Reviews For Mothering Magazine

My entire outlook on pregnancy and childbirth, babies and children changed the day I found Mothering! Although I regret having put my eldest child in daycare, the one golden ray that came from that situation was finding out about Mothering. My daughter's babysitter loaned me all her copies, and I read them with a fervor that surprised me. They made so much sense! Whereas before I had not the slightest interest in children, now I enjoy being around them and find they seem to gravitate toward me.

I was sure I could not continue to breastfeed my daughter and go back to work, so I stopped and gave her formula. Too late, I learned that continuing to nurse was possible and the benefits to both of us would have been immense. But, I knew better the next time, and three other babies gained the benefits of extended nursing. Educating others about the benefits of breastfeeding and having the confidence to nurse (even a three-year-old) in public was directly related to years of reading Mothering.

Although the first time around I had nothing against home birth, I thought I would be "safe" and give birth the first time in a hospital. That hospital birth was far and away the worst of my four births: she was the smallest baby but the episiotomy and subsequent perineal tearing was worse than anything that was to follow. The home birth of my third baby left my perineum intact. I now champion home birth to any and all who will listen.

The questioning of circumcision, vaccinations, disposable diapers and the public school systems in the U.S. are just some of the topics covered. Above all, the reader learns to question the status quo. And for that, I will be forever grateful to Peggy O'Mara.


Recommended:
Yes

The first time I saw this magazine was when I still lived in the Netherlands. I bought it and devoured it! It felt like coming home to a like minded community of mommies with the same views as I had. Suddenly home birthing, extended nursing and cloth diapering were viewed as NORMAL instead of weird. I immediately subscribed to the magazine!

I can highly recommend it if you are into a more natural style of parenting. Not only does it give you the feeling that you are not alone, but it also will supply you with a nice stack of articles to give to your Mother-In-Law to explain why it is so much better to sleep together with baby instead of putting her in a separate crib!



Recommended:
Yes

The first time I read Mothering, I felt like I had come home to a safe and comfortable place. It is a magazine that honors and promotes the parenting values that are most important to me such as attachment parenting, breastfeeding and the family bed. Not only does this magazine cover the parenting issues most important to me, it isn't filled with big glossy obnoxious ads for products I have no respect for such as formula and Pampers. There are many quality articles as well as a lengthy "letters to the editor" section I enjoy reading, this is a section I usually skip in other magazines. It's nice to feel connected to other moms with values similar to mine, and where I don't have to feel defensive for our parenting choices. This is the only parenting magazine I bother to read any more, with the exception of The Compleat Mother.


Recommended:
Yes

I find Mothering Magazine the ONLY parenting magazine worth reading on a regular basis. I discovered it when I was pregnant with my first child and purchased back issues because I just couldn't get enough of it.

This is a magazine that consistently gets to the heart of issues that parents are really concerned about. I have seen wonderful articles on vaccination, circumcision, breastfeeding, introducing solid foods, prenatal tests... The best thing about Mothering is that the articles tend to lean toward trusting a parent's instincts rather than asking you to consult an "expert" for every mundane thing.

I particularly like the "letters" section of the magazine. There is always someone who disagrees with some article the magazine has printed and they are never afraid to print the not-so-positive reviews along with the positive. The "letters" section often gives me even more to think about a particular subject, leading me to return to past issues to review articles again and again.

I believe every new parent would benefit from reading issues of Mothering. It opens your eyes to many issues and sides of issues that are not covered in mainstream parenting magazines. It's a magazine that can be enjoyed, even if you don't prescribe to every bit of information they offer.


Recommended:
Yes

This magazine is such a terrific resource. Unfortunately most moms have never even heard of it. It is not displayed in the kiosk at the check out in the grocery. (Unless it's a health food grocer) This mag stays away from most mainstream themes such as, "How to get your baby to sleep through the night at 6 weeks of age".

It's greatest function is encouraging moms to nurture their children. One article was particularly helpful to me: Letting moms know it is PERFECTLY NATURAL to be what the rest of the world labels as "overprotective". Caring for our children and tending to their needs is the most NATURAL thing in the world. The articles advocate natural methods of just about everything. Wholesome healthy eating habits, natural health remedies, breastfeeding and environmental concerns are some of the topics that are covered regularly. It was in my Mothering magazine that I learned that not ALL doctors advocated vaccinations.

Mothering magazine challenged the way I think about many aspects of my families lifestyle. It is a great magazine to subscribe as a gift for new moms or even for us moms who've been around the bend a bit. I never tire of the encouraging voice I find between the front cover and the back page.


