What articles and features of Mothering issue 147 did you enjoy?

[Jacque Savageau]

Mothering would like your opinion on the articles you enjoyed most in the March/April 2008 issue 147 of Mothering Magazine. Please vote here (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Y1fAiIaDVVmUD9xL1UJFUQ_3d_3d
) for the articles you enjoyed in issue 147. Feel free to post your input about the articles as well as other things you might like to share about issue 147.

These are the articles and features in issue 147 that you may rate:


A Quiet Place: A Birth Renaissance (Peggy O'Mara's Editorial)
Your Letters
Bulletins
On Being a Parenting Original
Fall of the Fairies
Dumping Disposable Diapers
The ABCs of Going Cloth
Evading the Evidence
Masking Maternal Mortality
Ban the Bags
Fresh First Foods
Strokes of Genius
Living Treasure


Thank you for taking the time to give your thoughts and opinions.


Please keep in mind the forum guidelines (http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=591327) when posting

**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ**
Posting Guidelines (http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=591327)
Welcome! Mothering Magazine would like your opinion. We've created this forum so you can comment further on the current issue.

Peggy will be reading these comments, so this is a great opportunity for everyone to give their thoughts and opinions on the current issue of the magazine. We will create a poll for each issue of the Magazine and post a link to it.

Please note


This forum is ONLY for polls on the current issue of Mothering Magazine.
Only one post per member, per poll.
Please do not attempt to start threads in this forum as it is moderated and they will be deleted without notice.
Please keep your posts on topic with the poll; this is not a place to air your grievances or chitchat.
Please do not quote or comment on another members post. We are interested in your personal opinion.

[ewalsh917]

I was SO happy to see Cloth Diaper Comeback on the cover that I grabbed this issue right away.
I am going to cd our newest arrival (edd 7/28/08) and I am quite the novice. Both of the articles (Dumping Disposable Diapers and the ABCs of going cloth) were fantastic!!! I feel much more informed and not nearly as nervous about going cloth.
Thank you for a wonderful magazine!!! :thumb: I wish I would have found this when my first three were born!!

[Angela512]

I was absolutely appalled with the "Masking Maternal Mortality"!!! It angered me so much that in a nation with the kind of health care we have that women are dying senselessly by something that could have been prevented!!!! I know that some deaths there is nothing that anyone can do (amniotic fluid embolism), but hemorraging?

I cried reading that article...and now I want to do something about it...but have no clue on where to start. I wish Ina May Gaskin would have given sources/places/people to contact to push for demanding better post partum care for mothers (mainly hospital birthing mothers as they are sent home and no one looks in on them...and no appts to see a doctor are set until 6-8 weeks later).

It was a very informative article...and extremely sad, and extremely angering...but extremely needed.

I also liked the cloth diapering one...I need to get some more cloth diapers for my son.

Evading the Evidence by David Kirby was also a very good read.

In fact, I rarely pick up a Mothering Mag that isn't loaded with good articles. :D

[diamond lil]

I really enjoyed the "Ban The Bags" article on the "free" formula bags distributed to new mothers. My SIL just gave birth on Feb 25, and she went home with not one, but two bags! She asked for another one and the hospital gave it to her. She has refused to breastfeed at all. Not even try. It's very frustrating and sad to witness.:(

I plan to refuse the free bag and will include it in my birthplan. I never realized how harmful they really are to nursing mothers or their "real" cost. Thanks Mothering!

[midwestmeg]

The whole issue was very strong; I always love letters and the little photos :love but what really grabbed me was the information about Marilyn Milos and NOCIRC. It was so exciting to realize that the circ rate in the US has dropped to 57%! Still only halfway there, but still; nice to know. :thumb

[JenDances]

Fantastic! This was my very first issue of Mothering, thanks to my friend Christine (crwilson). I can't believe I didn't read it sooner. I couldn't put the entire issue down.

The maternal mortality article by Ina May Gaskin was fascinating.

[Briannasmom]

Loved the whole issue. One of the strongest I've read in awhile - gave me plenty of things to get pissed off about (which I love! Gets my juices flowing!)

