Earth Mother: A definition.

[spidermama]

I've been Mumsnetting for 2/3 weeks but so far I've only seen 'Earth Mother' being used as a derogatory term.

It's used to imply a smug, self-satisfied woman who judges others.

However, according to Collins English Dictionary an earth mother is ....

1. a female Goddess considered as the source of fertility and life.
   
2. the Earth, personified .... or ....
   
3. a fecund or sensual woman.
   
   Mmm Hmmmm!
   I can understand it's not everyone's cup of tea but I, for one, unashamedly aspire to be an earth mother.

[Lonelymum]

Work, MD!

I am scared stiff of being with my 4 children if the truth be known. Tomorrow they are going to stay with their grandparents for three nights and them MIL is coming to stay with me and help me with moving, so I just need to get through tonight and tomorrow. Earth Mother, I am not.

[moondog]

Yes,I gathered that,just wondered what (although I'm just being too nosy now!)
God,you still haven't moved?? Your relocation saga seems incredibly complicated.)

[Lonelymum]

We are moved, but our possessions aren't. That will be rectified by Tuesday, all being well.

Dh is a business manager in a firm designing truck parts BTW. Aren't you sorry you asked now?

[spidermama]

Is Nigella Lawson the ultimate icon for the yummy mummy?

There doesn't appear to be a media icon for earth mother. Has there ever been?

[moondog]

No,lm, sure it's fascinating work!!!

Spidermama,we don't need media icons!
We have each other.

[spidermama]

Does anyone remember a documentary on telly where a woman invited friends and family to sample her placenta pate at a post birth party?

Eeeeyurk!

I'd have to decline, reluctantly of course, citing vegetarianism as the reason.

[moondog]

Yes,it was Hugh Fotheringale-double barrelled wotsit wasn't it?

[spidermama]

I don't know. Good on 'er though. Puts my EM pretensions to shame.

[alexsmum]

moondog- i'm not at all surprised that my friend is popular, sorry that's not what i was getting at! i was saying ' yes she wears tie diye trousers and shes fab!' just emphasising that earthmotherness is a good thing!
i'm not really earth motherish in the sense you are all talking about- got called it by a friend once because she thought i was very maternal. But i don't know if it counts if you are only maternal about your own kids, iyswim!
definitely not yummy. probably the mst unyummy mummy in the world-more scummymummy in fact

[Papillon]

Just had to visit to share my Earth Motherliness with you this evening! I cooked a quiche tonite- have been experimenting with the base which can have wholemeal flour, oats, wheatgerm or have used dinkel crackers. But tonite I toasted wheat and linseed in the fry pan then put it through the blender. Add lentils, sprouted by moi, the oats and some flour - mixed with a basil olive oil.

The top had 3 eggs and loads of organic vege. It came out beautifully. I am feeling very proud


See you have all been talking about placentas. We buried dd. As we have no garden we took it to the place of our family birth record town here in Switzerland - buried it in the forest.

Quinoa - a good friend of mine here is from Peru and has taught me a nice recipe with quinoa using feta and potato. I love it and yes it is very good for you. Here is a link for more info here

[babyonboard]

Can't be bothered to read this thread fully as I am in an awful mood..and i will later as it will undoubtedly be interesting reading
but just had to say, spidermania you seem to have an enormous chip on your shoulder..taking offence to everything you don't agree with and every time someone challenges you...just relax a little perhaps...

[Papillon]

yes would agree you are in an awful mood!!

[babyonboard]

sorry..don't want to be offensive, but it is annoying when a blatantly flippant comment is taken out of all proportion..
heres a link some of you may like, i have got loads of tips for the upcoming arrival and around the home, like homemade cleaning products, shower gels, cooking tips etc..i love it..

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=33

and damn, wish papillon was making my tea..i'm ill at the monet so am having tea made by dp, no doubt an expensive and plasticky dominos order..boooo

[moondog]

Goish babyonboard! What a rude shitstirrer you are??? Fail to understand why people butt into threads without understanding where they're going or what they're about. As rude as butting into a real cvonversation!
Don't you hassle spidermama. She is a much treasured recent addition to MN and we love her!!

[Lonelymum]

I hadn't noticed Spidermama being over sensitive towards anything said here. Is there an invisible post somewhere I have missed?

And Moondog! Your language! I have never seen you post something as blatant as that before! (Good on yer! )

[Lonelymum]

I hadn't noticed Spidermama being over sensitive towards anything said here. Is there an invisible post somewhere I have missed?

And Moondog! Your language! I have never seen you post something as blatant as that before! (Good on yer! )

Oh and Papillon, I take it it was dd's placenta you buried, not dd herself? smile]

[Lonelymum]

I hadn't noticed Spidermama being over sensitive towards anything said here. Is there an invisible post somewhere I have missed?

And Moondog! Your language! I have never seen you post something as blatant as that before! (Good on yer! )

Oh and Papillon, I take it it was dd's placenta you buried, not dd herself? smile]

[Lonelymum]

What is wrong with MN today? Very slow!

[expatinscotland]

I am NOT an Earth Mother by nature. I like to wear Chanel nail varnish, have my hair professionally coloured, am not a stay at home mum (can't afford to be), and never leave the house w/o makeup.

But the need for economy has molded me. I make my own cleansers, we cook everything from scratch, we now do most of our shopping at the weekly farmer's market b/c it's actually cheaper than the supermarket and better quality food, I'm definitely going to try breastfeeding this child in the interest of saving money on formula, and will be using real nappies - again, in an effort to cut expenses. I'm even taking a sewing class - shock!

[starrynight]

I am veggie, try to buy organic as much as poss, am a SAHM (can't afford not to be), recycle, have shared beds with kids up to 2.5 yrs and seem to be on the way to single handedly populating the world (slight exaggeration - am expecting no.4)

However, I hate (with a passion) cooking, have never used cloth nappies, have never given birth to date without drugs, have never worn anything tye die or been to a festival.

Don't know what i'm trying to say really...

(Apart from: blimey what a stupid post by babyonboard - so off the mark and blatantly not true [ confused emoticon] )

[starrynight]

Oh yeah, I yell a lot too - very un-earthmotherly I expect.

[Papillon]

I Know LM !! - thanks for pointing that out

[Laura032004]

I've been called an 'Earth Mother' in a derogatory sense for 'still' bfing my 15m old and using cloth nappies. I smiled inwardly and decided it was a compliment .

As for the other bits - go organic when poss (not much choice in depths of Cornwall!), have used quinoa (looking forward to trying the new recipe Papillon!), don't wear makeup (because I'm lazy really), do cook from scratch usually, but still wouldn't really class myself as an Earth Mother.

Would never take it as a criticism though - they must just be jealous!!

[piglit]

Does spending an inordinant amount of time on MN qualify as an Earth Mother characteristic?

[Papillon]

Earth Mother does not have mean luddite!! besides we need to be electronically aware to score good deals on our burkinstocks.