In the wake of the current economic situation our country has been facing, many businesses have had to close their doors and/or re-invent themselves. Mothering Magazine is one such business. Mothering was first published in 1976 by Addie Vorys Eavenson who was inspired by the birth of her first child. At the time, there were little known resources for new parents who wanted to birth and parent as naturally as possible, and absolutely no publications were available on this topic. So Addie did it herself. The first issue of Mothering was put together in the summer of 1976 by members of the Montrose Natural Childbirth Class and other volunteers at the old Fort Smith Saloon, in Ridgway, Colorado. I'm betting these people never dreamed what this little publication would become or how many lives it would touch. In 1979, Addie chose to sell the magazine and the founders of Natural Life Magazine were in the front running. When that deal fell through, Peggy O'Mara stepped in and became owner. She had been an editor with them in the first couple years and is still involved with the magazine and online community today.
I have always given a gift subscription to my circle of new parents, having discovered Mothering in 1989, 2 years after the birth of my first child. I was befriending and helping out our local midwife and saw this magazine in her home one day as I was helping to catalog her library of birthing books. I was hooked from the moment I opened it up and have rarely been without a subscription since. So, when I received advance news (I am a moderator on their forums - MDC), that Mothering was going to have to cease publishing, I was very sad for all those who would never get the opportunity to enjoy this amazing resource in it's original format. However, Peggy and the crew have seen what a huge web presence Mothering Dot Com has become and so have vowed to keep the dream alive in cyberspace. They will continue providing information and articles on natural parenting, as well as host the ever growing forums for parenting discussions. MDC is down, but not out!
While Mothering is stepping up their web presence and will no longer be a magazine, in the publishing world it is customary for another publication to step up and fulfill reader's subscriptions when a magazine goes out of print. Natural Life Magazine has found it's way back into the Mothering fold and is giving a wonderful gift to all who have loved Mothering by offering to fulfill all outstanding print subscriptions. "Natural Life will fulfill Mothering subscriptions beginning with their May/June 2011 issue. If, for example, two issues remain on your subscription to Mothering, you will receive the next two issues of Natural Life." (Mothering.com)
This will be a perfect way to say goodbye to a magazine that has changed and enriched so many lives. Natural Life has been associated with Mothering for years, so I hope that all those who are saddened about the cease in publication of Mothering, can find solace in another amazing publication. Thank you Natural Life! And it's never goodbye to Mothering Magazine, only see you later.....
Peace!Labels: mothering magazine
