first breath followed by suckling are nature’s mechanisms to normalize the membranes. Often, however, even in normal, natural birth, there is retained compression, causing discomfort and head pain. There may also be compression between the skull and first vertebra, irritating the vagus nerve and caus- ing digestive distress. Osteopathic physicians are medically
trained and use gentle touch to diagnose and treat strain patterns in the bones, membranes, fluids, and nervous system. We recommend that all newborns be checked, and an older child who has “grown out” of colic may still have strains that could cause other problems. It is never too late to treat birth strains. To find an osteopathic physician, contact
www.cranialacademy.org.
CATHERINE HENDERSON
Albany, California
years, making it anything but new. Yet I was happily surprised to read of Julie Lancaster’s WWOOF vacation (“Monkeys, Mangoes, and Machetes,” January–February 2010). WWOOF- ing is a great family option, and it is nice to see it celebrated in Mothering. While I am happy to see attention paid
to WWOOFing, I was also perplexed at how the author and her family could have pos- sibly been done working at lunch. I have WWOOFed at about ten farms, most with my children and husband, and the only time any schedule was similar to what she described was when it was heavily raining, or it was so hot we worked in the morning and then a couple hours more after the temperature cooled. I, my husband, and our three-and-a-half-
S N U G A S A B U G
I’m a professional photographer, and I am madly in love with this image. Westin is my sorority sister’s little boy. His mom and I lost touch after college. Thanks to the wonder that is Facebook, and both of us having children, we’ve reconnected. She asked me to take her son’s newborn photos. I love being able to reconnect with old friends, especially when it is our children who bring us together.
NICHOLE LUPTON
E-mail
W W O O F I N G I T
I was surprised and delighted when my fam- ily received a care package that included a copy of Mothering. It did not occur to me that
“The New Eco-Travel” mentioned on the cover would be referring to WWOOFing, as WWOOF- ing has been well established for nearly 30
26 mothering | May–June 2010
year-old son and one-year-old daughter are in our eighth month of a year-long WWOOF trip. WWOOFers do work on average five hours a day. Yet, one parent is always dis- tracted, and so completing work can take longer than five hours. Upon re-reading the WWOOF article, I realized that the author actually worked with a WWOOF affiliate. This is very significant. The author mentions that WWOOFers do not pay money to a host, but she and her family paid $18 a day. It’s great that they found such an option, but it is barely mentioned that their arrangement, though found through WWOOF, is different from actual WWOOFing. Of course their fam- ily could be done working by lunch! Money has been exchanged; it is no big deal how much work gets done. For practical tips and insights to successful
family WWOOFing, contact me at kaedrac@
gmail.com.
KAEDRA WALSH
Portugal
My family and I have been WWOOF hosts for three years, and several of my WWOOFers return multiple times. A WWOOFer showed me your article. I found it very amusing, because what it describes does not really sound like WWOOFing. The article puts WWOOFing in a very pretty package. We have a lot of fun, but it is a lot of work, especially for families. WWOOFing is not a relaxed holiday, but
if you are relaxed people you will have a relaxed time. You will experience a different culture and learn many things, but not in two weeks. If you want to WWOOF, your vacation will come in between WWOOF jobs over the course of several weeks or months. I want to save people from getting the
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