For many years, Tammy Schmit hid every time her kids needed to nurse. "I sat on bathroom floors and even covered up in my own house so that I wouldn't risk offending anyone," she admits. Since then, though, she has turned a new leaf: She now works to erase the shame and stigma around nursing by taking gorgeous photographs of breastfeeding moms.

"My goal is to help remove the stigma of nursing in public -- this is not a behavior that should be seen as inappropriate or dirty," says Schmit, mother of three. "Mothers should not feel ashamed to feed and comfort their children in public no matter their age."

So she put out feelers to moms -- and many stepped forward to participate in her photo shoot, which occurred on August 2 to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week.

The moms not only posed for photos, but shared their experiences around breastfeeding -- both good and bad. "Several of them are quiet and reserved, so this is a leap outside of their comfort zones," Schmit says. Check out their stories and amazing photos for an intimate glimpse at what breastfeeding means to moms today.

Image via Little Leapling Photography

Sometimes breastfeeding just doesn't work out. And when that's the case, it's normal to fear that you -- and your baby -- are somehow "missing out" on a special time. Not to worry. Here's how to make bottle-feeding your baby a bonding experience.

Tune in. In our plugged-in world, it can be hard to put multitasking on hold and do just one thing. But "turning off your phone or iPad will ensure you give your baby your undivided attention and eye contact," says Jennifer Shu, MD, a pediatrician and medical editor of healthychildren.org. "You'll also be more in tune to her needs -- and smiles!"

Get some alone time. Sometimes, you have no choice but to feed on the fly. But when you have the time, make feedings one-on-one. Sit in a rocker so you both can relax, suggests Dr. Shu. Then "feed in a dark, quiet room if it's around her bedtime or she gets distracted by her surroundings."

Take off your shirt. And baby's onesie, too! This skin-to-skin contact, called "kangaroo care," releases a "love hormone" that "helps you two feel a connection with each other," says Susan J. Dulkerian, MD, interim chairman, department of pediatrics and director of newborn services at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.

More from The Stir: 15 Good Reasons for Formula Feeding Every Mom Can Agree On

Talk or sing to baby. Even if you don't have a great singing voice -- or anything important to say -- your baby craves the sound of your voice, says Dr. Dulkerian. "Many of us fondly remember the songs that were sung or hummed to us as babies."

Follow your baby's cues. Don't worry about a strict feeding schedule. Instead, pay attention to signs baby's hungry -- for example, sucking on his hands or opening his mouth in search of a nipple -- and respond to them with feedings, says Allison Coleman, a certified doula and owner of Austin Baby Guru, which offers postpartum care and classes in Austin, Texas. An "on demand" feeding style lets your infant know she can trust you to take care of her needs.

Stay away from heavy scents. "Babies have a keen sense of smell and recognize you by your scent," says Coleman. A daily shower is okay, but skip heavily perfumed soaps, lotions, or perfumes which can overwhelm infants and distract from the soothing smell of mom.

Find other ways to bond. No matter how you feed, you and baby can have a super-close relationship. For example, you two can bond through babywearing, games of peekaboo, and even feedings of solid foods when baby's old enough for them.

"How you feed your child does not define the mother you are," says Coleman. "That is about the relationship you have."

How do you bond with your baby during feedings?

Image © skynesher/iStock

Growing up, you probably heard a relative tell you how much you look like some family member. Well this time, the proof is in the photo. Dallas English was stunned to see how much his baby son resembles his great-great grandfather Lloyd English in a photo that's 109 years old.

You have to admit, the resemblance is undeniable.

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Separated by over a century, 11-month-old Ace and his great-great grandfather are practically twins. It's pretty astonishing to stumble upon such and old photo and have it resonate with you in some quasi–Back to the Future moment.

You don't have to be a genealogist to geek out over this one.

