THiNKPinky! By Melissa Walsh
P
inky McKay is the perfect person to help any mum or dad feel better about their parenting with practical advice and a no judgement attitude. A mother of five and grandmother of three, Pinky is Australia’s most recognised breastfeeding expert, an international board certified lactation consultant, and best-selling author of four titles including "Parenting By Heart", "Sleeping Like a Baby" and "Toddler Tactics".
“I started as a lactation consultant, and began writing about issues that were going on with parents during the tricky time of new babies,” said Pinky who specialises in gentle parenting styles that honour mothers’ natural instincts to respond to their babies. Her ‘get real’, no-nonsense approach, along with a blend of humour, sharp wit and wisdom, have made her an expert source for national publications and major network TV. Recently Pinky became a spokesperson for global campaign #ThisIsParenthood which aims to change the conversation around parenting by celebrating the realities, normalising upsand-downs, and uniting parents through shared experiences. “Every single day I hear new parents say ‘I feel like a failure’ - when in fact they are loving, caring parents, perfectly attuned to their babies, simply made to feel this way due to the unrealistic images of perfection,” said Pinky . “#ThisIsParenthood creates an open, honest conversation around the highs and lows of parenthood, bringing parents from across the globe together to celebrate the fact that there is no such thing as ‘picture perfect’ parenting.” The campaign is in response to WaterWipes’ global survey of 13,000 parents around the world with children aged three and under, to examine perceptions of parenthood, influences, and things they wish they knew. In line with these findings and in partnership with BAFTA nominated director Lucy Cohen, WaterWipes has collaborated with 86 parents across three continents to produce a sixteen minute documentary, twelve short films and a 92
Peninsula Kids – Winter 2019