My favorites were:
# Evading the Evidence
# Masking Maternal Mortality
# Ban the Bags

[MamaEli]

This was a great issue! I loved the Cloth Diaper articles--it wasn't new info to me, but stuff I'm looking forward to passing on to others.
The Maternal Mortality article was very disturbing. I went to bed that night imagining the baby's cries as the mother could not help, and the fear she must as felt once she realized what was happening. It's absolutely appalling, and the article brought so much to light.
The Fairys article was so sweet.....just nicely written and touching.
Being a Parenting Original was also great, but a quick read.
I had never thought about the Formula Bags, and actually looked forward to getting my "free" diaper bag when I had my second....never connected the dots. And imagine, we supplimented with GoodStart with DS because that was our bag, and Emfamil with DD, again, what was in our bag...I feel like such a sucker!
And finally, I enjoyed the Birth Renaissance editorial, especially as someone getting ready to birth in a birth center with midwives after two hospital births.
Mothering Magazine just validates me in so many ways! I love it!

[Pepperdove]

I loved the cloth diaper articles - but of course I would...

The Mother Mortality article was disturbing because of the dead baby at the start of it. I would have liked to have been warned about that so I could have avoided reading that part. As it was, I was unable to finish the article because I was too disturbed. I actually have avoided this issue after reading that. I know it's important information, and this poor woman and her child should be remembered. But I would really have appreciated knowing what was in there before reading it, and I can't be the only one.

Other than that, great issue.

[princessjasmine]

I enjoyed the diapering article as I use cloth diapers with my little one. However, I was really disappointed that there was no mention of Elimination Communication, which I feel is a great way to use cloth diapers and to harmonize and bond with your baby, as well as enabling us to use fewer resources. I would really like to see an article about EC in Mothering Magazine and I'm surprised there hasn't been one yet, as it seems to be very much in line with the overall philosophy of the magazine.

Lydia

[aimfiles]

Just when I start feeling overwhelmed as a mama, Mothering comes in the mail.....aaaahhhhhh! I only wish it was monthly. I loved how precise the cloth diaper articles were, the "Fall of the Fairies" was touching, and "Being a Parenting Original" felt affirming. The only piece I have a complaint about is the "Fresh First Foods". Every recipe contained salt, which seemed unnecessary!

-Aimee

[Twinklefae]

I really enjoyed the whole magazine (as I usually do).

The Cloth Diaper articles were well written and concise, and I love trying to guess what was hanging on the "clothesline" in the pics.

"Fall of the Fairies" made me cry, and debate with a friend whether or not we would have said the same thing to a child.

I would have liked some information about "baby-led solids" included in the "First Fresh Foods" article. I'm not interested in doing purees.

All in all, another fantastic read from Mothering. (I'm so happy to get this magazine)

[anitaj71]

More more more ! I love mothering however it's always too short. Can't mothering have an extra large issue once a year ( or more ? ) Always informative and an interesting read.

[locksmama]

I enjoyed the diapering article as I use cloth diapers with my little one. However, I was really disappointed that there was no mention of Elimination Communication, which I feel is a great way to use cloth diapers and to harmonize and bond with your baby, as well as enabling us to use fewer resources. I would really like to see an article about EC in Mothering Magazine and I'm surprised there hasn't been one yet, as it seems to be very much in line with the overall philosophy of the magazine.

Lydia
I have to agree with this. It makes absolutely no sense to me that nothing about EC was mentioned whatsoever. It seems weird to me that NPR and MSNBC will cover this topic but not a magazine like Mothering that I love because of it's great content on natural parenting. What is more natural than allowing your infant to eliminate away from his/her body? Women who are into cloth diapering would be receptive to this info I think. Or at east it would be good for them to know about it anyway. :) I believe it is honestly the most enviro-friendly way to handle elimination needs. I would love to see Mothering do an article on this that would show it from all angles--part-timers to full-timers to people with multiple kids to people with kids with disabilities. All of those types of ECers are right here on the EC forum. It would also be nice to see an interview of one of the EC gurus too.

Other than the diaper article, I loved the whole issue especially the hospital bags one and the one by Ina.

