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Sweet Pea ​Births
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...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth
Blog
Q&A with SPB: Top 5 Holiday Tips
| Posted on December 8, 2015 at 4:48 AM |
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 I am sharing a video version of last week's holiday safety blog post on today's VLOG. One thing I didn't mention in this take was that we encourage you to get on the floor to childproof. Check out and see what is within your child's grasp from their perspective, and then get it out of their way!!Here is an idea one of our students shared when she was childproofing their Christmas tree with their under1 Sweet Pea: http://goo.gl/W2BJU0 Finally, here is the video version of our holiday safety post: P.S.: We shop the after-Christmas sales for all our ornaments! Aside from the IKEA ornament line we bought during the season, we like to stop in to Pottery Barn and Pier 1 after the holidays to see the pretty, child-safe ornaments we can add to our tree. Disclaimer: The material included in this video is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his
healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for
their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss
Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site,
or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information
provided. This blog and video contain
information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is
not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in this
video and on our blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method®
or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes offered in
Arizona: convenient to Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale,
Payson |
Inside Look: White Coat
| Posted on November 20, 2015 at 7:40 AM |
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 Puma and I had the pleasure of attending a Club MomMe Family Fest earlier this month. One of the vendors we met runs a health care home-visit service. The co-founder, Angella Nguyen, is committed to bringing back the "house call" - read more about it in today's Inside Look. SPB: Tell me about the White Coat service. AN: WhiteCoat is an on-demand house call service where we provide quality healthcare in the comfort of the patient’s home, office, or hotel (let’s say, if traveling). We operate daily, from 8am-midnight (yes, even on weekends). We truly are a patient-centric healthcare company: your turf, on your time. Our patients find value in our after-hour and weekend access, affordability ($75 flat fee, with or without insurance), HIPAA-compliant messaging system, electronic prescriptions, and that they don’t have to wait to get an appointment! A provider can be at your door in 2 hours or if you’d like to schedule something in advance, that is an option as well. No need to call out of work/find a sitter, drive in traffic, pay to park—a doctor’s appointment has gone from an all day affair to a mere half hour visit in your home. We are starting to get credentialed with insurance providers now and will be accepting insurance soon. If you have PPO, we are recognized as an out-of-network provider. SPB: Who are the White Coat care providers? AN: WhiteCoat providers are qualified and credentialed Nurse Practitioners (NPs), who can diagnose, treat, and prescribe. Additionally, we have a team of medical directors to provide oversight. Studies have shown that outcomes of NP treated patients vs. MD treated patients are equal. In addition, NPs but have been shown to have a better bedside manner. Educating the population about NPs is going to be part of the learning curve- more often times than not, you are being seen by an NP at clinic/hospital, you just didn’t know it ☺ We dedicate space on our page to provide information about NPs and their important role in buffering the primary care shortage. Excerpt about NPs from our Executive Summary: NPs are licensed healthcare providers whose practice privileges include prescribing medications, and diagnosing, treating, and managing acute, non-complex medical conditions. With the projected shortage of primary care physicians, a team of NPs form a lean, comprehensive healthcare provider team, that is cost-efficient, and that can help meet the demand for primary care services. SPB: What patient population does White Coat serve? AN: WhiteCoat can serve the entire family: from baby to grandma. ☺ We have a full stack of FNPs (Family/General practice) as well as PNPs (Pediatric NPs) and AGNPs (Adult Geriatric NPs). Working professionals, busy moms, and senior care (whether ordering a house call for themselves, or having their children order on their behalf) all have specific pain points with the current state of healthcare that we aim to relieve. We provide healthcare to school systems that may not have an on-site health center, to moms who are sick and don’t want to bring their children into the clinic appointment where they may be exposed to germs, to sick kids who aren’t able to go back to school without a provider note and scheduling a doctor’s visit is near impossible, to working professionals who simply can’t take the time off, to immobile patients who have difficulty making it in to their visit. Think of the pain points you’ve faced while sick- we hope we have