Parenting magazine inadvertently makes a point

My mom got me a subscription to "Parenting" last year -- not one I would
have chosen, as it's full of ads and half the content is of the "how you can
pretend you don't have kids with girly-girl makeup" variety. The November
issue has an article about discipline (I think that was the topic). One of
the pictures shows a mother bottlefeeding an infant while her older child
pretends to bottlefeed a doll -- the caption reads something like "Kids pick
up what you do much more than what you say". Yup. Wish they'd shown the
mother breastfeeding, instead.

Jan
--
Mum to Stephen, 22 May 2000
and Sophia, 2 October 2003
My personal page: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/
Baby-related crafts: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/crafts.html

One of
the pictures shows a mother bottlefeeding an infant while her older child
pretends to bottlefeed a doll -- the caption reads something like "Kids pick
up what you do much more than what you say". Yup. Wish they'd shown the
mother breastfeeding, instead.

I wondered if anyone would mention that. I had the same reaction. Though
actually, I wouldn't really expect them to show a little girl "breastfeeding" a
doll, but they could have been bathing rather than feeding, or the girl could
have been using a toy iron or saucepan or whatever alongside her mom with the
real thing.

Parenting actually gives a little more lip service to breastfeeding than the
other mainstream parent mags, though it varies quite a bit depending on the
individual author.

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs

"HollyLewis" wrote in message
...
Parenting actually gives a little more lip service to breastfeeding than
the
other mainstream parent mags, though it varies quite a bit depending on
the
individual author.

Yes, I'll give them that, at least, though there sure are a lot of
formula/bottle ads! I would have hoped that having Sears on the panel would
make it more BF-heavy, but alas. I suppose that's fairly unavoidable for a
mainstream mag in America. I did tell my mother I'd rather have
"Mothering" -- we'll see what this holiday brings

Jan
--
Mum to Stephen, 22 May 2000
and Sophia, 2 October 2003
My personal page: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/
Baby-related crafts: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/crafts.html

Jan Andrea wrote in message
I would have hoped that having Sears on the panel would
make it more BF-heavy, but alas.

I had read an article that Dr. Sears wasn't immune to the handouts that
formula companies were giving. He accepted them at some point. I don't know
if he still does or not or when that occured. Everyone has their price it
seems. I personally like Parenting magazine, although I don't really have a
use for it anymore as my girls are older now. It certainly is better than
Child.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Yes, I'll give them that, at least, though there sure are a lot of
formula/bottle ads!

This is true. But have you noticed how the bottle ads all are set up to tout
how much like breastfeeding Brand X bottles are, and how it's therefore easier
to switch back and forth? And most of the bottle ads, unlike the formula ads,
show a *father* giving the bottle, or don't actually show the bottle being
*used* at all; several of them show or imply a working mother who is presumably
pumping regularly. Even the Evenflo ads sing the praises of their breast pump
-- which is awful as we all know, but still.

I could be imagining things, but the bottle ads don't bother me nearly as much
as the formula ads do. After all, I *did* use bottles quite a bit even though
I never used formula at all.

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs

"Sue" wrote in message
...
I had read an article that Dr. Sears wasn't immune to the handouts that
formula companies were giving. He accepted them at some point. I don't
know
if he still does or not or when that occured.

This is true. IIRC, it was a couple of years ago and he had banner ads for a
formula company on his website. Guess everyone has bills to pay!
--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
remove "no........spam" to reply

"JennP" wrote :
"Sue" wrote:
I had read an article that Dr. Sears wasn't immune to the handouts that
formula companies were giving. He accepted them at some point. I don't
know if he still does or not or when that occured.

This is true. IIRC, it was a couple of years ago and he had banner ads for
a
formula company on his website. Guess everyone has bills to pay!
--
JennP.

I remember this too, but I believe that his site had a contract with another
company which provided the banner ads (and paid for the space), so Dr. Sears
didn't know what was going to be in the ads in advance. As soon as he was
informed that formula ads were appearing on his web site, he made changes to
prevent it from happening again (either by firing the banner ad company or
insisting they remove all formula ads from his rotation).

-Joy

"HollyLewis" wrote
This is true. But have you noticed how the bottle ads all are set up to
tout
how much like breastfeeding Brand X bottles are, and how it's therefore
easier
to switch back and forth? And most of the bottle ads, unlike the formula
ads,
show a *father* giving the bottle, or don't actually show the bottle being
*used* at all; several of them show or imply a working mother who is
presumably
pumping regularly. Even the Evenflo ads sing the praises of their breast
pump
-- which is awful as we all know, but still.

Just to further emphasize this, my friend works for Munchkin, who makes the
Tri-Flow bottle. One of her assignments is to learn everything she can about
bf'ing because they are attempting to market the bottle without mentioning
formula. In fact, their spokespeople are LC's (who run the place where I go
weekly for a breastfeeding group) who are, obviously, very pro-bf. Although
only 33% or so of American women bf, it's nice that the bottle companies (or
at least some of them) recognize that those 33% are just as viable a market
as the other 66%.
--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

"Joy" wrote in message
...
I remember this too, but I believe that his site had a contract with
another
company which provided the banner ads (and paid for the space), so Dr.
Sears
didn't know what was going to be in the ads in advance. As soon as he was
informed that formula ads were appearing on his web site, he made changes
to
prevent it from happening again (either by firing the banner ad company or
insisting they remove all formula ads from his rotation).

Ah, didn't know that part of it. Although I did hear that he pulled them
after he got flack from his "fans". I like Dr. Sears too, but I find it hard
to believe he had no idea or no control over what ads went on his website.
--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
remove "no........spam" to reply

"JennP" wrote in message
news:61cmb.8350$275.14487@attbi_s53...

"Joy" wrote in message
...
I remember this too, but I believe that his site had a contract with
another
company which provided the banner ads (and paid for the space), so Dr.
Sears
didn't know what was going to be in the ads in advance. As soon as he
was
informed that formula ads were appearing on his web site, he made
changes
to
prevent it from happening again (either by firing the banner ad company
or
insisting they remove all formula ads from his rotation).

Ah, didn't know that part of it. Although I did hear that he pulled them
after he got flack from his "fans". I like Dr. Sears too, but I find it
hard
to believe he had no idea or no control over what ads went on his website.

Salon ran an article on this in January 2001. Here's a link:

http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature/2001/01/25/formula/print.html

--
Belphoebe