[AlainaFrederick]

More more more ! I love mothering however it's always too short. Can't mothering have an extra large issue once a year ( or more ? ) Always informative and an interesting read.

I feel the same way...it seems that the end cover just comes so soon!

With the cloth diapers coming to 'mainstream' I'm surprised by how many people don't know about them and assume it's still done exclusively with flats/prefold and plastic pants. I'm also surprised by how almost ALL disposable users do not know to put solid waste into the toilet. I am a cloth diaper user and retailer and even I was so EXCITED to read every word in this article. I even loved that the cover photo was a baby in a cloth cover that was USED not a brand spankin' new one...it had the cute fresh from the washer fuzzies on it.

I was also brought to tears with the stories of the poor woman who died so soon after experiencing the best time of their life. I am still saddened that they died when they didn't have to ... but I try to see the light in the fact that they made it to the end of the pregnancy and they had what little time they did with their babies and got to gaze into their eyes. I recently watched The Business of Being Born and after watching that and the store in magazine I really do fear for the woman of the US.

Ban the Bags--RIGHT on. I received SOOOO many free gifts after having my son 6 weeks ago it was insane. BUT I have to say though that my bag was missing formula samples AND the coupons---they removed that as I told them I was going to breastfeed EXCLUSIVELY and the hospital does support that. I wonder though if had I not said that if I would have gone home with a few more pounds of 'free' gifts.
I'd love it if my local hospital started giving out the Mothering magazine gift bags instead.


Also--I'd love to see something new with all the concern with plastics in baby products. I haven't seen the other recent issues before the cloth one so I'm not sure if this was covered but it's something very confusing with all the plastic types and how everything seems to be plastic...and suggestions for affordable alternatives like bamboo bowls and stainless steel cups

[love2bmom]

I love the articles on cloth diapering. I hope more and more families will turn to cloth. Next we need an issue on wool soakers - using them, making them, etc. Wool is so wonderful because every bit of it is natural and will decompose completely. Love the mag! :)

[Redifer]

I thoroughly enjoyed Being a Parenting Original ... I believe the author's husband is my second cousin! We share the same unusual last name, and the same geographic area for family of that name... I was so shocked to see 'my' surname in Mothering!!

[champios]

I enjoyed the cloth diapering article.

Samara

[beeboos]

I really enjoyed Fall of the Fairies, as so much of the article hit home to me. Having just gone through this last year with my son, I must say I will go through it again when my daughter grows older.

[A&A]

It should more accurately be called Mothering Babies and Toddlers because there is always so much about birth, diapering, breastfeeding, etc. Yes, all of that is important, but my kids are school-age, and there's only an occasional "token" article about older children.

[earthmommy2]

I loved the articles on cloth diapering and ban the bags...as a mom who was offered a bag and refused, I have alot of interst in removing formula bags, and perhaps putting in REALLY breastfeeding friendly bags!

[mangoprincess]

I really enjoyed the cloth diaper article. I am due with my first early June and knew I wanted to CD. But I was so confused as where to start--this really opened my eyes to all the options out there. SO thank you! Especially since another magazine did a CD article and made it sound very negative, it is nice to read something that was well researched and not written to please the advertisers.

[FrolicingMama]

The cloth diapering articles were very timely for me as I had just made the decision to switch to cloth, but was still feeling overwhelmed by all the options. The articles really helped clear things up for me.

[kdubs_mom]

What can I say, this was such a timely issue for me! I read Mothering primarily to get ideas on how to live better. These articles were especially helpful in my daily life:

Dumping Disposable Diapers
The ABCs of Going Cloth
On Being a Parenting Original

And "Fall of the Fairies" made me smile.

[changingseasons]

I like the Ban the Bag article. I took home a hospital bag :(, just thinking, "cool- something free!" I don't even know why... I gave away the formula and have never used the bag. But next time around, I know the harms and will definitely refuse it!!

I also like the cloth diaper article. I just wish it came out a few months earlier when we were learning about cloth diapers for our new DD. I had no idea there were so many out there!!

[hippiemommaof4]

I'm all about cloth diapers, wtg! I wish more moms knew the benefits and cuteness factors of cloth!!

