Can we please all try to leave Rachel Weisz alone? The headline I just saw out of the UK says:

Oscar Winner’s Pregnancy Gaffe

Can someone explain to me, please, please, please - how her honesty became a gaffe? She is not WRONG, she is not EVIL. Rather, Rachel Weisz is a beautiful, talented and intelligent woman with an opinion. She is a loving a respected mother. And perhaps if we all closed our eyes, and clicked our heals three times we could find ourselves in a kinder world where we don’t need to attack each other and read about mothers and booze in the papers every day. As usual, I am just hoping….

When I discuss the key factors involved with the changing state of pregnancy (look for Leslie Rotchford’s piece in next month’s Cosmopolitan Magazine) one of the most important, and one of the first to come up (always), is the expanding age range of pregnant women in this country. And it continues to make headlines. Page Six reports today that Donald Trump Jr. is about to follow in his father, Donald Trump’s footsteps and become a father. Young Barron Trump will become an Uncle at the age of 15 months.

And the two mothers? Vanessa Trump is 28. Melania Trump is 36. And while there is nothing shocking about this, it does remind of the widening age range of expectant women in the US. And, the value in finding the right information (and an appropriate voice and vehicle with which to share it) that will resonate with expectant women is made ever-more challenging by the fact that women have babies in their twenties and well into their forties. These age gaps represent generational differences that create significant questions and considerations for anyone looking to connect with this highly desirable target.

Recent campaigns developed by Forty Weeks with this particular challenge in mind include the Graco -Cynthia Rowley launch. Key goals included reaching influencers, trend-setters and more urban based women — this means also reaching a broader range of mothers. Certainly, in the case of Graco, this was a new target for their product line. Our work included helping to guide the process to better suit both their products and their messaging to the target via a higher level of sophistication (on all levels) and thus attracting a wider range of mother –to- be.

Expect this widening age range of expectant mothers to continue. And not just on Melrose and Madison but on Main Street as well!

Matt Drudge reports that Marie Claire admits to a little Photoshop work – ya know, no biggie, just plunk Elizbeth Vargas’ head on a nursing woman’s body and declare her to be breastfeeding on set….

I am loosing track here –what is the point?

Back to the mothers who drink…

A few months back, while attending the ABC Trade Show in Vegas (the same show, you will remember where I literally FOUND a $100 chip!!!) I surveyed the landscape of new products. And, I did share with you some of my winners. I kept the ones that scared me to myself. OK, not completely to myself – many of you have heard me gripe about this one in person. And thanks to all of you who have shared your feed back on…DRUM ROLL PLEASE…the first ever product to allow a woman to self test her breast milk for alcohol content. No, I did not make this up and Yes, somehow they have found a way to gain a bit of traction and it is a sad day as they landed in the WSJ today (Hilary, I will be calling!!!!!). According to the article:

Texas mothers who say it will allow women to enjoy occasional drinks while nursing. The product will provide an alternative for mothers who might have otherwise weaned their babies before the holiday party season or a major celebration such as a wedding, says Julie Jumonville, co-owner of closely held Milkscreen Inc. of Austin, Texas.

HUH?

When I first saw this at the trade show, I was lucky enough to be in the company of some of the best minds in breastfeeding, my client, Bravado. And so I confirmed with them something that NYC lactation consultant Heather Kelly (featured in THE REAL DEAL ON BREASTFEEDING) once told me. She said that drinking alcohol (moderate amounts, yes) immediately before or even during a feeding is the best strategy as the alcohol will be out of a woman’s system by the time of the next feeding. To the WSJ’s credit – they do confirm this fact. “Easy, breezy” as my associate Amanda would say. Basic guidelines, personal choices. Maybe not….

Unfortunately, based on the current climate of motherhood in America, we can not possibly allow it to be easy. No, now we need to:

1. create more fear and doubt
2. create more “rights and wrongs”
3. create and add on another unnecessary expense
4. create more barriers to success for mothers

And of course, we have to do so in a very public debate…so way to go “two Texas women” who invented this product. You have given us yet another reason to quiet our instincts, seek out more rules and start another day of bashing away at each other.

This is my must read for the day – a letter to the editor from the DesMoines Register…This makes me want to go and eat a ton of corn plus buy every publication that the Meredith corporation puts out just to show some love to the Great State of Iowa!

Wait, wait – before we read, or see one more piece about women and their desires to seek out and participate in a balanced life – let’s please cue the maniacal laughter sound-track. Let’s please just call it like you keep alluding to it – shall we?

