Humboldt Childbirth

Pregnancy Information Night at Moonrise Herbs
Monday, March 22nd, 7-9 pm. Free.
Sign up directly at Moonrise: 822-5296.

I have recently picked up my copy of SuperFoods for Babies and Children by Annabel Karmel. I had tried to make my son’s baby for but it never seemed to work out well. As she notes in her book, babies are more about the texture than the taste and I know now he is really picky about texture. This is the 3 year old who does not like pasta. A few weeks ago I made an all fruit smoothie for him and added some rice cereal and feed it to my daughter. Then I took the leftovers and froze them in a Fresh Baby So Easy Baby Food/Breast Milk Trays. I had wanted to try the covered ice cube tray since a dear friend passed it on to me last year. I never used it for milk since I always froze a few ounce at a time and the tray is pretty large to use for milk.

Ever since that strawberry, banana, pineapple smoothie, I have been blending and mashing away. So far I am in love with using pineapple and since it is high in Vitamin C, it is great when mixed with the infant cereal that has added iron. I also mixed cooked carrots and raw spinach, which turned out pretty yummy. Since I only have one Fresh Baby So Easy, I ended up freezing the carrots in a muffin pan. The muffin pan worked well since it makes the serving sizes larger but it would be great if it had a lid and if it twisted like a ice cube tray to get the food to pop out.

So I would love to hear anyone’s yummy baby friendly recipes.

Today I was walking through Target, I think it must have been the day to register for your baby shower. I saw at least four woman with the scanners in the baby section and the maternity section. I just wanted to jump out and say “Get this!” and “Oh, that is just a waste of money.” So here is some of what I would have shared with them.
The Bumbo, so we bought one of these from Target when Bryson was about 3 months old I think it cost around $30. It was great. We traveled with it and used it as a highchair when staying at relatives. This was before Bumbo offered a tray (extra $9.99) and there were many times I said, this would be great if it had a tray! We later got a used Prince Lionheart Bebe Pod. I used them both and found they were just about equal. Bryson was pretty much sitting at six month and that is when they both went into the closet. I found with a friends child that the Bumbo fit better with a larger child who was still that 3-6 month age, the

was tighter on the legs. Over time the Bumbo has faded and looks yucky even though it was kept clean and the Prince Lionheart Bebe Pod looks new.
We have been using the Lionheart for Nallia for about 4 months. I am finding it more useful for her since B can’t run buy and knock her down. She is a stable sitter but this just assures me that if I run to another room she is not going to fall back and hit her head. It is also much smaller than the other things I can put her down in, like the play mat or Excersauser.
Overall I am not sure I would buy something again that was $30 that we used for just 3-4 months but if I could find one used, it is an easy clean and worth a few dollars.

What do you think?

Bumbo
Prince Lionheart Bebe Pod

Infant Massage & Communication

Beginning Monday Jan. 25th 4:00 – 5:30

Comfort Measures for Labor & Delivery
Monday Jan. 25th 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Both classes are held at St. Joseph Hospital Conference Room #1

Please call Kim Eubanks 725-8788
for reserations or for more information

Class Schedule Fall & Winter 2009/2010

Birth Preparation 5 week series
Nov 5 – Dec 10
Thursday evenings 6:30-9 pm
For women and partners due
Late December 09, January & early Feb 2010

Birth Preparation 5 week series
Jan 7- Feb 4
Thursday evenings 6:30-9 pm
For women and partners due late Feb and March 2010

Taught by Tina George, Certified Massage Therapist, Birth Doula and Birthing From Within Mentor. Space is limited to allow for individual attention. Please call to reserve your place in class 707-498-5952 www.heartoftherose.net and check out www.birthingfromwithin.com

Classes held at Mad River Community Hospital

Hypnobirthing Oct. 16th from 7-8 pm Community Yoga Center on the
Plaza in Arcata.

Class is $10 per couple and $5 for an extra person.

Call 825-0226 for questions.

Pregnant women might want to bring a couple of pillows to get extra
cozy. Others can just bring themselves!

Celebrate Midwives’ Day picnic, Saturday, May 2, 1-4 pm, Redwood Memorial Park in Arcata, grassy lawn area by the play gym. Bring a potluck dish to share, a blanket, water, and some sunscreen. Call Monika at: 502-7440 with questions.

Fortuna Tuesdays April 14th – 28th 4:00-5:30 Renner Room
Eureka Mondays April 20th – May 4th 4:00-5:30 Burre Room

This class teaches parents to safely & effectively massage their babies. Benefits include: relaxation, stress release, improved sleep,
improved digestion (helps with gas/colic), deeper bonding.
Class are free.
call to register or for more information: Kim Eubanks,Perinatal Education Coordinator
707/725-8788

So I was talking about how yummy these were at clinic and thought I would post the recipe. I am pretty sure you would need to eat a ton of them for lactation to increase but they are yummy and you could add them to your daily breastfeeding “needs”.
Housepoet’s Famous Lactation Boosting Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip & Flaxseed Cookies™

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups floor
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats, thick cut if you can find them
1 cup or more chocolate chips
2 tablespoons of brewers yeast* (be generous)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flax seed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream butter/margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir in flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to sugar mixture. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to sugar mixture stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat. The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop.

Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

Preparation time 15 minutes.

(All items can be found at a health food store)
* Note* It must be brewers yeast, no substitutions.

April 7th, 7-9 pm
Preconception: Preparing for Pregnancy and Enhancing Fertility Naturally

· Fertility-promoting herbs, foods, and lifestyle.
· Factors affecting fertility.
· Stages of fertility.
· Body wisdom in timing of conception.
· Preparing spiritually, mentally, and physically to welcome a baby.
· From ovulation to conception and implantation.
· Maximizing donor/insemination success.
· Resources for fertility and pregnancy.

This class will enhance your skills and understanding of your body cycles in preparation for a new baby. It can be taken alone or in conjunction with the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) class on 4/14. Cost is $20 for one, $30 for both classes.

April 14th, 7-9 pm
Fertility Awareness Method (FAM): Natural Family Planning

· Chart your cycle accurately.
· Predict fertile times, ovulation, menstruation and non-fertile times.
· Enhance cooperation, communication, and connection in intimate relationships.
· Non-hormonal contraception during the fertile times.
· Gain greater awareness of your body and its marvelous design.
· Lactation Amenorrhea Method (LAM) as pregnancy prevention for new mamas.
· Based on scientific research that is up to 98-99% accurate in preventing pregnancy.

This class will give you all the tools to learn about your fertility and can be used to prevent or encourage pregnancy. This is not “The Rhythm Method,” based on the calendar but a comprehensive system. Class includes samples of fertility charts and hand-outs.

This class can be taken in conjunction with the Preconception class on 4/7. Both classes are very positive about human sexuality and respect all families and sexual orientations. Cost is $20 for one, $30 for both classes.

About the Instructor: Monika Rosicka is a licensed homebirth midwife in Humboldt County with an affinity for the human body. She has taught family planning classes since 2002 and teaches prenatal yoga, childbirth, and breastfeeding classes in the community. As a midwife, she feels incredibly blessed to witness everyday miracles in the human form.

Visit her website: TreeOfLifeMidwiferyServices.com for more information.