[LeaAline]

Has anyone heard of a "pro-breastfeeding" bag? I work in a hospital where we distribute the "bags" if moms want them, but I'd love to have an alternative that is truly "pro-breastfeeding". The bags we have (Good Start) are marked Breastfeeding or Bottle-feeding but I'm not sure the difference as they both have a container of dry formula.

[APMomOfKimmyN-Maya]

I love Mothering Magazine. The March/April issue is a perfect example of why I love mothering magazine. I wish I would have known about it with my first child. I keep all of the issues in my client lending library.

As far as this issue specifically I enjoyed "A quiet place" because as a Doula I think it is so important for the issue of unnecessary cesareans to be talked about.

If I didn't already know so much about cloth diapering I think this issue would have been amazingly helpful in motivating me to give it a try, so I was glad to see this article since it may help people who are wanting to make the switch. The information given about cloth diapering was very thorough.


The Ban the Bags article was great!

My favorite articles were "Living Treasure" and "Evading the Evidence".

[A_Random_Phrase]

I hope it's okay to say this here (I'm a newcomer) but "ban the bags" reminds me that I was given free samples of formula and someone suggested that the formula could be put to good use by having the mother drink it. I did try it and it wasn't too bad. I certainly didn't want my baby taking it any other way.

[mraven721]

I would rather see the CD articles maybe be in a special pull out or a special (additional) issue. I can see the value in publishing it. You can pass it along to a pregnant friend but you are preaching to the choir IMO.

I always love reading Peggy's articles and it's the first place I go to every time.

[satsumagirl]

As a UK reader I was really interested in the maternal mortality article. Those senseless and preventable deaths and poor mothers and babies. Surely the military also owed that one poor mother and baby a duty of care.

We do get postnatal visits, but these are being really cut back due to lack of midwives. It used to be daily visits for 10 days as a routine, but now it has really reduced. I got 2 visits after being discharged and I'd had a 3rd degree tear and 2 units of blood plus my daughter had been under the bili lights and was having real trouble breastfeeding. So while it is a lot better than nothing it is still far from adequate.

Looking forward to the next issue

Mary

[clothdipemomof2boy]

Masking Maternal Mortality

This article hit home. If I wouldnt of hemoraghed due to placent abruptia and had to have a hysterectomey I would of died. When they looked at my uterus in the lab some of my placenta was still inside of my uterus. I would of lost my uterus anyway they did everything possible. And yes I have asked midwives and with what is in my charts and what we have told her (my hubby and what i remember ) she says there was no way around me losing it (which is good news, I would hate to know I would of been able to have more ya know and not be able to now) anyway I too was like so many other women out there "nothing will happen I dont need what the nurses are asking if I have a living will.Women have been having babies forever, right." Nope, After my placenta abruptia I was diagnosed with what is called DIC which in Barney terms (which I had to have) means that the blood went to my brain , my lungs and my heart to keep me alive but my uterus was just pumping out the excess blood. So I lost that and my kidneys shut down.
I was horrified to know that even with me having this (I am a legend at the naval hospital at camp lejeune they never have had this happen) that they havent published it till after a football players wife got it. But will say thank God they finally are talking about it. I am lucky one in 10,000 women survive from DIC and according to the article if they wouldnt of found it because of another problem I could be dead right now. Wow puts alot into perspective.
I got to have two wonderful boys and got to have a natural (even thought it was in hospital) birth with my second son. I never got the unassisted birth but I am thinking of going to training to be a doula still (was supposed to do it this last year $$$ said not right now) and then go on to be a midwife. I love babies. I just want to thank mothering for bringing it to everyones mind that things do happen. Please I dont want to scare anyone but make sure that if you have kids or plan to have kids get a living Will please.

[satsumagirl]

As a UK reader I was really interested in the maternal mortality article. Those senseless and preventable deaths and poor mothers and babies. Surely the military also owed that one poor mother and baby a duty of care.