Recommended:
Yes

I love this magazine!
After the birth of my daughter, I found myself going through a lot of changes. Even more than I feel I went through with the birth of my first child 5 years ago. I felt that perhaps I should have been listening to my instincts all along, instead of going with all the things people told me I should be doing as a parent. I realized that how I choose to raise my children has a tremendous impact on my entire family, and I needed to be comfortable with my parenting decisions for me, not for anyone else.
Rachael was about 5 months old when I discovered Mothering. I am so thankful for this magazine! It is so helpful to read stories about parents who feel the same way I do about being a parent! I have always had subscriptions to the more mainstream Parenting magazines, "Parent", "Child"-and the subscriptions are still coming-I have no idea when they are supposed to end! The magazines are usually thrown in the trash as soon as I get them now, because I realized soon after finding Mothering, that they only made me angry to read them anymore! I have no interest in listening to "experts" tell me that my child shouldn't sleep with me, that I should wean her when she is a year old, or that doctors have all the answers. I hate the pages upon pages of ads for bottles, formula, and disposible diapers. There is more promotion of unnecessary "things" that all parents supposedly need to raise children than there is useful information.
Bravo to Mothering for being such a wonderful sourse of support and information for families!


Recommended:
Yes

Can you believe there is a magazine out there for parents who take the time to research issues that afect their child? Amazing isn't it?

I LOVE this magazine. Unlike 'mainstream' mags, this will tell you straight out that you have choices! And amazingly enough it doesnt sell formula or chemical-laden trash diapers.

Mothering takes the time to research issues such as circumcision and vaccines and even sites their refrences. Unlike some others who stick a small blurb on the bottom saying some people may choose not to.

I love the 'earthy' feel of this magazine. I always turn to the back to find resorces on the web for products I want, since most of the time you can only find cloth diapers and the like on the web.

If you want to research anything that will affect your child, this is the magazine for you!


Recommended:
Yes

"Mothering" magazine doesn't run chirpy articles with titles like "Dads are important too!!" or "How to Get Your Baby to Nap!," and you won't have to plow through advertisement after advertisement for infant formula or Rugrats-theme toddler toys. Thank god. This is a magazine that will give you parenting (contrary to the title, not just "mothering") advice and rejuvenation on a deeper, more meaningful level.

By the time each issue comes around, I am usually feeling a bit burned out and exasperated by life in this 21st century. "Mothering" recharges my batteries better than a long soak in a hot tub ever could; it reminds me why I had children, it reminds me that they ARE children, and it reminds me how to more fully enjoy my children. It doesn't look to "experts" to tell you how to raise your kids; instead, it assumes that you are the expert and gives you validation for that, as well as some new tools you might want to try.

"Mothering" has addressed subjects that our society finds controversial, (such as circumcision) and others that would probably be controversial if only the mainstream would wake up and realize that a debate does in fact exist (such as the wisdom of giving AIDS drugs to pregnant women). But in presenting such articles, "Mothering" never says, "This is what you should do," but rather, "The choice is yours. Here's some information so you can make a truly informed choice."

"Mothering" is my first-choice gift for new moms and is the only magazine that has actually changed my life. I am a better parent because of it.


Recommended:
Yes

Even in today's society, where attachment parenting styles and breastfeeding are becoming more acceptable, there are still those out there who don't understand why anyone would want to do these things. Well, this magazine does and offers information and support for parents who want to raise their children in a world where these things are not only acceptable, but commonplace.

I first heard about this magazine from my Bradley instructor. She recommended that I check it out and gave me a card for a free issue. I sent for the free issue and found this magazine to be VERY informative as well as entertaining.

This magazine deals with such issues as natural birth, the family bed, breastfeeding issues and nutrition. They treat these issues in a non-sensationalizing manner which I found very nice. Rather than the "Oh, my goodness! What are people DOING?!" that I often got from other magazines and from the news media, I found facts and experiences offered to explain and support the issues dealt with. I liked the very positive manner in which issues were presented. The editors and writers of this magazine focus on the benefits of certain choices that they present in their magazine versus cutting down other choices as being wrong.

Whether you believe in these issues or merely are interested in learning more about them, I think this magazine is a great source of information and support!!


Recommended:
Yes

What I hate most about this magazine is the cost. As a military SAHM of 2, I watch every penny and just can't come up with a budget that would include Mothering Magazine on a regular basis. However, my local library carries it and have really enjoyed every issue, old and new, that I can get my hands on.

I don't always agree with the main basis of the articles but they do strive to present both sides. I think they do a better job of this than Parents, Parenting, Child... For example, Mothering has a pro-natural childbirth stance but did have an article covering when it might be appropriate to use medication in labor. And they do a good job of covering the vaccination debate although they are a little stronger on the anti-vaccination side. They do a similar thorough job covering parenting styles, co-sleeping, potty teaching, and extended breastfeeding.

If you parent outside the norm, or just need some new ideas, Mothering is the magazine for you.



Recommended:
Yes