Images © H. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS/ClassicStock/Corbis; dde048/Reddit

It's hard to imagine taking care of a child while trying to navigate exams and SAT prep. Yet, that's what many teen mothers find themselves doing. Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia has led the charge for California public schools to have nursing and breastfeeding areas for students who are moms to use, which will hopefully make things a little easier.

While teen pregnancy is on the decline in this country, overall, the U.S. has a high teenage pregnancy rate when compared to other nations. At some point, there needs to be a discussion and a game plan to help young mommies so they can juggle the demands of motherhood and their academics.

More from The Stir: This Group of Teens is Twice as Likely to Get Pregnant as Other Kids

"AB-302 Pupil Services: Lactation Accommodations" would provide public school student moms a private place to nurse and pump -- that goes beyond the girls' bathroom. If signed by the governor, this bill would help empower more teen moms to breastfeed, considering it can be more of a dream than a reality with limited breaks between classes, the lack of adequate storage for expressed milk (it's not something you would tote around in your lunchbox), and other common setbacks. Who knows, maybe more young mothers would think about nursing their children if they knew there were options available to do so.

More from The Stir: 12 Most Common Breastfeeding Hurdles & How to Overcome Them

High school was a very surreal experience for me. In addition to the occasional Beverly Hills, 90210, situations (didn't we all have a Dylan McKay in our lives?), my school was one of few in the district to have an in-school program for teen moms. I could barely think about piecing together an outfit at that age, let alone having to care for a child. Two of my good friends got pregnant during high school (their dedication to finishing school was amazing). Thankfully, they were able to graduate with our class. Many people criticized our school for helping out teen parents (guys too), which made me ask myself, What the heck are these moms supposed to do? They can't exactly give back their child.

Hopefully bills like this will make it easier for teen mothers to care for their children, without fear of getting a bad grade in class should they want to dip out and pump or nurse.

Image © Jason Kempin/Getty Images

It's hard to imagine a tiny baby displaying any traits of psychopathy. But according to scientists, it might just be possible to detect some early warning signs for this behavioral disorder.

Some of the markers of psychopathy are diminished empathy and remorse, uninhibited behavior, and carelessly acting in ways that could cause harm to others ... which are all also traits related to being a baby. So how can someone look at one infant and tell that he's more likely to grow up to be a psychopath than another?

The answer is that you can't, exactly. But what you can do is make some predictions based on how babies interact with objects from a very young age: such as whether they prefer a red ball, or a human face. Researchers tested the preference of over 500 5-week-old babies to see whether they chose a toy over human interaction, and then tested them again at age 2. This time it wasn't toy preference they were looking for; instead, they were looking to see whether the toddlers were showing any so-called "callous-unemotional traits." These traits include lack of guilt over misbehavior, a decrease in sensitivity to being punished, and disinterest in the feelings of others. (Yes, these do still sound like fairly typical 2-year-old traits, I know. I'll let the researchers figure out where the line falls between "normal toddler" and "Hannibal Lecter, Jr.")

More from The Stir: Your Kid Might Be a Psychopath -- But It's Not Your Fault

It may sound bizarre to be hovering over tiny babies trying to predict whether they might be the next Dexter. But early intervention is a big deal, especially when it comes to potentially preventing very serious behaviors from that child as a teen or adult. The researchers also noted that, during a lab-setting playtime session, parents who responded quickly and supportively to their toddlers when they were upset were the ones less likely to have toddlers showing those callous-unemotional traits.

Of course, the red-ball test isn't a be-all end-all for early psychopathy diagnostics. There are other factors that might cause some infants to prefer the red ball over a face -- autism, for example. Or some kids might just be fascinated by the color! But more chances for early diagnosis can only be a good thing, because more chances for early diagnosis means more options for parents to get the help their child will need to grow up as a healthy adult.

