A weekly newsletter for Heart of Houston Birth and Wellness families.
August 16th
Happy Monday, friends! We welcomed a chunk of baby last week. 9lb 4oz baby boy decided he was ready to come earthside and wasted no time. Welcome to the HOH family, little big guy!
We had hoped to have our family brunch this past weekend but times being what they are, we decided it was safer to wait a few months to see how things pan out with the latest outbreak of COVID. Our friends in healthcare on the frontlines are telling us the Delta variant is getting the best of them so we are hoping to do our part and keep our HOH families as healthy as possible. We will continue to space out our visits so we have few people in the office at once and we will disinfect after each visit. We ask that everyone wear masks at all times while in the birth center. Deep breaths, dear ones. We got this.
Infant CPR for everyone
If you're like me you've taken a few CPR courses throughout your lifetime and most likely you've never actually had to use it in an emergency situation. Fingers crossed you never will but when it come to having children in your home, it's definitely a skill you want to brush up on regularly. I joke that my wife and I never had to baby proof our home with our first daughter. I would simply give her a stern "no" and she would immediately stop doing whatever she wasn't supposed. She never put small objects in her mouth or other orifices. Our second daughter......well, lets just say she is NOT her sister. She will often walk up with a cheshire smile on her face and we go into straight into detective mode in search of the rock or tiny barbie shoe in her mouth.
One day after she turned one she kept itching her nose and we realized she had shoved a something up there. After a moment of panic I used the "mother's kiss" method to remove the bright yellow bead. I could go on but you get the idea. Infant CPR is one of the few things I think is absolutely necessary for parents to know. Really, anyone who might be alone with your baby for any period of time should know CPR and basic first aid. August 28th at 10am our friend Gail Gould will teach an American Heart Association CPR class for $39 a person. You can sign up here. Space is limited due to social distancing guidelines and masks are required for this event. Hope to see some of you there!
New events on the Calendar
Last week I added a few events to our calendar. Again, these in person events will have limits on the number of attantends but we hope you will make it out. On Sunday September 12th we will have a Partner's Day event. Newly delivered families and expectant families will meet at the birth center for introductions and then while the birthing folks head off to grab a meal, partners will hang back with the babies and I. We'll share what life is like with a newborn and share tips on survival. I'll be around to help answer questions and teach a few baby care tips. This is a great way to get to know your fellow HOH families and hear some real life advice from new parents. This event is exclusively for current HOH families and Whole Heart Collective members. RSVP HERE .
While I'm super sad we had to cancel our family brunch I'm hopeful that we will all be able to get together by the fall. So, because my very favorite holiday in the whole world is Halloween I figure our first real community wide gathering should be a Spooky Baby Bash! If you were part of my doula practice you know that these Halloween parties are kind of a big deal. Family costumes aren't required but I will give you the disappointed mom look if you show up without one. Just saying. Save the date and start planning now!
Upcoming Events
Latch Clinic: August 18st, 9/1 & 9/15, 10am, Leah Jolly IBCLC will join our weekly postpartum support group to answer your feeding questions.
Pregnancy Group: August 22nd 4-6pm Kim Jones LPC of the Center for Postpartum Family Health will join us for a SUPER helpful info session on the Gottman Method and the classes offered for pregnancy and postpartum. We highly recommend you and your partner attend this meeting to get an idea of things you should start thinking about before you baby arrives. Even if you already have a kiddo or two at home, these tips will be beneficial! RSVP to the party here!
Infant CPR & BLS: Saturday August 28th 10 am, If you haven't taken a CPR class in the last few years we highly recommend taking a refresher before you bring your new baby home. This is also a great class for grandparents and potential babysitters. This class is an American Heart Association approved class. Sign up here. (This course is appropriate for expectant parents and healthcare workers)
Pregnancy Group: Sunday August 29th 4pm Pelvic Floor in Pregnancy and Postpartum Karen Kowenski our pelvic floor guru will be here to answer questions and give tips on caring for your pelvic floor before during and after birth. RSVP Here
Partner's Event: Get some hands on training for the newborn period. New parents and babies will hang out with expectant families to get the low-down on what the fourth trimester looks and feel like. Masks are required. RSVP Here!
Pregnancy Group: September 19th 2pm Newborn Care Basics and First 48 of breastfeeding. Jessica will teach what to expect from your newborn in the first few weeks of life followed by Leah Jolly IBCLC reviewing the ways to establish a good foundation for breastfeeding in the first 48 hours of your new baby's life. RSVP here!
Ongoing Events
Postpartum Support Group: Every Wednesday from 10-12ish and Thursday 9:30-11:30. Come as you are, come late, leave when you need to.
Various Childbirth Education Curriculums starting soon: Rebel Birth weekly series or weekend intensive, and Bradley Method with Anne Zwicky. Birthing from within starting soon!
That's all for now. Have a great week, friends!