an answers to them. ☺ SPB: What range of ailments does this service care for? Is there anything you do not provide for? AN: Our NPs handle non-complex acute conditions such as flu check ups, physical examinations, allergy care, infections, stitches, post-surgery follow up appointments (let’s say the patient is immobile or has a difficult time coming in for a follow up)—for any urgent or primary care needs, we are here to help. We also have a health and wellness component and offer B-12 shots, and IV Hydration Therapy. Everyone is on the go-go-go and it is easy to get drained or dehydrated. Taking care of your health before it becomes an issue is truly the best medicine. We are also starting to incorporate physical therapy in the pipeline, as we have gotten requests. We think of WhiteCoat as a learning and growing organism- we listen to our patient’s feedback and adjust accordingly. We are not an emergency care group and will always urge you to call 911 if it is a medical emergency. SPB: About how long can you expect a house call to last? AN: We allot an hour for the NP to spend with a patient but have seen that a typical house call visit lasts from 20-30 minutes. Our patients’ time is precious and they love that we can be in and out without disrupting the flow of their day. However, we will never rush the visit and our NPs enjoy giving our patients the face time that they need. SPB: How can you make an appointment? AN: You can request an appointment by going on our site www.whitecoat.healthcare, or by calling 1-888-223-1207. The request process is extremely easy. After filling out the request, WhiteCoat will call to confirm whether or not this is a medical emergency, schedule your appointment, note your symptoms, and the ETA. Our app is in its final stages of development and will be released in late December or early January. We will be available for both iPhones and Android phones. SPB: What makes White Coat unique? AN: Healthcare is moving into alternate forms of care, no doubt about that. Whether its telemedicine, house calls, or prescription delivery, the space is ripe for disruption, and quite honestly, it’s about time. The landscape is changing and we are excited to help pioneer that process. We are not trying to replace the “bad guy” with another bad guy. Our focus is 2 pronged: patient and provider side. Patient-side, we can see in our value proposition. Provider-side: we are able to pay NPs higher than their normal rate with our model. They are happier and want to work with us. We are endorsed by 2 governing bodies for NPs: AANP (American Association for Nurse Practitioners) and CANP (California Association for Nurse Practitioners), where our advisory board has the Immediate President of the AANP (he was the current Pres. when we first started last year) and two Past Presidents of the CANP. Patients are happy, and providers are happy. ☺ SPB: What motivated you to start White Coat? AN: While getting my MBA at USC Marshall School of Business, I enrolled in a class called Tech Feasibility, where “simulating” a startup is the crux of the course. Involving multiple disciplines, I joined Mike Kwon, medical background, and Emilianos Ellinas, legal and operations background, to co-found WhiteCoat. We went through problem discovery and compared our pain points of something as simple as going to the doctor. (HERE is an article that describes the inception of WhiteCoat from Mike Kwon’s perspective, our CEO) Honestly, it was a “project” that outgrew the walls of the classroom. I was at Tesla Motors prior (I was a Marketing Strategy Consultant for their Lifestyle Products and Apparel line and yes, working for Tesla was awesome ☺), with intentions of going back. However, we started to gain momentum, winning pitches and competitions, and we decided as a team to create a company and to pursue WhiteCoat full time. SPB: Is there anything else our readers should know about this service or the company? AN: We didn’t wake up one day to start a healthcare company, a medical group, a tech company or however you want to spin it, because it was easy or a “natural” step in our careers. I actually think that our diverse backgrounds give a stagnant industry the fresh lens it needs. We are passionate about bringing a level care to the masses and it shows from top down and bottom up. Our providers are hand selected by us, not an agency, and go through a stringent process to get background checked and credentialed. But that’s only half the battle—we ask ourselves, “Would I trust this person to treat my mom? My child? Would I want this person to come into my grandmother’s home?” It has to be an overwhelming “YES” every time. SPB: What inspires you? AN: As an individual, my parents inspire me. My dad is literally my hero. I come from a family of entrepreneurs, grew up in Silicon Valley, the works—so I was well-versed in “start-up” culture from a young age. Strong women in business also inspire me-- I make it a point to play in the “boys club,” but also to collaborate with other women in business. Staying ahead of the curve inspires me- I actively put myself in uncomfortable situations to grow and learn. As a cofounder of a healthcare company: affecting change inspires me. To be part of the conversation of something as big as changing the landscape of a behemoth industry is truly inspiring. People deserve better access to care and we won’t win that fight alone. With our “competitors” and other like-minded companies in the space, that’s the kind of prowess that it takes to get somewhere. Krystyna's note: As of today's post, White Coat is serving the Los Angeles and Orange County areas in California. They project that they will continue to expand their coverage to Nevada, Arizona, and along the west coast. Angella says, "We would love to be nationwide but baby steps first!" The concept of in-home concierge care may well be the wave of the future! Stay tuned for updates as we follow White Coat's growth as a health care provider. Please leave us a comment - it will be moderated and