Here is the real truth - there is no evil motive. There is no “wrong” - not in staying home, not in going outside of the home to work. There is not “wrong” in early or late motherhood. There are no “wrong” choices. And, still – it keeps coming right at us — day after day.

And for those of you who were hoping I would blog a bit more today about something super fab like Jen Myers’ new baby girl or dressing Lauren Ambrose (she is so lovely) or all the super beautiful Isabella Oliver clothes that Tori Spelling has requested, I do promise to get back to that, very soon…

And for those of you who thought perhaps the last day or two found me closer to some Zen state …no…. so to review:

Elizabeth Vargas – good start and please take the prelude (which was in fact your story) and keep going! You accomplished the near impossible by showing real women, real lives and real choices and the role our government has played in this scenario. Well chosen interviews and I loved the map puzzle visual…strong indeed! You concluded with a call for women to do the hard work, the difficult thing. What do you propose? I know we care and are honestly and eagerly listening. And to be clear, that was a very well done segment. And the fact that it left me wishing you had more time to explore the topic, through your very honest lens, means you are doing just what you set out to do. I think you have got what it takes to keep this dialog going… Please don’t stop now…

Slate – are you kidding? Women are not looking to take over ANYTHING; rather we are looking for options and balance. We don’t want to keep our womanhood in cold storage until we are 65 – we want an opportunity to find unique and individual plans for combining our interests, passions and ambitions (I just did not want to say balance again, I give). Again, the glimpse the extreme is distracting from the real issues and questions in play.

OK - cue Counting Crows now — it is Sunday and I need to chill!

I am impressed and happy to see what the Egg Nutrition Center - looks like a conglomerate of egg-types (you remember the incredible, edible egg, no doubt!?!?) – has done in an outstanding effort to speak to expectant women. Their program is well thought out and beautifully designed. And, really does follow the Forty Weeks rules for communicating well with an eager and open pregnant consumer.

From the Forty Weeks manifesto:

If you want to capture the attention and gain credibility with the expectant woman market offer reasonable, well-delivered and honest content that speaks to her specific needs and concerns. We say it all the time and we can’t say it enough.

She is open, willing and eager to hear you. You can capture this ideal target if:

You speak to her with integrity and respect
You are telling her something she needs to know
You focus on information sharing and not simply moving goods
You stay away from fear and focus on manageable, positive solutions
You create reasonable expectations
You have a plan for keeping her interest and encourage her to share it with friends

I could go on forever here – bottom line – really egg-cellent work. And, egg peeps – we love your logo!!!

Yesterday was a big day for the media looking at the state of modern motherhood. In addition to the WSJ running two pieces (Jeff Zaslow’s and a second on automotive manufacturers targeting kids and their parents); the NYT also took a look at the evolving state of mothers.

Thursday Styles featured Cosmopolitan Moms, Stacy Liu’s take on the happy hour playdate. I find this piece fascinating on many levels. Mainly, interesting that the Times continues to find a story in the fact the mothers are women. And I could and likely will go back to the fact that last week’s mothers who travel + this week’s mothers who playdate have one common denominator which = mothers who drink….I need to sit (marinate???) on that one.

First I must credit my ever-brilliant friend Lisa Spiegel co-founder of Soho Parenting Center who has been speaking of the emergence of the mid -(last)century mother for sometime. She feels the 1950’s have never left us – that we have made no progress. To her point, the article in which Liu’s analysis of this “phenomenon” includes a great deal of anecdotal evidence regarding women’s need to be seen and heard as women and not just mothers. There are many life balance questions to be answered here as well. And also the notion of continued pressure and the push for perfection which feels to be at the root of much of this confusion. I especially adored Christie Mellor’s (author of The Three-Martini Playdate: A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting) quote:

“It’s not just about drinking and cutting loose, it’s about giving your children the tools to be self-sufficient,” she said. “Because if you haven’t changed your general attitude, then you just end up being a really busy drunk.”

I remain shaken not stirred…

Today one of my favorite columnists, Jeff Zaslow (A Philly ex-pat, Springsteen fan and all around great social observer) covered Conceptionmoons for the WSJ. The piece was fun and a worthwhile read. Jeff – so happy you finally got around to covering the category! And, nicely done.

I am amazed that this just landed in my inbox…I can only imagine the average educational level of their target market…

Coming Soon! The Internet’s First Television Network Dedicated to Mom’s

Really!!!! How about some grammar 101 for the good people at BabyTV…of course these are the same people who brought us Posh Cravings – home of constant and uncalled for alliteration, so maybe we should not be surprised!