Musing: what the heck does that mean?

To write in a reflective, considered manner.
To spill the beans.
To get your words on paper.
To get the stuff ticking over in your mind into words.
To speak your mind.
To share your story.
To journal.
To record.
To voice.

Food for Thought: Mums in the spotlight

Discussion on pretty crucial issues relating to the new-mum journey have been discussed on Radio National's Life Matters (yup, ABC radio; don't be deterred, it's not just for boffins and knitted cardigan-wearers) over the past few weeks. Post-natal depression and the complexities facing Paid Maternity Leave in our country have been looked at in detail.

You might find Food for Thought for your musing after listening to either podcast? We aren't intending to jump on any particular flavour of the month by putting these links up (they mightn't click with everyone); regardless, they are a welcome alternative to whatever mag is profiling how 'hot' this week's celebrity mum looks after giving birth during the last sentence...

Here's a little taster for the two podcasts:

Post Natal Depression

A new awareness campaign on post and antenatal depression is being launched today.

There's still a lot of stigma about being seen not to cope, and confusion about the difference between the normal challenges of new parenthood and serious mental illness.

(Radio National Life Matters, 12th November 2009)

Paid Maternity Leave

We're on the eve of some important and hard-fought-for changes in Australia. From January next year, women can request more unpaid parental leave and job flexibility, and from 2011, a government-funded paid parental leave scheme will finally be introduced...

Associate Professor Marian Baird, from the University of Sydney Women and Work Research Group, charts these changes in the annual Clare Burton lecture, called 'A slow and unfinished Revolution: maternity leave, women and work'.

(Radio National Life Matters, 27th October 2009)

(and this is where we add 'the views expressed on these podcasts do not necessarily reflect the view of the authors of This Is Not A Baby Manual...)

Food for Thought.

Orange Envelopes (or Orange Paper Packages)

You might have received a little This Is Not A Baby Manual Orange Envelope from us (or from a friend), or as we like to call them, an Orange Paper Package, leading you to this blog. A little more tangible and enticing than an email, and a little more scrumptious than other possible forms of communication.

Just in case you wanted to know what other Orange Envelope packages people were opening, here's a little snapshot. Just like a not-bought one...