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editorial Funky stuff for babies & kids Muslin wraps are our specialty www.monstar.com.au Phone: 0416 165 935 CERTIFIED ORGANIC SKIN CARE This exciting range of quality organic baby food is now available in Australia - 100% organic & GM free Cereals Rusks ●first flavour ●infant biscuits ●vegetable Fruit & Vegetable Jars ●exciting range other products also available Organicom Pty Ltd PO Box 596, Main Beach QLD 4217 www.organicom.net.au email: info@organicom.net.au Tel: 1800-750-093 Fax: 1-800-992-354 Visiting the National Capital? Obtain your FREE copy of Capital Parent the family magazine for southern NSW. Ph: 02 6232 6598 Fax 02 6232 6619 email: cappar@ihug.com.au byronchild 6 And Body Care 100% synthetic chemical free Great Business Opportunity in an ethical industry visit www.laworganic.com Ph 0421 599848 or (08) 85578043 bc113018 bc113003 Latham’s statement it is quite pathetic. However, he at least mentions the word breastfeeding in the document. Minister Anthony, too, mistakes development for education and makes frequent reference to ‘a good start in life’ (like breakfast cereal?) without saying what that is or how it can be achieved. His agenda is all about being politically correct in order to win votes. Political correctness was born of fear, fear of losing votes, fear of losing control, it was never born of wisdom. Words like literacy, learning and education are great political bones to throw to voters, and they please the powerful childcare and early education lobby groups. These words are not confrontational and have nothing essential to do with very early childhood, unless we are speaking about the ‘education’ of the public to know what creates a peaceful, benevolent society. Yet it is understandable that both parties resist using terms like breastfeeding, mothering, intimate at-home care, because they risk upsetting one of the largest and most powerful and vocal advocacy groups, the equality feminists (see Peter Cook’s article; Feminism, Childcare and Family Mental Health p.28). Equality feminists (in contrast to liberation or maternal feminists) tend to distort any intelligent debate about early childhood development by asserting that their rights as women are more important than anything else. As a liberation feminist myself, my critique is that the equality feminists have run amok. It might be our right to choose whether or not we pick up our crying baby or let him cry it out, whether or not we breastfeed and for how long, or whether or not we choose to work fulltime while our baby is eight weeks old and put him in long daycare, but we need to know that the effects of these choices will be etched on our child’s brain forever. That is the most important inescapable fact. I am amazed at how many women The glue that keeps the politicisation of love intact is parental hopelessness and guilt. TM Peace of mind comes free with a Grobag - designed with safety, comfort and uncompromising quality WELCOME TO A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP UK & Europe’s No. 1 selling baby sleeping bag $1 from each bag sold is donated to: SIDS Order online now for delivery within a few days! www.babysleepers.com.au Email: enquiries@babysleepers.com.au Free Call 1800 777 107 bc113008 retort to articles on bonding research if they are written by male professionals with statements such as, ‘How can a man tell me I should breastfeed?’ or ‘I’d like to see a man have birth and not want drugs!’ Or for that matter, a man’s response when it was written by a female author; ‘How can a woman speak about circumcision!’ But optimal development based on the science of love, is not a gender issue. It is not about taking away women’s choices or men’s rights, it is about all our rights when we are babies and very young children and empowering everyone’s choices to be more reflective of our dynamic interconnected role as a human being. The glue that maintains the false politicisation of love is parental anxiety and guilt. We feel both blamed by this research and marginalised, undervalued and unsupported. We find ourselves in a culture at odds with our ability to make wise choices for our children and we may feel rage at the ensuing collapse of that ability. Under these circumstances we are destined to fail, as there is no way that we as parents can optimally bond with our children within a society that is determined to keep us apart.
