So, you’ve probably noticed that I’m posting a lot of comics without giving you any musings to comment on, but that’s because I’ve just finished my third book. Oh MY! And things get a little crazy around here when I’m in the last moments of a book, the crazy uploading, the frantic typing, the standing around the computer and swearing at the screen. yes indeedy, do. fun fun fun ;o)

So, probably (I’m aiming for having the first batch at the Trust Birth Conference in two weeks. See, yet another fabulous reason to buy your tickets now! Everyone who’s coming, drop me a line and maybe we can get together for dinner Saturday evening- by that I mean we’ll go do an early bird special somewhere that loves kids ;o) you’ll be seeing the Buy the New Book link in the next 2 weeks yippee! It’s called Hathor’s Zines, Slings and Other Do-It-Yourself Things. (the book I promised about birth stories is coming next ;o)

But, in the meantime, while I haven’t been paying a whole heck of a lot of attention I notice that two subjects of former Hathor comics have taken out advertising space on my little ol’ blog. Drum roll please: On the left we have Baby Talk magazine; you know, they put a breastfeeding baby on their cover and all hell broke loose? And on the Right, (occassionally) The View! Famously Anti-breastfeeding! Now, being a mother with a family who’s trying to run a business, I feel that if the view wants to give me money then okay- free comics for stay-at-home- mothers isn’t really incredibly lucrative without the sponsorship. BUT in fairness they did deserve my derision not so long ago. So, I thought for fun, I’d dust off those old comics and re-run them so that you can enjoy the irony. (no need to click on the ads, those spaces are pay-a-flat-premium fee, not pay-by-the-click ;o) The baby talk ones are there too…

Love,
Heather

On the left:
Baby Talk Cover!
Baby Talk Magazine

and on the right (occassionally ;o)

The View!
The View Action Alert
turn off the view!
Rosie Calls Breastfeeding Mothers Crazy on the View

edited on Feb. 22 to make more sense…

If you have a birth story (preferably unassisted, but if it’s assisted it shouldn’t focus on the midwife- not that she’s not totally AWESOME, please don’t understand, I LOVE midwives! - too much, I’m looking for birth stories that focus on the mother, the baby and the birth process.) please send it in to be included in the next Hathor book (I’m too poor to pay you, but will happily give you a couple of the books and my undying gratitude!) Plus, you’ll be in print! My friend, Gurumama, is going to be editing the book so I’ll be passing the stories along to her and she’ll be in touch about whether they’ll be included or not…Please forward this widely!

Here’s what you can do to make the birth story exactly what I’m looking for:

1. remove the paragraphs where you’re making your decision to birth at home, or birth unassisted. for instance in my birth story of Gwyneth Kai, I’m going to remove the first paragraph where I blather on about wanting a birth that was free of interventions. For the sake of argument, lets agree that the audience for this book already WANTS a birth that’s free of interventions. Let’s ASSUME we live in a world where ALL women want no interventions. It’s a given. How would you start your birth story then…probably at the first contraction, huh? Okay, start there.

2. If you’re telling an unassisted birth story or an assisted birth story, let’s just call it a birth. Take out all the qualifiers and just birth that baby!

3. fear is fine, but how ’bout a little bit about how you ‘rise above’ the fear? And don’t forget to include those moments when you weren’t afraid. I like to read birth stories where the laboring mother ‘just knew’ what to do. It comforts me, and when I gave birth the third time I was able to tune into my instincts because I had read so many birth stories by women who ‘just knew’.

and 4. if you think your birth story can do all of this but it includes an intervention anyway, heck, send it in. Interventions happen, as do transfers, it’s how we FEEL (and write) about them that matters. Can your birth story tell how you transfered to the hospital and delivered your breech baby into the hands of some strange doctor, but still, wow! isn’t birth great?! and wouldn’t you do it again?

So, that’s what I’m looking for…please send them in! hathor at thecowgoddess.com or in the comments below.

xox,
Heather

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to compare and contrast the mainstream-childcare world view with the one that more closely reflects my own (and yours too, I assume ;o) and came up with this series of comics… I’ve tried to remember which books informed the basis of my ideas and the one that I come up with the most is the Continuum Concept: If you haven’t read it yet, I really recommend it. But with a caveat. The Continuum Concept wasn’t written as a parenting guide and the author has never been a parent, the point of view is anthropological, and within its cover is plenty to interpret and decipher. And debate. Also, it was written during a time in which Freudism, and oedipus complexes, and other such psycho-gobbledy goo goo, were discussed with abandon. Jean Liedloff’s opinion on ‘why some adults are the way they are’ differ widely from our currently held opinion (her thoughts on homosexuality, specifically) and so should be read with the theorem “take what you want, leave the rest” in mind. Have I enticed you yet? I’ve loaned the book out to quite a few people, and some LOVE it, some HATE it. But, there you go. A pretty good book.

And while you’re in the mood to buy something, don’t forget I have books and shirts for sale too!

Love,
Heather

Oh man, I can’t wait!!!!! I was watching Keith Olbermann yesterday (I really really like him) and I was inspired to google his fan club (did I mention I’m a total dork? 80) and lo and behold, I found Keith Olbermann speculating as to what is in that last Harry Potter book… SPOILER ALERT!(or at least he thinks so ;o) you can buy your book here for delivery on the day it releases:

Muggle love,
Heather