Primal Mothering in a Modern World

Rating:
Summary: Dangerous Misinformation
Review: Anyone reading this book should be aware that the author believes that if only we ate mostly fruit (with a few vegetables, nuts and seeds) then we would not get cancer from the sun. She also advocates looking directly into the sun, saying that it will help your vision. She also advocates, not merely home birth, but that you should give birth alone. She further insists that if you eat according to her plan, you ans your children will NEVER be sick. I do not believe that everything that the medical establishment tells us is necessarily true, but if she wants to advocate these rather extreme positions, I think it would be best if she would at least back up her assertions with references to studies, or anything that was not merely her own opinion, or that of a friend of hers. When she does refer to other writings, you can see that they are also people on the fringe, and she refers to some books, but not to anything that has any attachment to science. I feel that it is extremely irresponsible to use your own family's experience as proof of what all people's experience will be.

Rating:
Summary: A Primer in Mothering
Review: From the moment I picked this book up I couldn't put it down. I take my hat off to Hygeia Halfmoon for stepping out in a world full of dogmatic books and beliefs regarding birth and mothering and sharing her own natural experience. I too am fruitarian, and am so glad to read about another mother and her successful experiences with her children.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I am against the materialism surrounding pregnancy/children and agree with some of the author's opinions regarding keeping it simple and not overloading yourself as a mother with all the fears of what can go wrong with your pregnancy/childbirth. I myself had a home birth and used cloth diapers. However, I believe this author is so extreme that much of her message gets lost. She breastfed her 3 year old while pregnant with her 3rd son while feeding only on uncooked fruits. The biggest problem is her apparent hatred for men. She experienced a series of abusive relationships and left the three different fathers of her three children (good for her) but everyone does not have bad relationships about men and as this book is not supposed to be about how the get rid of your significant other or how to live without a man...it is supposed to be about mothering. It appears that she went from one extreme to another. From hard-core drugs and exotic dancing before she got pregnant, to fruitarianism and feminism after she concieved. She is thus overcompensating, acting in an extreme way that does not apply to most people that want to have a natural, back-to-nature pregnancy experience. Most people are not on drugs and exotic dancers, and hence don't have to deal with her deamons later in life. SHe also says that you should always listen to your inner voice, but doesn't acknowledge that different people may 'hear' different voices. ALso, by looking at how the world has operated for hundreds of thousand of years, homo sapiens seek companionship and build nuclear families. Why this is not necessary for a happy stable family, it certainly is not a bad thing. And what is 'primal' about fruitarianism? Homo erectus had fire and homo sapiens have always eaten whatever they came by, including meat. What does this have to do with mothering? She just tries to justify her extreme views, and in my opinion, she isn't convincing. I think she should have named the book: "The road back from hell" or "My personal justification of my extreme actions and hostility toward MAN-kind".

Rating:
Summary: Top Quality Info
Review: This can change your life. Of course, as with everything, if you allow it to. If you open up and let it in. If you listen to your core as it resonates with it. And, of course, she doesn't hate men as some people here strangely assumed. She simply didn't learn back than how to choose the non-abusive kind.She had psychological roots to this in her childhood. It's hard to overcome, but she did. She is happily married now. Developing her mothering approach, she was, too, coming from her childhood - what she didn't have. She has the courage and the sensitivity to hear the guiding messages. To see the psychopathology of everyday life and return to natural harmony. She shared. It's your turn now. You are worth real life, not a pretended one. Become real you, not a surrogate. With love, Liliya.