posted. The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Q&A with SPB: Delivering the Placenta
| Posted on October 6, 2015 at 9:54 AM |
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 This is a question that came up in class on Friday evening. I thought it would be great to answer it as a Q&A today: Here is summary of the info: Anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour could be considered range of normal as long as mom is doing well and not losing too much blood (<2 liters). Reference HERE HERE is a great article to read about the delivery of the placenta and possible complicaitons. Dr. Rachel Reed, who writes the blog, Midwife Thinking, offers information and writes about a couple of scenarios that might interfere with the delivery of the placenta. Please leave me a comment with your experience in this last phase of labor. Thankfully, all of ours were uneventful. Also, let me know if you have a question for next week! The material included in this blog and video is for informational
purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his
healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for
their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss
Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site,
or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information
provided. This blog and video contain
information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is
not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in this
video and on our blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method®
or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Q&A with SPB: Should I call my care provider?
| Posted on July 27, 2015 at 10:11 PM |
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 This is another question I see come up pretty often on social media groups, or a text in the middle of the night from a student. Really, if people are looking for validation, the best thing to do is call! However, our society tells is that we shouldn't be too needy....so moms end up seeking help from non-medical peers. When I get this question, the first question I ask is, "How is the baby moving?" The second is, "What is your gut/instinct telling you when you sit still with this question?" Depending on what is concerning them, there are other things to evaluate:
If you have any of the following signs, we will always recommend that they follow their instinct, even if they feel they might be over-reacting. When it comes to any questions throughout the childbearing year, our philosophy is "better safe than sorry." Warning Signs in Pregnancy
Getting phone calls in the middle of the night is part of the job description when you work with birthing families and parents of newborns. Choose a care provider who will be happy to take your call and ease your concerns, or who will be willing to meet you at the hospitalor your birth place if need be. The material included on this site and in the VLOG is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader/viewer should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
To Test or Not to Test: 5 Need-To-Know Questions to choose for YOU
| Posted on July 23, 2015 at 8:11 PM |
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 I saw the question come up again in a chat group: Should I get "X" test? Should I decline "X" medication? You could also substitute the words "procedure" or "intervention" in those phrases. As childbirth educators, we make every effort to keep our opinion out of the equation whether that question comes up in a live class, or when we see it on message boards and chat groups. The bottom line is that YOU are the only one that can make decisions about your body and your baby. As the natural childbirth movement has grown, families are becoming aware that a lot about birth works. After all, we have survived as a species long before birth became a medical event. Along with raising awareness of how physiological birth proceeds without any medical intervention in most cases, the birth movement has also encouraged patients to advocate for themselves: question everything. To be fair, there are tests for many of the things that used to be devastating to mothers and infants: gestational diabetes, Group B Strep, Rh factor to name a few. There are newborn screens that can be done so that any genetic diseases can be caught and treated early before they take full effect and harm the child. The challenge is as it usually is: the blanket treatment, "If it works for one, then it works for all." Which then leads to over-treatment and over-medicalization, and sometimes more complications than if we had left Mother Nature alone to begin with. As patient advocates, we encourage our students to insist on beineg treated as individuals - we are all unique. Somehow, somewhere, there is a growing thread that is saying: "Deny Everything". I find this concerning because despite some negatives, there are some positives to today's birth climate. So I decided to share the list of questions that I share with our students. Ask these questions of your care provider so that you can make an informed decision about personalized care for YOU in your unique situation. 