirth. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.

VanLaanen-Smit, Jennifer. (ND/1998). Mango Mama's Page. (WWW document). http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Woods/2924/index.html.

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