Baby/Parenting Magazenes

[Cindder]

As a new mom-2-b-, I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on which baby/parenting magazenes are good? There are so many out there it seems....

Thanks for your input!!

Deanne

[suzska]

I subscribe to "Child" and "Parents." Unfortunately I never
seem to have enough time to read them. LOL! I agree that
there are many out there, but I haven't really looked at
any of the others.

--Sue B.
SAHM to Evan Jeffrey 03-11-01

[Cindder]

Thank you, I will check those out.

Deanne

[DocReeler]

I second the motion for Parents magazine. (I haven't read Child, so I can't comment on it.) If you actually wish to be a full-time parent and wish advice on how to raise a child who respects others needs and wishes, I would avoid Parenting magazine. I cancelled my subscription to it after one issue. It seems to be targeted toward mothers working by choice (not out of true financial necessity), and repeatedly assured them that if they were happy, their children (even very young babies) would benefit. (How can that be, if they (or their baby's father) are not there to be with them? What babies, especially, need is time with loving parents, not time in a place where they are one of several babies and are cared for by a transient, overworked, staff.) On a less controversial point, the one issue also had an opinion piece with a title something like "I am raising a brat," whose author was actually proud of that fact. I couldn't believe that I was reading such an article.

Baby Talk magazine is also quite good, and you can receive a free (three issue?) subscription by going to http://www.parenting.com/parenting/magazines/subscriptions/babytalk.html. (Baby Talk is much better than its sister magazine Parenting) My local "Babies 'R' Us" gives them out for free. Also available for free is "The Very Best Baby" magazine -- but take it for what it is worth. It is put out by Nestle, and hawks their products throughout. However, if you are willing to accept that over half of the articles are thinly veiled advertisements, they do have some useful information in them.

-Lynn

[nywifey]

"Parents" and "Mothering" are good. "Child" I found to be a bit snobby, upper class. "American Baby", "Baby Talk", and "Very Best Baby" are great and free. Just log onto their websites and sign up.

"American Baby" also has a great tv show on Saturdays and Sundays at 7:00am on the FX Channel. Plus, they organize a Baby Faire convention that's open to the public. Im in NYC, but plan on attending the Boston one in April. (Hubby's always wanted to go to Boston anyway). You can find more info on their website.

[Cindder]

Thank you! I have subscribed to American Baby, and Parents, so far..

[Melanie]

I really like Mothering. Somehow I got on the Very Best Baby list (this mag. is sponsored by a formula company) and American Baby (which is basically a big baby catalog with a few articles). The last two are okay and do have some interesting articles. I just picke dup a copy of Baby Talk at BRU and it seems okay.

I advise you to read as much/many as you can before the baby is born because they do all seem to have some good articles/advice on bringing home a newborn.

Mommy to Little Jonah born 11-6-2001

[Misty1572]

I checked out the Mothering website and they offer a subscription for $18.95 for six issues. That's pretty expensive...especially since I have taken a leave of absence from work to be home with my daughter. Do you know if there is a way to subscribe for a better price?

[rachelfran]

I have looked and have not found a better price on this magazine... on the other hand, if you believe in the concepts discussed in this magazine and on their website, you will not be able to find anything like it, anywhere else...

[Misty1572]

Okay, thanks! This is the first I have heard of this magazine. I will spend some more time on their website to become more familiar with it. Looks like a lot of you enjoy it!

[egoldber]

I would recommend that you take a look at an actual issue of Mothering magazine before subscribing, especially if money is an issue. In my opinion, it is not a magazine for those looking for mainstream parenting advice. (Not trying to start a debate, just wanting to point this out :-) ) If you're not looking for mainstream advice or want to explore alternative views on parenting, then this is probably the magazine for you. If topics like home birthing, co-sleeping, extended breastfeeding (longer than 1 year), and home schooling are of great interest to you, then this is probably a magazine that you will enjoy and there is no other magazine that will treat these and other similar topics with as much thoroughness as Mothering does. My local Barnes & Noble carries this magazine, so you may want to call and see if yours carries it also.

On the other hand, I personally think that the more mainstream parenting magazines are all pretty worthless. I was given a gift subscription to Parenting magazine and have perused most issues of Parents, Child and American Baby since becoming pregnant over a year and a half ago (yikes!). To me they all seem alike and just re-hash the same info that can be found in books like the "What to Expect" series. Their main purpose seems to be to provide advertising space for formula companies, Fisher-Price and babyGap! If you're looking to economize but would like parenting info, I would buy a couple good books and then read the on-line services likes babycenter.com and iVillage to see more current stuff.

Just my 2 cents,

[m2tandk]

Love American Baby! I think its the best!

[KM]

> It seems to be targeted toward mothers working by
>choice (not out of true financial necessity), and repeatedly
>assured them that if they were happy, their children (even
>very young babies) would benefit. (How can that be, if they
>(or their baby's father) are not there to be with them? What
>babies, especially, need is time with loving parents, not
>time in a place where they are one of several babies and are
>cared for by a transient, overworked, staff.)

Lynn-
I will give you the benefit of the doubt in that you were trying to provide a critical review of a magazine as requested by the original poster, but your comments about working parents are rude and offensive. This is not the place to air your views on parenting style, please find another board for such rantings.

[royalbaby]

Hi mommie 2-be :-)

I really like Parents and Parenting Magazine.
Also try the American Baby Magazine - just click here
http://www.qksrv.net/click-764251-517581
This is a Free Subscription.

The best to you,


Carol
[email protected]
http://www.royalbaby.com

[JMarie]

Honestly, I LOVE Martha Stewart Baby for all the great, creative ideas. I've just found that many baby magazines tend to recycle the same articles, and so far I haven't seen that with MS Baby - it has new articles and ideas with each issue, at least so far. Most of the ideas are a little over-the-top and some are down-right expensive, but there are also some great money-saving ideas in there as well - especially with regard to organization. I am not the most organized person in the world, so I find that very helpful. I just wish her baby magazines came out more than four times a year!

JMarie

[EKWalsh]

I've been hearing great things about Brain, Child...I think it's brainchildmagazine.com. It's supposed to be the magazine for "Thinking Mothers". The national organization Mothers & More recommends it...lots of thoughtful & funny articles on a wide range of parenting topics. Not a lot of photos or advertisements. It seems open to a variety of styles & attitudes toward parenting...no real agenda as far as working/staying at home, etc. I just subscribed to it...not sure if I'll have time to read it, but worth putting by my nursing chair.

[rachelfran]

it's actually
www.brainchildmag.com

[mary b]

Hi, don't forget about going to your local library and either reading mags there or checking them out. I only subscribe to Parents but I will go (without DD of course) and read alot of different ones that I don't pay for. It's my new nite out (that's scary isn't it!).Ha!

Mary

[laura_winckler]

I cancelled all of my mainstream parenting magazines. I found them to be unsupportive of stay-at-home moms and the importance of fathers in the lives of children. I also got tired of their political agendas. I would check out a few at the library before you subscribe. Most of them are also fairly repetitive, so after a few issues, you've read all that they have to say.

[Cindder]

Thank you for all the advice! I have become a magazene junkie and have subscribed to many of them. I will also check out brain child. That seems interesting. I find I can pull a little of what I need out of each of them.

Thank you again.

Deanne (mother to a 5 month old now!!)