I have had more than a few long time members confess to me that they weren’t visiting the board or posting as often because of this feeling of change.

Not only have there been complaints about the recent tone of the board, I have also had to field complaints about other West Side Moms being judgmental to other moms at playdate or through PMs.  About how their births could have been better, about shunning those who might bottle feed or even formula feed their babies, about a whole lot of things that are the choices a mother makes, and should not have to defend, at the most vulnerable time in a mother’s life.  It’s WRONG.   And it makes me unbelievable sad that anyone would do that.  And angry that someone who considers herself a West Side Mom would do it.

Of course, I have my own opinions, and sure, I’ve raised my eyebrow at choices that others have made, and might even discuss it with my friends.  But I wouldn’t dare go so far as to accost someone else about the choices they have made for their children, particularly if I barely know them.

This board is a place for support and for encouragement – one mother to another.  If you can’t do that with an OPEN mind and a kind heart, you should not be here.  You can go to Mothering or BabyCenter or another online community where you can use your anonymity to post things you would never say to someone you hardly know in person.

Over the next few weeks, the Members Only boards will no longer be post count-based.  I will decide who gets access, with counsel from the long standing, respected members of this community.  This might sound clique-y, but I need this to be a place of trust.

You can’t know how deeply my heart is broken over this.  And how I have agonized on how to handle it.

I’m sorry it has come to this, but I need to protect the community I have built, with my heart and soul.  I owe my sanity and a debt of gratitude to the women I have met here, both since  i started the group 3 years ago, and some that I have met only a few months ago.  If my closest friends don’t like coming here anymore, then what’s the point?

My heart is heavy.