Image via © Ale Ventura/PhotoAlto/Corbis

Jessica Shortall returned to work shortly after giving birth to her two babies as the Director of Giving for TOMS Shoes, so she totally gets how awkward, difficult, and sometimes hilarious it is to take your baby's food source with you to the office ... because that food source is you. Jessica has a new book out entitled Work. Pump. Repeat: The New Mom's Survival Guide to Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work, and to celebrate, she created a series of parody stock photo images that depict the reality of being a breastfeeding working mom. 

Jessica is the total coolest and funniest, trust me, I got to speak with her on the phone, and she told me all about her project: 

What was your favorite part of creating this project? 

I was seriously giddy about putting this together. Being a breastfeeding mom on the job can be SO isolating, and the thought of just totally shamelessly putting these realities out into the world made me so happy. I also really enjoyed shopping for the gray business suit you see me wearing in the "sales presentation" image of me leaking through my dress. I knew that gray would show fake milk wetness the best, and found that little 1990s Talbots gem at my local thrift store. 

What do you wish more employers really understood about the challenges of being a nursing mom at work?

In my wildest dreams, I wish that employers, politicians, and just people in general would see mothering (including breastfeeding) not as an inconvenience to minimize, but a reality to accept and even to want to celebrate and support. We are doing our jobs and we're tasked with literally creating the next generation of workers, customers, taxpayers, and military servicepeople. This isn't optional, but when we do it, it's treated like it's an individual choice we made that is going to put people out. I also wish employers would understand how much loyalty and love breastfeeding women give to the companies that are supportive of them.

What do you think is the most important way we can support breastfeeding women in the workplace?

National, paid maternity leave for every working woman, with no exceptions. No small-business exceptions. No "you haven't worked here long enough" exceptions. No "only for women in X or Y industry." Every. Woman. And then once we're back at work, every single woman needs to have the legally protected right to pump at work, in a private, non-bathroom space (currently there's a patchwork of federal and state laws, and not everyone is covered). Even if that means, for a workplace that just doesn't have a private room, hanging up a curtain in a corner and telling your other employees to mind their damn business. But, at the risk of repeating myself: pump-at-work laws alone are not going to cut it. We NEED paid maternity leave. 88% of American women get zero paid maternity leave, and almost 25% of us are back at work within two weeks of giving birth, because they don't even have unpaid leave, or can't afford to take it. If we don't address national maternity leave, we're saying we don't really care about ALL new mothers getting to recover and rest, and to bond with and feed their babies.

What is next for you? 

My book -- a survival guide for breastfeeding and going back to work -- came out yesterday, so mostly I'm going to be creeping around bookstores to see it on shelves. I'm developing curricula for companies that want to better support nursing mothers, and I'm also gearing up to give my first TEDx Talk, on a lot of the topics we're talking about here, at TEDxSMU in Dallas in October. So I'll be a nervous wreck (and maybe drinking) if anyone needs me.

Images via Jessica Shortall/WorkPumprepeat.com/ Laura Legg Photography; Jessica Shortall

The birth of a child is supposed to be one of the greatest joys a person can ever experience (well, once the child is here -- not the pain that comes with the territory). Mercedes and Richard Cushworth had no idea of the emotional roller coaster in store for them as they finally reunited with their son who was switched at birth.

I know it's hard to imagine, but just allow that to sink in for a minute. You carry your bundle of joy, deliver your baby (they had theirs in Nicaragua where Mercedes is from), and kiss your baby before another one is put in your arms. Sure, there are tests hospitals and birthing facilities need to run to make sure your child is safe, but the point of the story is that you actually get back your kid.

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To think about leaving a country with someone else's child and never knowing if you would see your own again is unfathomable. I'm so thankful this family was reunited with their now-3-month-old son (his name is Moses), who appears to be unharmed.

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More from The Stir: 'Red-Ball' Test for Babies Could Predict Future Psychopathy

What makes this story even more unbelievable is not the fact this baby boy was swapped for another child, but that investigators are looking into the matter, as it could be tied with human trafficking.

What?!