1.) Why was this test/intervention/medication/procedure ("TIMP") developed in the first place? 2.) Has this TIMP been effective in affectng the problem it was designed to solve? 3.) What is the treatment plan if I say yes to the TIMP? What is the treatment plan if I say no to the TIMP? 4.) If something happens in spite of saying yes to the TIMP, will the treatment be any different than if I didn't have the TIMP? 5.) How do my personal lifestyle/career choices affect my chances of needing this TIMP? If I want to decline it, is there anything I can do to improve my chances of not needing it? There are usually several alternative to consider instead of a flat "no". We have several Pros/Cons/Alternatives listed in our Info Sheets. You can find a complete listing to them HERE, or click on the "Info Sheet" category on the left side of this blog. I wish you all the best for a safe and healthy pregnancy. Also remember that these 5 questions can also be applied to options for newborn care, postpartum care, and really any care you or your children may need in the future! Disclaimer: |
Info Sheet: Oral Glucose Challenge Test
| Posted on July 17, 2015 at 7:42 AM |
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Please note that today’s info sheet is about the 1-hour screening procedure, not the 3-hour test used to determine whether or not a patient has gestational diabetes.  Image Source: http://babybearbulletin.com/2013/01/28/one-hour-glucose-test/ *Definition "The oral glucose challenge test is performed to screen for gestational diabetes. This test involves quickly (within five minutes) drinking a sweetened liquid (called Glucola), which contains 50 grams of glucose. A blood sample is taken from a vein in your arm about 60 minutes after drinking the solution. The blood test measures how the glucose solution was processed by the body."
*History From Diapedia: “The first documented evidence of the effects of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy in the modern era was in 1824, when Bennewitz recorded a case of severe fetal macrosomia [large baby] and stillbirth in a 22 year old multigravida woman in Berlin. She had symptoms of severe hyperglycaemia, but he was only able to estimate this by boiling the urine to dryness[1]. The symptoms disappeared after the delivery. Until the discovery of insulin in 1923 there was no effective treatment for this condition, and the outcome of pregnancy for both mother and fetus was usually disastrous. These adverse effects have been gradually but not completely alleviated by intensive multidisciplinary care from both diabetologist and obstetrician, but complete normalisation of maternal glucose metabolism has not yet been achieved. By the 1940’s it was becoming recognised that lesser degrees of maternal hyperglycaemia were also a risk to pregnancy outcomes, with retrospective studies showing increases perinatal mortality some years before the diagnosis of overt diabetes mellitus. This led to the term ‘prediabetes in pregnancy’, and to poorly defined concepts of ‘temporary’ or ‘latent’ diabetes.” From Evidence-Based Birth: “In 1964, O’Sullivan and Mahan proposed that pregnancy changes the metabolism of carbohydrate, and that these changes are different than what happens outside of pregnancy. They published a study with 752 women who took a 100-gram 3-hour glucose test in the 2nd or 3rd trimester. In this study, the researchers tried out different cut-offs for GDM.” [1] “Now the most common method of screening for gestational diabetes in the United States is the 50-gram, 1-hour glucola test, also called the glucose challenge test. This test was first introduced in 1973. To take glucola test, you eat a normal diet beforehand. Then you drink 50 grams of a glucose polymer solution. One hour later, your blood is drawn to measure the glucose level (O’Sullivan, Mahan et al. 1973). If your blood glucose is 130-140 mg/dL or higher, then you have screened positive for gestational diabetes, and you qualify for a follow-up 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to officially diagnose the condition. The 75-gram and 100-gram OGTTs are the gold-standard for diagnosis of gestational diabetes.” [2] Quote from American Family Physician: “Gestational diabetes (GDM) occurs in 5 to 9 percent of pregnancies in the United States and is growing in prevalence. It is a controversial entity, with conflicting guidelines and treatment protocols. Recent studies show that diagnosis and management of this disorder have beneficial effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes, including reduced rates of shoulder dystocia, fractures, nerve palsies, and neonatal hypoglycemia. Diagnosis is made using a sequential model of universal screening with a 50-g one-hour glucose challenge test, followed by a diagnostic 100-g three-hour oral glucose tolerance test for women with a positive screening test.”
