The Weekly Newsletter for Heart of Houston Birth and Wellness Families
Happy Monday, friends! This weekend was jam packed full of birthy goodness. Midwife Bethany supported a sweet couple as they welcomed their first son earthside. It was a beautiful birth and we are so happy for this family. Welcome to the Heart of Houston family little guy! (No picture yet but I promise to post when we get one!)
Friday Night Yoga
Our very first yoga with Bee was a huge success! Bee and her team did an incredible job setting the tone for what will be a regular event at Heart of Houston. Friday evening's practice was both challenging and restorative for all the expectant folks. We were even treated to some delicious snacks and pregnancy tea. You won't want to miss the next class so keep an eye on our social media pages and our event page for upcoming dates.
On Saturday I was able to attend the 2021 Spinning Babies World Confluence online. Talk about information overload! For those who haven't heard of Spinning Babies it is the practice of balancing the pregnant body to optimize the descent and engagement of your baby before and during labor. I am a huge proponent of body work during pregnancy, I've seen first hand how an aligned body can work quickly and efficiently to get a baby out. The presence of relaxin during pregnancy creates the perfect opportunity to correct the very normal misalignments we incur during our lifetime. Because our pelvis is wrapped in connective tissue, muscle and fascia, relaxin allows us to manipulate the path our babies need to follow to get into our arms. The universal challenge for us birth workers is recognizing where and when to pull out our bag of tricks. More often than not our body and our baby will work together with little to no interference but sometimes a skilled practitioner will ask the laboring person to get into a crazy position and with the next contraction it's very evident that something has changed. Of course all the body work in the world won't guarantee a slip and slide birth but who can say no to routine adjustments and massages?!
Sunday Funday
Midwife Mary and doula Rachel Stonebrook led our Sunday pregnancy group in a discussion about sexuality during pregnancy and in the postpartum. Hormonal changes during and after pregnancy can leave some folks feeling all about the sexy time and others, well not so much. Life with a newborn, changes in your body and your new identity as a parent will no doubt alter the physical relationship you and your partner had but it can and should still be an important part of your life together. Remember to be patient and gentle with each other, communication is key!
While Mary and Rachel presented their Kama Sutra slideshow, I was hanging out with some of Houston's best BIPOC birth workers at the first Aligned and Melanated Birth Fair. You would think that as home to the world's largest medical center Houston would have one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the country but sadly that is not the case. In fact, the maternal mortality rate in Harris County is up to three times higher for black birthing bodies than that of their white counterparts. Three times. Community birth workers like birth and postpartum doulas, midwives, and childbirth educators, are working hard to improve racial disparities in maternity care. Area birth centers like Heart of Houston are committed to improving these numbers by caring for low risk pregnancies in both the community and hospital setting. The midwifery model of care incorporates integrated whole-person care and community support that is proven to improve outcomes in communities of color. We are dedicated to supporting local birth workers, birth centers, physicians and birthing people working together to create change in this great city we call home. Stay tuned for ways you can help.
The Countdown is ON!
Our Halloween party is this Saturday!! The weather is supposed to be beautiful and perfect for an outdoor party. We have some picnic tables booked just outside of the gated play area next to the community center at River Oaks Park from 12-2pm. Parking can sometimes be questionable so if you see a spot, take it! This will be a potluck style event, we will provide the paper products and drinks. Please be sure to label your dishes with allergens for those breast/chest feeding folks with dietary restrictions. The park is great for kids of all ages so please bring your entire family! Seating might be limited so bring your camping chairs along just in case. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me before Saturday. See you all soon!!!
Upcoming Events
Events are virtual unless otherwise noted.
Latch Clinic: Now on Zoom 10/27, 11/4, 11/17 at 10am, Leah Jolly IBCLC will join our weekly postpartum support group to answer your feeding questions. We have breakout rooms now so you can spend a few min in private with Leah if necessary.
Take a Walk PP Circle: Thursday 10/28 10am Houston Arboretum. Open to the public.
HOH Halloween Party: Saturday October 30th 12-2 at River Oaks Parks. Everyone is welcome, costumes are AGGRESSIVELY recommended.
Stretch and Dance for Birth: Saturday 11/6 10:30am in person. "Attending Dancing for Birth classes was the highlight of my pregnancy! It was so much more than just dance. Joanna is a doula and Birthing from Within educator so each class was filled with information and insight into birth and parenthood. I always came home with a few new dance moves, tools to use during labor, and new friends! You don’t have to be a good dancer. Show up as you are and Joanna takes care of the rest!" HOH Mama,Tarah.
Pregnancy Group: Sunday 11/7 2pm Open group. No real agenda this class. Bring your questions and catch up with your HOH community.
Queer Parent Circle: LGBTQIA+ identifying parents are welcome to join in community to share the highs and lows of parenthood. New parents and veteran parents are welcome.
Partner's Night: Sunday 11/21 Expectant couples are encouraged to join newly postpartum HOH families to hear birth stories and tips on surviving the fourth trimester.
Ongoing Events
Postpartum Support Group: Every Wednesday from 10-12ish and Thursday 9:30-11:30. Zoom link has been sent to all HOH clients and Whole Heart Collective members. Email Jessica if you need more information.
Various Childbirth Education Curriculums starting soon: Rebel Birth weekly series or weekend intensive, and Bradley Method with Anne Zwicky. Birthing from within.
That's all for now. Have a good week, friends.
AND GO 'STROS!!