The Cushworths believe their child was targeted by all involved -- which likely will include the doctor and his staff -- given the baby would have fairer skin. To say any form of slavery is grisly would be an understatement, but to sell babies on the black market? I can't even ... Sadly, this is the sick world we live in with close to 21 million victims of human trafficking (5.5 million are estimated to be children).

This couple definitely had some serious faith, as they appeared relentless when it came to getting back baby Moses. It also fills my heart to hear they were willing to keep the child sent home with them, as I wondered what would be his fate (it looks like he was returned to his biological parents). After all, he didn't ask to be involved in all of this.

While three months have gone by since this family has been together, they will hopefully have many more years to fill their lives with beautiful memories.

Image via FOX 5 NY

If you want to give a little boost to you baby's health with every meal, load up on so-called "superfoods" and you're solid. "'Superfoods' is simply a term for nutrient-dense foods that offer great health benefits," explains Diana Di Fabio, MS, RD, a pediatric dietician at the Cleveland Clinic. 

Superfoods are particularly important for babies and toddlers because unlike all you adults, their bodies and brains are still developing. "For babies, these foods aid in overall growth by providing high quality building blocks for development of strong bones and a healthy immune, digestive, and nervous system," Di Fabio continues.

Here are 10 superfoods to try feeding your baby, along with why they're so healthy. Plus we've found some delicious ways to prepare these foods that will leave babies wanting more, more, more!

What foods do you love to feed your baby?

Image via Alliance/shutterstock

Marry Fermont, a photographer from the Netherlands, takes gorgeous photos of newborn babies positioned exactly how they lived for 9+ months in their mothers' wombs. Marry photographed 99 births, and the 100th was the birth of her own daughter, which was photographed by her associate and friend Lobke Koppens, who studied photography under her. Marry claims to have been the first birth photographer in the Netherlands, and she actually studied midwifery to understand more about the miracles of childbirth. 

The images are beautiful, and give new moms an idea of how their babies lived inside of them before they came into the world. 

Image via Marry Fermont

If your baby is eating solids this fall, you're in luck: Many amazingly healthy and tasty foods are in season now (read: as delicious as ever and, depending on where you live, local!). Your baby will love them, and they benefit his brain, immune system, and more.

To make the most of baby's mealtime this autumn, try serving up some of these in-season foods. Check out what nutrition experts have to say about their health benefits for your child, and great ways to prepare them to appeal to tiny palates.

Image via txshutterbug/iStock

It may not always feel like we're making progress in breastfeeding rights, with women being kicked out of this store or that restaurant for nursing their babies. But progress is happening, and it's happening all over -- as one former air force servicewoman's viral breastfeeding Facebook post shows.

Tara Ruby served in the air force between 1997 and 2001, which was not a time when many accommodations were offered to breastfeeding mothers on active duty. She describes having to steal time in unoccupied offices or empty bathrooms in order to be able to produce milk for her infant son.

But the times they are a-changing, and so is the setup for nursing mothers at the Fort Bliss army base in El Paso, Texas. The base has recently launched its first lactation room for active duty service members to pump: comfortable chairs, a sink to clean pump equipment, and a fridge to store breast milk. No more squatting on potties or hiding in dark offices!

More from The Stir: Breastfeeding Military Moms to Get On-Base Rooms Just for Pumping & Nursing -- Yay!

Ruby, who has a photography business based in El Paso, heard about the new lactation room and decided to offer her artistic talents to add a touch of warmth to the comforts already on hand. The picture she took for display in the room also got posted to her photography website, where it's been shared over 8,000 times: 10 moms in uniform nursing in sync.

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Over 8,000 times, that is, not counting however many times it was shared the first time it was posted, before it mysteriously disappeared, probably thanks to someone reporting it to Facebook for "nudity." But Ruby isn't fazed: Her goal with the image was both to offer inspiration to the new moms making use of the Fort Bliss lactation room, and to normalize breastfeeding. But with the way the image is going viral, it's likely that a lot more than just the local military moms will be inspired by it -- and the number of people seeing it on their Facebook feeds will hopefully make some progress on her goal of normalization, too. (And can we take a moment to appreciate the challenge of getting 10 infants to latch simultaneously?)