*PROS
*CONS
*Links for more reading From Cochrane Review: Screening for gestational diabetes and subsequent management for improving maternal and infant healthFrom PubMed: Glucose challenge test for detecting gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. From the American Diabetes Association: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus From Aviva Romm: Glucose Tolerance Testing in Pregnancy: What you should know From Birth Without Fear: Gestational Diabetes - To Test or Not To Test From Birth Without Fear: The Truth About Gestational Diabetes and Why It's Not Your Fault From Modern Alternative Mama: Healthy Pregnancy Series: Gestational Diabetes Test *Alternatives to Glucola, aka The Orange Drink Women who are striving to avoid harmful substances are starting to seek alternatives to the ingredients in Glucola:  Image Source: www.foodbabe.com From Pub Med: Jelly Beans offered as an alternative to a fifty-gram glucose beverage for gestational diabetes screening. Note: a mama seeking to avoid harmful substances could opt for jelly beans with natural ingredients and food-based coloring From Today's Mama ~ Boston Combine the following foods to make 50 g of glucose:
From My Green and Natural Pregnancy: Alternative beverages
Krystyna’s Note: Maple Syrup This is one that I have heard talked about in the green living community. Below is the nutrition information for 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup from nutritiondata.com so you can get a general idea. You would have to talk to your care provider about figuring out how “sugars” translate into “glucose” to determine how much you would need to consume in order to substitute maple syrup for the orange drink.  Disclaimer: |
Q&A with SPB: Sleep Ideas
| Posted on March 31, 2015 at 10:13 PM |
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 Q: What can I do to get some sleep? A: Check out today's VLOG for lots of ideas!! Did you catch my little blooper in the video??? I meant to say, "Please consider having one shot of coffee instead of two when you place your coffee order". OOPS. Hopefully people catch my drift :) Here are some links to explore: Caffeine and Pregnancy Healthy Chocolate Fix - also has caffeine info Belly Baby Breast Pillow Meditation Ideas Thanks to our chiro, Dr. Ross, and our friend Katie N for reminding us about grounding (K - I added it into my workbook so I don't forget next time) What are your sleep tips for pregnant mamas? The material included in this video is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The viewer should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog and video contain information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained in this video and on our blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |
Bonus Class: Healthy Habits
| Posted on February 13, 2015 at 3:16 PM |
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We were happy to welcome Dr. Ross back to our class this week. Every session, we offer a bonus
class with him so he can share his perspective on having a healthy pregnancy from a
physical, chemical and emotional standpoint.
He also share information about chiropractic care for pregnancy,
postpartum, and the newborn. The last
portion of class is dedicated to teaching techniques that may be helpful if the
couple experiences back labor. It is a
full and awesome class! Today I am sharing a couple of segments as they relate to
the physical aspect: nutrition. The
first clip is about making whole food choices and he also shares information on
a product he encourages all his patients to take. The second segment is dedicated to
eliminating harmful substances; in particular, artificial sugars and why it can
make a difference. Whole Food Artificial Sweeteners Please leave a comment with your thoughts or experiences
with these – I am looking forward to reading your feedback! Link List: More on Dr. Ross: Artificial Sweeteners: Juice Plus+: Disclaimer: |
Special Feature: Club MomMe Spring Family Fest
| Posted on June 1, 2014 at 11:17 AM |
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Club Mom-Me Spring Family Fest: Saturday, June 7, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa Huntington Beach Club MomMe is a social, educational and wellness community for moms and moms-to-be. They provide a place for women to meet each other, make friends, learn about pregnancy and motherhood, and share unique experiences together. All attendees at each event receive a gift bag and a chance to win great giveaways like strollers, car seats, gear and more!
