Originally Posted by
Phoenix~Mama
Okay... this may end up being long... because there are lot of thoughts tumbling around in my head on this.
MDC wants a bigger internet prescence... well... if they want that so badly that they threw out their magazine and are now launching ALL efforts into web prescence, such as facebook, twitter, etc...
Then sorry, yes ALL AP/NFL is not going to be able to bring enough traffic to the site... you will get some more mainstream... you will get a good number of middle roaders, like myself, and others who were brave enough to post here.
If Mothering wants to continue making money and to thrive... and now that they are only a web prescence... I think they are going to have to be a bit more welcoming. I'm not saying to advocate CIO or hitting, whatever...
BUT! As someone else mentioned... to not condone c-section talk or formula feeding... well, it's going to ostracize a lot of Mom's... and a lot of potential members that could offer A LOT to other discussions here. We are all just trying to do the best we can as Moms.
I have seen the comments on how formula feeding is akin to child abuse. Let me tell you how awesome those comments are to someone like myself (and I know I'm not alone)... who is very pro-breastfeeding, and BF my DD as long as I could (until my milk dried up when I got pregnant)... but faced some very scary events... I got pre-eclampsia, almost died, had to have an emergency c-section, my baby almost died and could not breath on his own for weeks.... so he could not be put to the breast for weeks. I pumped round the clock... nothing like setting your alarm every 2.5 hours to pump through the night while your small babe was in an isolette at the NICU...
I did this until he was 3 months old... until something had to give. I'm a single Mom, with not the most supportive parents. I could not sustain getting up every 2 hours to feed and then pump my baby... I HAD to sleep. I also have fibromyalgia which was in a horrible flare up due to PTSD from the pre-e wonderfulness, and NO sleep, the stress of NICU, etc...
When I mentioned I just could not keep up with this pumping schedule anymore and felt I had to switch to formula to keep my sanity... did I get encouragment? Uh no... I got "talk to the LC, do this and this and this..." I DID all of that... I mean really... advocating for a Mom not to sleep at all... I had reached a point where I was unable to fully take care of myself and my 2 kids because I was so sleep deprived. I was seriously losing my mind.
It just can't be so extreme. If someone has made a non-AP/NFL decision that is right for THEIR family... they shouldn't get flamed. The fact that the person is on Mothering at all, I think speaks volumes that they obviously CARE about being a Mom and trying to do the best they can.
But the constant judging and holier than thou... and the extreme BS of equating certain choices to child abuse is NOT helpful... and MDC will one day cease to exist because there are just too many peopele with too many different circumstances to be all perfect all the time.
If MDC hasn't noticed... activity has CRASHED here. It used to be hard to keep up with the few boards I frequent... now I'm BORED because there has been no new content in days. It's sad.
Also... most of us "middle" types aren't comfortable on a full out mainstream board... For myself this is the case. I've tried a few out... MDC has always felt more like home to me... it just sadly has also felt to scornful at times too.
Being the largest mothering board on the internet... I think there can be a middle ground found that advocates AP/NFL... but also realizes we are all HUMAN and need support in all our mothering journeys. If MDC wants to regain activity and not wither and die off... I really think they have no choice but to consider this.
/end soap box rant.
*hugs* Thank you Gina for starting this thread... I think it will end up being very eye-opening.
I also agree with another PP... AP isn't being all crunchy/extreme... it's Listening and doing what is BEST for your babe. I had to FF my son in order to be a more loving and responsive Mom. That doesn't make me non-AP. I do my best with the cards I have.