This is a great photo, and the only thing it needs now is even more lactation rooms to be displayed in. Come on, other big employers, what's the holdup?

Image via © LWA/Dann Tardif/Blend Images/Corbis

There's nothing more beautiful to a parent's ears like a child laughing (it sure beats hearing kids scream). Brazilian mom Marcelinha Dos Santos was able to capture one of the sweetest moments you'll ever see on video. Watch this baby give her dad a hard time cutting her nails and then we'll talk.

Seriously, it's OK to replay this a few times, as those laughs never get old.

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Aside from this little girl's being super cute (she is head-to-toe adorable), the banter between her and her father is too precious for words. It's pretty clear Pops was nervous enough trying to cut his daughter's nails, so when she scares him right before he tries, you can't help my laugh and say awww!

More from The Stir: Parents Reunited With Now 3-Month-Old Son After He Was Switched at Birth (VIDEO)

Now, I don't speak baby, but maybe she was like, "Dad, what are you doing?" -- or, "Where are the nail clippers that are my size?"

Excuse me while I watch this again.

Image via Pri-Fla-E-Marcelinha Dos Santos Iwama/YouTube

Restaurants should have changing tables. Absolutely! If a place is "family-friendly" and they include kids' items on the menu, they should totally have a changing table in the restroom. But if they don't, don't be like this Canadian mom who was so frustrated the place she was dining at didn't have a changing table that she decided to change's her baby's diaper at the table. In the middle of the restaurant. 

The Ottawa mom in question was dining at Kelly's Landing Restaurant and noticed her months-old daughter Simone needed her diaper changed. When she discovered the restaurant didn't have a changing table, she asked the waitress if she could change her baby at one of the tables. She thought it would be okay considering no one else was dining at the time. This is where I really have a difficult time with this story. I could see maybe doing it near the restrooms after you put down a changing pad. Or on the hood of your car after you put down a blankie. Or on the sidewalk where no pedestrians were walking. But in the middle of the restaurant where people eat, where they eat food? Where they eat food they stick in their mouth holes? 

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The owner of the restaurant was quoted as saying that she could have done it on the grass or on a park bench beside the restaurant.

Absolutely! 

More from The Stir: Mom Stages Nurse-In When Store Employee Won't Let Her Breastfeed In Changing Room

Listen, I know no one likes to leave a baby in a dirty diaper and that it can lead to rashes and it's all uncomfy for the baby and all that. By all means change your baby when he or she needs changing, but don't do it where people consume food. No matter who is or isn't around. The mom in question said: "As a paying customer and being a mother, I think that telling someone to leave a restaurant to change a child is treating them like a second-class citizen or worse." No, no it isn't! It's being asked to not have activities involving feces or urine around where food is served! You aren't a second-class citizen. This isn't a human rights violation. Yes, it would be nice if every place (well, besides casinos, strip clubs, and the all-in-one-shooting-range-ye-olde-pornography-shoppe-lye-factory) had changing tables, but if they don't? Remind yourself that no one needs bodily waste around his or her delicious food, and take your baby to get him or her diapered up elsewhere. 

Image via CBC.ca

Photographer Justin Tsucalas first fed his adorable baby Oliver like a lot of us parents do: with Cheerios. Because, as we all know, babies are notoriously messy eaters, Justin decided to document Oliver's forays into the world of solid foods with his photo series, "Look At This Messy Baby."

The images show just how enthusiastic babies can be about trying real people food for the first times, and also how even the simplest meals can turn into the biggest messes. 

Images via Justin Tsucalas

For parents, dealing with germy backwash from sharing drinks with their children is a fact of life. But a new idea suggests that it could be a fact much, much earlier in life than you might have expected. As in, backwash during breastfeeding.