SPB is very excited to announce that we will be at the Club MomMe OC Spring Fest event. In case you cannot attend in person, you can follow us on Twitter for live-tweets from the event, see views from the inside the event on Instagram, and we will be sharing presenter notes in future blog posts. Here is our virtual interview with Aubrye Foote, Vice President of Club MomMe Orange County, with your inside scoop on the event coming up this Saturday, June 7, 2014. SPB: What's new at the Spring Family Fest? AF: This year we've added our Daddy Lounge with fun activities, a Style Lounge where you can see and shop for different clothing, bags, etc. and added some interactive areas for the kids. Spring Fest truly is an event where you can learn about parenthood, explore products & gear, sample goodies during the event and in the *huge* gift bags you'll take home, and connect with not only experts but other families as well. SPB: Tell me more about the inspiration for the Daddy Lounge. It sounds amazing - are MomMe's and Babies welcome, too? AF: We wanted our Family Fests to be something every member of the family could enjoy and what better way for Dad to have a good time then to set him up with a fantastic microbrew (Beach City Brewery) and a taco bar! Of course MomMes and Babies are welcome to enjoy the Daddy Lounge. Besides, we're having Micro Kickboard races and diaper changing races that MomMes will just LOVE to watch and a craft where littles can decorate a tumbler for Daddy for Father's Day from Daddy & Company. SPB: What can a family expect to find, see and learn about? AF: At Spring Fest, families can listen to various speakers and panels such as Dr. Harvey Karp, Natural Parenting Panel, Entrepreneurship for Parents Panel, Healthy Child Healthy World's Understanding Labels workshop, Daddy Panel, and the Hot Baby & Toddler Products session. They'll be able to see and shop at exhibitors ranging from baby/toddler products & gear, clothing, skincare, food and more. We have an Activity Zone with lots of amazing activities for the little ones, a Pamper Lounge where you can enjoy a manicure, a hand massage and juice bar, a Daddy Lounge by Daddy & Company with a microbrew and races with prizes, a Style Lounge featuring gorgeous clothing & bags and last but not least the Lansinoh Lactation Lounge where MomMes can go to nurse or break away to feed & change their babies. SPB: How can they get the most out of the event? Are there other breakout sessions besides the main speakers? AF: There's the main speakers/panels and as a part of each session parents get the opportunity to ask whatever questions they have! I encourage them to do so because these speakers are fabulous! In addition to those sessions, I would recommend that families take advantage of having the ability to see and test new products on the market, learn about what's available to them, visit with the local resources to make parenthood easier and even do some shopping to take these great products home. Not only that, but MomMes ... take some time in the Pamper Lounge and get a manicure or hand massage while Daddy and the little one are off kicking a soccer ball. SPB: Do you have any survival tips to share for families attending with toddlers and/or more mobile children? AF: The great part about Spring Fest is that we have 4 different craft areas, musicians that are performing for the kids, Super Soccer Stars soccer area, a face painter, balloon artist and Urban Sitters will be there to keep an eye on the little ones should MomMe and Daddy need some help. We wanted parents to be able to enjoy the event, but also have the kids enjoy it as well. That's why we set up so many activities in our Activity Zone to keep those "active" ones happy. They may not even want to leave!! SPB: What are the ticketing levels? Which do you feel is the best value? AF: The levels that are still available are:
Each ticket level receives an amazing amount of "swag" that they get to take home. The VIP level ticket has a gift bag worth over $500 and the Celeb ticket has almost $1,000 worth of items. With that, I'd have to say the Celeb ticket is the best value, but you can't go wrong with any of them! SPB: Long term, what is your vision for the Family Fest events? AF: Our biggest passion in what we do is being able to bring resources to parents that they may not have access to on their own. At Family Fest we are able to bring all of that together in one location. Currently we have our Spring Fest in Orange County and Fall Fest is Los Angeles, but our long term vision for our Family Fests is to be able to expand them into other areas in the US so that we can provide these fantastic speakers and brands to an even greater number of families. Thank you, Aubrye, for giving our readers the inside scoop on the event! To learn more about the speakers and panels, please visit the event website HERE http://clubmommeevents.com/. Ticket Giveaway Contest: If