How To Pitch: Babble.com

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Unique monthly visitors: 4.5 million
Special issues: Back to School, Holidays, and Childcare

Background: Babble.com was launched by the founders of Nerve Media in 2006 to break from the parenting magazines that document parenthood "as a cute and cuddly experience, all pink and powder blue, at best an interior decorating opportunity, at worst a housekeeping challenge" according to the site's mission statement. The founders' goal was "to tell the truth about parenting" in all its glory and messiness.

Known for articles that go against the grain -- think "My kids are healthy and they eat fast food" and "I let my 4-year-old swear" -- the site has kept its tone while going through a growth spurt of its own. Babble has developed into a website that also emphasizes service journalism for parents and those expecting children. As Babble has moved away from 2,500-word first-person accounts toward shorter essays, the site also has divided content up into ages and stages of development, added a food section, a product section and a celebrity section. It's also bulked up the blogs....

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