This is not just bottles we're talking about, friends: I mean backwash straight back into the source. If the mental image of breast milk backwash makes you want to brush your boobs' teeth, you are not alone. If it helps, you can take some consolation in the fact that this is still just a hypothetical idea, not one anyone has tried to actually study in the lab. (Imagine being asked to be a part of that research study. "Yes, today we'll be checking to see if there's any baby slobber inside of you.")

But while it still needs empirical research to back it up, this is an idea with a pretty solid physical basis, and one with a lot of power to explain some of the "liquid gold" properties breast milk is touted to have. Breastfed babies have fewer ear infections, and they're less likely to suffer from gastrointestinal illness. This probably has to do with the antibodies -- immune system infection-fighting molecules -- passed to them via breast milk. In fact, the amount of antibodies in breast milk spikes not only when the nursing mother is ill and her body is cranking out antibodies to ward off infection, but also when her baby is sick. Since the immune system is not psychic, as far as current scientific knowledge is aware, it must have some way of sensing that there are germs running around in the baby's body.

More from The Stir: 10 Incredible Facts About Breast Milk You've Never Heard Before

So here's where baby backwash comes in. When a baby nurses, the sucking action creates a vacuum inside the nipple. And as we all learned in high school physics, nature abhors a vacuum; so on each break from suckling, a bit of the liquid inside the baby's mouth is going to be slurped back into the nipple. Gross; but also, cool: Now mom's body has a sampling of the germ situation baby has dealing with, and her immune system can manufacture antibodies as necessary to help.

As John Mayer wrote, your body is a wonderland. A disgusting, amazing wonderland. Congratulations on all the things it can do ... and try not to think too hard about them the next time your baby starts crying to be fed.

Image via © 3photo/Corbis

For North Carolina mom Cher Lair, having a baby has always meant one thing: more blue. After SIX boys in a row, Lair got the surprise of her life last spring when she found out that she had a girl on the way. The video of her amazed reaction to the gender reveal went viral and even landed her on the Ellen show. Now a new video from the family shows the reactions of all the brothers to their new sister, and it is the cutest thing ever.

But, first, let's relive the moment when everyone found out that sweet baby Ruby was on her way.

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Yeah, I think she was a little excited!

More from The Stir: 11 Heart-Melting Images of Siblings Meeting Baby for the First Time

In August, baby Ruby was born and got to meet her six big brothers, ranging in age from 2 to 13. It is pretty clear from the video below that her brothers are pretty smitten with the newest member of the family.

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You have to love the range of reactions! From the fears of pink taking over the house to the promises to become a police officer to protect her, it is clear these brothers think having a baby sister is something special.

Something tells me that Miss Ruby is going to have plenty of protection as she gets older!

Image via nettv todaynews/YouTube

A mother's down time is precious and scarce as most of us know -- so why on earth was a nursing mom told not to breastfeed inside a gym locker room?

Folks are pissed at an LA Fitness Center in Georgia after an employee told Caroline Hoffman she couldn't breastfeed her baby inside a locker room.

Did she not re-rack her weights or something to get so much attention?

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More From The Stir: New Ad Shames Breastfeeding Moms for Eating Junk Food (PHOTOS)

I'm happy the district manager sent Caroline an apology and clarified that she did not have to sit on a public toilet or at the entrance to nurse her child.

As a gym rat, let me just say that I get the image many like to portray. In many ways, fitness centers have become "the scene" where people love making red carpet entrances in their newest apparel. But does this mean a mom can't feed her baby in a sea of glistening bodies and people taking gym selfies?

Is there simply no room in the "no-flex zone" for someone who wants to provide nutrients to another without it coming from a huge protein tub?

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Any mom who has time to go to the gym knows how much you covet that window of opportunity (not counting the working out part, that can suck). It's already stressful enough trying to exercise, think about child care and whether or not you're lactating through your sports bra. Now you have to think about what corner you need to hide in to breastfeed your baby (with a cover no less)?