you would like to win the Family Ticket which includes 2 Adults and one gift bag with a ton of product & goodies, please leave a comment below and tell me which is your *must see* session. I will choose a winner on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 at noon. The winner will be selected by Random.org by assigning each comment a number in order of receipt and letting the Random Number Generator choose a winning number. Please be sure to leave me your email address in the comment so that the Media MomMe can email you your Family Ticket. Event Sessions: Dr. Harvey Karp Author of “The Happiest Baby on the Block" & "The Happiest Toddler on the Block”  The technique is designed to recreate the essential elements of the experience of living in the womb. The first three months of life Karp calls the “fourth trimester”. Karp believes there is a “calming reflex” that causes babies to instantly relax when they are given clues that they are safe inside the womb. There are five parts of the technique he calls the “five S’s”. Then comes the Toddler stage. Baby calming is great, but before you know it your tot will be 8 months old! That’s the perfect time to start this clever approach to boost cooperation – build patience – and stop tantrums before they begin happening!Want a career and balance parenthood? Looking to be a “mompreneur”?  As moms we have always been savvy leaders, innovators, and jugglers who make executive management decisions on a daily, if not hourly basis. While we may have extensive professional training, the jobs available to us may not fit our needs, family demands, or fulfill our passions. The same, many times, goes for dads who are looking to have an active role in parenthood. For both, if we are going to spend time away from our families, it better be worth it!With emerging trends in business, innovative new technology, social media, and the shifting cultural expectations about careers and work/life balance, presents the perfect opportunity for a new generation of entrepreneurs or “mompreneurs”. There is no roadmap for establishing a business or career that you’re passionate about AND supports motherhood. You often have to create it yourself, which can be a daunting task. Join us to be inspired, motivated and moved to become a Mompreneur yourself, and learn how our panelists started on their journey to becoming Mompreneurs! With Jill Ettinger & Alexandra Spunt Healthy Child Healthy World is hosting its second annual Educational Workshop at Spring Fest, “Understanding Labels,” to help the public navigate this increasingly ambiguous landscape. The event will welcome top experts and personalities in the consumer products and environmental health space to address label confusion and coach attendees on how to effectively read labels, what “red flags” to watch for, ingredients to question, and how to be a smarter, more conscious shopper. Want information and tips on Natural Parenting?  Natural parenting is based on a desire to live and parent responsively andconsciously. While families may define it differently, there are several principles that are widely agreed to be part of this lifestyle. These are ideals that natural parents tend to hold … even if we don’t always live up to all of them. Attachment/Responsive Parenting, Breastfeeding, Ecological Responsibility, Holistic Health Practices, Natural Learning, Living a Healthy Lifestyle and more are areas these amazing speakers will cover. Did you ever want to hear tips, information and just the Truth from other Dads?  Then you’ll love Club MomMe’s Daddy Panel!! We will discuss the changes men experience as they become dads, how to meet other dad friends so you don’t feel so lonely in your new role and have someone to vent to and get advice from. How to understand what your wife is going through during pregnancy and breastfeeding and supporting her. Learn how to change a diaper, swaddle and carry baby, without being told you are doing it wrong. And some other topics just for DadDes!This is the Panel where Dads will become DadDes! Learn about the latest Baby & Toddler Products … and WIN them!  Club MomMe & Favored.by are bringing their ever-popular products events to Spring Fest! Join us as we share the NEWEST, COOLEST & HOTTEST Baby & Toddler Products on the market! From the latest stroller trends, toys, educational products, gear to make life easier as a parent, state-of-the-art technology, amazing innovations and more!Check out the latest Baby & Toddler Products and Gear + WIN them! We GIVE AWAY almost all featured products at the end of the talk!! Club MomMe gets the hottest NEW products and we are sharing them first with you! Find out what new products are worth checking out and will make your life easier Please leave us a comment below and tell me your *must see* session for a chance to win a Family Ticket (2 adults plus gift bag) to the Club MomMe Spring Fest on Saturday, June 7, 2014. Transportation and accommodation not included. Disclaimer: |
