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Breast is Best

Issue 144 - May/June 2009By Peggy O'Mara, Editor & Publisher of Mothering Magazine Yesterday I received an e-mail, signed "Wavering Somewhat," from the nursing mom of a 26-month-old daughter. The mom had read Hanna Rosin's "The Case Against Breast-Feeding," an article published in the April 2009 issue of The Atlantic Monthly, and was now questioning the benefits of breastfeeding over formula. Rosin's article, and an interview with her on The Today Show (March 16, 2009)—in which NBC News chief medical editor Nancy Snyderman, MD, said, "Formula is wonderful"—divide... read more

The Name Game-post 1

Our 16-year-old babysitter, who lives across the street, hates her name, which rhymes with her mother’s. “It’s so common,” she complained. She and I were in the bathroom helping the kids brush their teeth. “I wish I had a meaningful name. I wish my mother had thought more about it. She just named me after herself. I don’t want to do that to my kids.” I’m sure my children will be upset about some (many?) of our parenting choices when they are older. But they won’t chastise us for not thinking hard enough about their names. James and I both love... read more

Sling Baby in the European Union Parliament

by Jake Aryeh Marcus Find Sustainable Mothering on Facebook and Jake on Twitter. Have a look at this piece in Britain’s Daily Mail about Italian EU Parliament member Licia Ronzulli casting a vote with her infant daughter in a sling. Apparently EU Parliament rules allow parents to bring their babies to work. While this Daily Mail piece is quick to point out the baby might have disturbed the other parliament members had she awoken, it describes (and shows in photos) that cradled in a sling, with mom leaning over now and then to kiss her head, 2 1/2 month old Victoria... read more

Winner -- Where did you find your baby name?

Thanks for taking part and answering the question, “Where did you find your baby name?” EVERY response was so beautiful and unique, thank you mamas for sharing all of these amazing baby naming stories. You can read all of the responses on the original blog post and on facebook. The winner, chosen randomly, is… “Anna says: My daughter’s name is Erin Hope. Since we are Irish, I wanted a traditional Irish name for her first name, but my mom pretty much vetoed every name I liked. Then I found Erin in a baby name book, and realized that while it... read more

Babywearing - Video Section - Ring Sling Hip Carry

Ring Sling How-to Hip Carry in a Ring Sling from Posh Papoose Wraps | Ring Slings | Soft-Structured Carriers | Pouches | Safety | Fun Slide 7 of 13   read more

Baby At My Breast

My son, playing tent under his bedclothes with a flashlight, says he remembers floating in the friendly forest of my womb, the darkness punctuated now and then by a beam of sunlight as I floated in the pool reading and cells divided, divided, divided again. He remembers nursing too, he boasts, and I hope it's true. It remains as much a part of me as he does, that calming release as he tugged on my breast, eyes closed, tiny as a kitten, moaning with bliss, his tummy and even his face swelling, my hand cradling his perfect foot. Afterward, he was so content... read more

Book Giveaway: The Diaper Free Baby

Hi, All! This Monday morning giveaway is Christine Gross-Loh’s signed book, The Diaper Free Baby. Christine is a longtime Mothering writer, and the author of Mothering’s current cover story, “Wear Your Baby!” The winner will be picked on Friday, July 23. The Diaper Free Baby was written for parents who are interested in practicing elimination communication (EC), or gentle infant pottying. Christine, who has EC’ed all four of her children, encourages parents to practice EC in a way that makes sense for themselves and their families, and helps... read more

Another Coal Miner's Wife and Child

Coal miner's wife and child. Pursglove, West Virginia. 1938 Sept Here's the funny thing about these photos: During this time, it was the poor mothers who stayed fast to the natural art of breastfeeding, whereas metropolitan mothers and those who had better access to health care went to doctors who pushed formula and subsequently convinced them to feed their babies artificially. Now in 2008, poor, rural mothers statistically do not want to have anything to do with breastfeeding and mothers who are better off economically breastfeed in higher numbers -- what a... read more

Sitting for a Formal Photograph and Breastfeeding

  • by admin

In the Library of Congress archives, there are many photographs of Indian women with their babies in papooses. In all of the seated, formal pictures of women and their children I have seen, I have never seen a photo where the mother is freely breastfeeding her child. This photograph is quite interesting because although the woman was white, her husband was an Indian and she lived in an Indian village after being captured in her youth. Her name was Cynthia Ann Parker (ca. 1825-ca. 1871) and in this photo she was nursing her daughter, Prairie Flower (Toposannah). Parker... read more

Have Attitudes About Breastfeeding Changed?

  • by admin

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who left a comment on my last post. You wouldn't believe how very encouraging they are. I can keep digging for photos when I know you're reading. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart! Most of you have probably heard about the big Facebook virtual nurse-in that happened over the weekend. Tens of thousands of nursing moms are upset that Facebook bans nursing photos, but they have no qualms about showing pornographic ads to their users. Well, this disdain for nursing -- public or otherwise -- is certainly not new. Check... read more

Mothering › Baby Articles