From the editor…
The Power of Cycles
For this issue we have explored the wonderful world of reusable nappies. With help from Laura Davies at The Nappy Gurus, we have looked at the environmental impact of reusable and disposable nappies, and Charlotte Loving from Loving by Nature has created a full guide for families looking to make this change. Jo Hallworth and daughter Alice have tested a huge range of nappies and accessories and you can see what she thought on our Best Buy and Review pages.
This issue is also a celebration of the outdoors! With spring arriving, it feels wonderful to have more daylight to enjoy and you’ll find lots to inspire you to get outside. Cath German has written a fantastically lyrical article about wellies. I too am fond of wearing wellies and I love how Cath turns a celebration of wearing wellington boots into a serious reflection on how it’s really important that we get outdoors and connect with nature. Holly Ebony writes about how singing in nature can improve our wellbeing and also inspire us to engage with nature in a way that helps us learn to protect it. We also have our annual Festivals feature with lots of ideas of events to visit during the year.
While preparing this issue of JUNO, I have thought a lot about cycles; all of a sudden I’m reading books and having conversations with people about the power of working with our cycles rather than against them. On page 47, Karen and Fiona, the Seed Sistas, remind us that “rest is as important as productivity”. Shannon Leparski shares this approach in her book Happy Hormones, and you can find recipes to support the ‘spring’ phase of our cycles from page 65.
I realised there are so many cycles in my life – the seasonal cycle of the year; my own body’s cycle; the cycle of each day; the cycle of the school year and the cycle of each issue of JUNO. What I love about cycles, like Kate Northrup, is that if you work in the flow of your cycle, you are constantly renewing and regenerating rather than chasing an unreachable end goal. This resonated with me – I love all the seasons of the year for different reasons. I try to see each day ending as the start of another, rather than one gone. In terms of our bodies’ cycles, if we can be aware which phase we are in, we can work with the energy and creativity of the spring/follicular phase or rest and recuperate in the winter/menstruation phase. I hope that you are able to listen to your cycle this spring and enjoy some time outdoors.
Featured contributors
Neely Ker-Fox is our cover photographer and the artist behind the project celebrating postpartum bodies on pages 30 to 33.
Hannah Day created the illustration to celebrate wearing wellies on page 38. Hannah designs prints from a mix of paper cut work, textures and Photoshop editing.
Charlotte Loving is the owner of cloth nappy shop Loving by Nature. She shares advice on how to get started with reusable nappies from page 57.
JUNO is available in independent shops, selected branches of WH Smith and online:
DIY Menstrual Pads – How do I make my own cloth period pads?