Info Sheet: Choices in Childbirth Education
| Posted on May 16, 2014 at 6:00 AM |
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What! A Bradley Method® teacher writing about other kinds of
childbirth education?? Yes, absolutely!  The Bradley Method® is designed for families who are planning to have One Mama who wants to prepare for a natural birth + One Coach who is invested and wants to be the main coach for the mother, and in some cases we train assistant coaches as well. There are so many other dynamics and variations in mothers and in their pregnancy. Today’s information sheet will look at the different childbirth preparation options and offer links to find out more about the different courses offered if The Bradley Method® is not the right fit for you.Why would I do an information sheet on this topic and allow other educators to "brag on" their classes?? It is because I believe that there is no “one size fits all” childbirth education class. If one method were perfect, there wouldn’t be so many options out there. Each method speaks to the people who are attracted to the principles offered in that course. When we do presentations about natural childbirth and our classes, we offer an evaluation guide so that families can weigh any method against their own values and desires for their birth. Just like individuals are unique, they must find the education that fits their personality, timeline and budget. HISTORY: Once upon a time, birth was a community event. Children were born at home; families and neighbors experienced birth with all of it's beauty, goopiness, noise (or lack thereof) and rare complications (most complications of birth happen at a rate of 2% or less). Birth happened to us and around us - it was part of life and living. Then birth started to move to the hospital. Parents went away to have babies, and came back with siblings. Children were no longer privy to what happened during birth. And birth changed - it became medically managed because true, uncomplicated childbirth has a very hard time showing up when you take a mother to a place where she has to birth with an audience of strangers. We began to lose our knowledge and trust in birth - many of us have never experienced a live birth until it happened to us. Hence, the "birth" of childbirth education classes: to teach mothers and their partners how birth looks, sounds, and is likely to proceed if it is allowed to happen as nature intended. Little by little, hospitals and care providers in the hospital setting are open to the idea that interfering with birth is the problem, not the process of birth itself. PROS Most courses will cover provide some, if not all, of these benefits:
CONS
A closer look at the choices in childbirth education Note: this section will be updated as I receive first-hand descriptions of the courses from educators in our area who teach these classes. In our area (Phoenix, AZ), most childbirth education courses run between
$250 - $350, regardless of length. Most
courses are 3-6 weeks long. If you do
the math to figure out the cost per hour, that makes our 12-week Bradley™
course the best value for the money! However, budget is only one factor when
considering a childbirth education course.
Here are some questions you can ask when you are considering
which class is best for you:
To ensure the best quality
of instruction, it might be important to know if the childbirth educator you
are considering is a current affiliate with the certifying organization, or if
they were just trained and never completed their certification. For example, we must carry our most recent affiliation certificate with us when we teach. We are required to re-certify every year. Someone thinking about Bradley™ classes would want to know if the class is a Bradley Method®
class, providing the most current workbook and updated information (our
organization publishes updates to our course outline every year), or is it a
class “just like Bradley™” taught by a former instructor who no longer has
access to the most current information and might only be teaching their
favorite parts of what the method offered them? Here are descriptions of the most common childbirth education methods. Each of the websites listed below has links to find an
affiliated instructor in your area for that “brand” of childbirth instruction.
The bottom line is that there are several options in childbirth
education and preparation. Choose the
method that speaks to your heart – and get the information from the people that
are passionate about and currently affiliated with the method that they teach. We wish you all the best as you do the research to find the best method of education for your Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby Birth-Day. The material included on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation. Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®. |