I understand that not everyone is down with nursing in public, but perhaps the time has come to provide moms who do a spot -- especially if you provide a children's area in your facility -- that doesn't include flushing toilets. Given this mom probably finished exercising, I think we can give her a break in running to and from the car just to breastfeed her kid.

Image via WSB-TV 2 Atlanta

Few things are as hilarious as a "milk drunk" baby -- those woozy eyes and sloppy smile that epitomizes a well-fed tot on the brink of passing out.

That's right -- feeding a baby is a lot like being back in college, only this time you're sober and babysitting someone who gets wasted every few hours, over and over.

Just so you're prepared for all the various stages of "milk drunk" you may see, here they are, from those tipsy first few sips to the blackout and beyond.

Image via CafeMom

New parents are already nervous as is about their bundle of joy. As you can imagine, one of the last things they want to hear about are more dangers to take heed, but this one deserves your ear. UK mom Claire Henderson is warning all parents on the dangers of a newborn get kissed on the face.

Claire's precious infant, Brooke Henderson was hospitalized for five days after contracting a herpes virus. As scary as that sounds, what's even more shocking is how she got it: From a kiss on the face.

Take a look at Claire's post that cautions all parents to re-consider letting people get a little too affectionate with your little one.

More from The Stir: How Your Baby's Breastfeeding Spit-Up Fights Infections

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It's so hard to imagine a baby suffering from a herpes virus because of a sweet gesture. Unfortunately, the herpes simplex virus can be fatal for infected newborns as their little bodies don't have a developed immune system like adults. While death is certainly the extreme end of the spectrum, symptoms can include a high fever and even seizures.

More from The Stir: 5 Ways to Boost Mom & Baby's Health During & After Pregnancy

Having my second child a few months ago, I only allowed a few close family members to visit us. Call me a worry rat, but I didn't want my baby around a ton of people -- especially since he wasn't vaccinated. I can only imagine how I would've reacted if I saw this then. Hopefully learning about this won't make you reenact Outbreak, though it is good to know about things that are potentially life-threatening to your child.

Image via Claire Henderson/Facebook

At the age of 1, most babies are still months (maybe years!) away from mastering the art of walking up stairs, but 1-year-old Ellie Farmer is already making her way up the walls -- of a rock climbing gym, that is. Probably because her parents have been taking her there since she was 2 weeks old!

It's pretty remarkable stuff -- so remarkable, in fact, that Ellie and her mom and dad made an appearance on The Ellen Show to talk about how the little girl got her start climbing (and to demonstrate her very impressive skills). Seems her parents are big climbers themselves -- a part of the "climbing community," as they call it -- and they started bringing Ellie along when she was just a newborn. They showed her how to feel the rocks when she was 6 months old, and by the time she was 8 months old, she'd already progressed to climbing -- she even has a little rock wall next to her crib at home! Now, at 20 months, she's practically a pro. And while she doesn't wear a harness while she climbs, she does wear padded clothing, and her parents spot her at all times. 

I know -- as a parent I feel like the idea almost makes me break out into a cold sweat, but I believe the parents when they say she's very well supervised. (They appear to be diligent types.) Plus, the kid actually seems to have a pretty good idea of what she's doing! Check it out: 

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Crazy, right? But she clearly LOVES climbing -- see how she lit up when she saw that wall?? Because before that, she was definitely not into the experience of being in front of a live studio audience. Yeah, I'm on The Ellen Show, WHATEVS.

More from The Stir: Rock Climbing While Pregnant Is a Really Bad Idea

It's really fascinating to see what kids can do when they're not afraid. Obviously Ellie's parents have no qualms about climbing, so they didn't project any fear onto their daughter -- none of the "Be careful, you're gonna fall!" so many of us are guilty of yelling at our kids. And look at the result: A 1-year-old already capable of reaching great heights! (That's sort of a metaphor, you get it?)

Image via TheEllenShow/YouTube