We do get postnatal visits, but these are being really cut back due to lack of midwives. It used to be daily visits for 10 days as a routine, but now it has really reduced. I got 2 visits after being discharged and I'd had a 3rd degree tear and 2 units of blood plus my daughter had been under the bili lights and was having real trouble breastfeeding. So while it is a lot better than nothing it is still far from adequate.

Looking forward to the next issue

Mary

[MamaDaednu]

Just read through my issue and loved the article on formula bags.
I got one from my midwives (!) the first time around. Luckily by the second child they had stopped handing them out.
My son had formula once and it was due to that stupid bag. I had the formula in the house because of it and it was my first couple nights with a newborn who wasn't latching properly.

[Faliciagayle]

I loved the article on babyfood. We're doing self-feeding here and through this I have discovered DD likes all kinds of textures and tastes. It was great to read an article on a healthy alternative to store bought rice cereal.

[To-Fu]

I loved the article on babyfood. We're doing self-feeding here and through this I have discovered DD likes all kinds of textures and tastes. It was great to read an article on a healthy alternative to store bought rice cereal.

Same here!

It would be great to see a future article on baby-led feeding.

[prudence1]

I'll be honest, I am not (currently) a subscriber to Mothering. A friend gave me a bunch of her old copies. I've loved some articles and been irritated by others. Then a couple of weeks ago, standing in the grocery line I picked up the March-April copy, flicked it open and it landed on the Masking Maternal Mortality article. I started to read and within seconds, and again now 2 weeks later, was a sobbing mess. Right there in the grocery line! At the end of the first page I closed the magazine, not wanting to go on, but just closing the magazine didn't make the truth stop existing. So I bought my first copy of Mothering.

The article is extremely powerful. The image of the young woman and her baby who died so needlessly will stay with me for a very long time. When we read something like this I think we subconsiously search for something that makes the victim different from us, anything so that we can pretend that it won't happen to us. The article does a magnificent job of forcing us to recognize that it could happen to ANY WOMAN, ANY CHILD, ANY FAMILY and that it happens at an unacceptable rate here in the US. My English mother was horrified to hear that there was effectively no postpartum care here in AZ. The lack of care prompted her to send money so we could employ a postpartum doula, but I am one of the fortunate to be able to afford such a 'luxury'.

This article has shaken me to my core. I've started talking to people about this issue. I would dearly like more guidance as to how I can be an activist on this matter. I applaud Ina May Gaskin for not making it about hospital vs. home birth which I have seen in discussion in some blogs. For some of us with extreme health issues a home birth would never be a choice, and we need postpartum care too. Thank you Mothering. Thank you Ina May Gaskin.

[lwuertz]

I loved the CD articles (something I'm planning to do) and the "Ban the Bags" article. I haven't even been to the hospital yet and already got a bunch of marketing crap (including formula coupons) from my OB group. I was so pissed when that happened and now I know I'm not alone!

[gypsyhips26]

i really loved the article on Cloth Diapering...I'd been contemplating cloth diapering since my LO was born but was a little too overwhelmed and that article really convinced me and my DH that cloth was the way to go.

And the Ban the Bags article was very telling... as I was cleaning out a closet & found one of the bags I was given at the hospital... its like sabotage- totally undermining all the best intentions of a breast feeding new mother, who in a hour of weakness or breast feeding difficulties might just cave in & use those samples...

anyway, i'm rambling, but I just love, love, love the magazine & the MDC...it feels like i found my home...albeit in cyberspace! :D


proud :2bfbaby: mama of Baby Roc born 6/07 :xnocirc::slingboy:

[appalachia]

I enjoyed "Ban the Bags" and the cloth diapering articles a lot. The Maternal Mortality article had a HUGE impact on me. I thought it was a very important subject to be educated on, but the thought of that poor mama and her baby dying so needlessly continues to haunt me.

[Treece]

I really enjoyed the "Living Treasure" on Marilyn Milos. I had ~no~ idea she had her boys circumcised. It was an eye opener. I wish more people knew the cost males have to bear for this heinous practice to be continued. I think maybe a new article on circ would be good, maybe one about all those new AIDS studies and how inaccurate they are.

[lizzylou]

The cloth diapering article was great. CDing is so confusing to a newbie.