Many structures seem to be created to keep mothers isolated (hence the desire to work even if they don’t have to) and to keep fathers away and all of us working harder for less. Given all this, rather than feel the apprehension and perhaps anger that arise when we discover what is required of us for our children to develop optimally, many people resort to denigrating the research. ‘It is too idealistic!’ we feign, or ‘What about women that must work because they are poor?’ or ‘What about women who can’t, for medical reasons, breastfeed?’ Of course these situations arise, but does that mean we must dismiss factual information? Do we deny that that exercising three times a week is optimal, because there are those who are bedridden? Of course not. Denigrating the research, we unwittingly dumb down our public officials, and then use their public statements — which echo our denigration — to uphold the lie we hold within. We can no longer blame them for poor public policy — they only parrot what they think we want to hear. I was recently inspired by a woman who plans to have her baby born by a Caesarian-section. She has had birth complications in the past, so this is her safest option. However, because she knows and understands bonding theory, she is working with her doctor to ‘deliver’ the baby herself on the operating table, lifting her child immediately on to her chest — skin to skin. She also, for medical reasons, found she could not breastfeed her first child, so she instead held him close, skin to skin, when she bottle-fed him. She is using her knowledge to empower herself within a potentially disempowering situation. We all have situations like these that pit us against our ability to choose optimally for ourselves and for our children. The key is in not resign- The Hoffman Process A 8 day residential intensive program focussing on healing family of origin issues and helping you to joyfully reconnect with your soul www.quadrinity.com.au Freecall 1800 674312 Please call for an obligation free consultation ing into guilt, but doing what we can, armed with good research. We may contribute to our evolutionary stagnation if we disregard the powerful body of research that reveals to us the vital keys towards creating a more peaceful society, at a time when humanity must invent radically new strategies for survival. The only way to release love from perpetual political suspension and free up intelligent debate so as to foster creative change, is for ordinary people like ourselves to take the power back into our own hands by becoming informed and putting aside our agenda of protecting ourselves against the discomfort such research brings. We must bear the discomfort and disappointment that can ensue because we live in a society that doesn’t facilitate our ability to parent optimally. Rather than withdraw into guilt we must use the power of that discomfort to propel us into social and political action and insist that our public officials help us create a truly family-friendly society. Editor’s note: Readers will have noticed that our cover price has increased to $8.95. To have continued at the previous price was unsustainable. We operate under strict, self-imposed advertiser standards: We do not accept advertising from companies whose products or services are not in alignment with the byronchild mission. This of course limits our revenue sources but is essential if we are to maintain our integrity as a non corporate-driven publication. We wish to provide a magazine that is free of the usual propaganda and advertiser driven content generally associated with child or parenting magazines. Our subscription price however, will remain the same, giving subscribers an increased and attractive discount. We hope you will continue to find yourself supported and stimulated by byronchild. Stunning gifts made from baby socks, singlets & accessories www.babycupcakes.com Phone: 1300 85 1309 bc113018 Clinically tested in Australia NATURAL CHILDBIRTH MADE EASIER New to the Australian market, the EPI-NO Childbirth & Pelvic Floor Trainer gently and naturally exercises and prepares the muscles and tissues of the birth canal, assisting delivery. With clinically proven benefits, you’ll feel much more confident knowing you’ve made the right choice for a natural birth. The link between perineal injuries during childbirth and incontinence is well known. EPI-NO, developed by a German obstetrician and midwives, is a home training device designed to help reduce the incidence of perineal tears and the risk of episiotomy. EPI-NO also conditions and strengthens the pelvic floor muscles. The benefits: ■ Twice as effective as perineal massage ■ Increases confidence during childbirth ■ Reduces the risk of perineal tearing ■ Reduces length of second stage labour ■ Less likely to need an episiotomy ■ Enhances pelvic floor strength ■ Promotes sexual health ■ Reduces the risk of incontinence For more information or to make a purchase call 1300 367 283 or e-mail us at childbirth@drhorkel.com or visit www.epi-no.com Giving you another choice byronchild 7
Page 1: t h e g l o b a l m a g a z i n e f
Page 5 and 6: Editor/Creative Director Kali Wendo
Page 7: At that age, experiences of loving
Page 11 and 12: Circumcision Letters and Opinions I
Page 13 and 14: Once I met the mutilators and circu
Page 15 and 16: will grow to understand the importa
Page 17 and 18: Photo and artwork by Lisa Engeman .
Page 19 and 20: Down Syndrome: Is honest, accurate
Page 21 and 22: syndrome babies, for whom 1 in 4 (2
Page 23 and 24: this degree of ‘false positive’
Page 25 and 26: 9. Biggio JR et al. An outcomes ana
Page 27 and 28: The Healing By Scott Noelle Embraci
Page 29 and 30: As we free ourselves from the shack
Page 31 and 32: positive effects are on the compete
Page 33 and 34: in part, with acknowledgement. If y
Page 35 and 36: A Breech Birth at Home By Tania A K
Page 37 and 38: Photo by Lisa Engeman Compiled by S
Page 39 and 40: that. He said that he would have lo
Page 41 and 42: Wayne’s Story As told to Suzanna
Page 43 and 44: Commentary: Remember how to play? B
Page 45 and 46: as a springboard to annual festival
Page 47 and 48: Mother love keeps anger in check Go
Page 49 and 50: society society co-operative co-ope
Page 51 and 52: The solution to this crisis of lear
Page 53 and 54: unity St. Schools. Co-operative Com
Page 55 and 56: Transforming Relationships By Volke
Page 57 and 58: Immune system balance Spring has re
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contain pesticides, so always read
Page 61 and 62:
From Magical Child to Magical Teen
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for food, no respect for food, usin
Page 65 and 66:
IMAGE the fantasy of reality Story
Page 67 and 68:
involved in the design and implemen
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RELAXATION CDs Relaxation CDs for e
Page 71:
Fun, challenging and colourful non
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