The Weekly Newsletter for Heart of Houston Birth and Wellness Families and Friends.
Welcome Babies!
Happy Tuesday, friends!
I swear that one day soon I'll get it together enough to get the Bumpdate out on Mondays again. Or not. How about we just say I'll just get it out as soon as I can each week? Deal!
This weekend was full of babies again! We've welcomed four new babies in our new space and the Sky Room (with the bird wallpaper) seems to be the space of choice. We are loving all the space we have to move around and not having to use that damn inflatable birthing tub! We finally got to use the beautiful birthing stool Papa Barry (as his grandsons, the Love boys, call him) made for us. It worked worked like a charm supporting the birthing mama as she welcomed her fourth little one into the world. Thank you Grandpa Barry, this stool is sure to see some amazing things for years to come.
Yoga for Everyone
Next week is our first community led Baby and Me yoga class. Our HOH kiddo Petra and her mama Tarah will lead us in a practice designed for anyone who doesn't mind kiddos in the room. This event is open to all current and former HOH clients and Whole Heart Collective members. Mark you calendars and we'll see you there. September 28th at 12:30, bring your baby and your mat!
Also on the 28th we welcome back our friend and occupational therapist (OT) Hannah Durning who will share tips on meeting milestones through play. Class starts at 10am. Hannah will begin seeing private client in our space multiple times a month for private sessions so swing by and meet her if you're looking for a pediatric OT. We'd love to see you at both events!
Don't forget that Bee and her team will also be here for another Friday Night Yoga on the 23rd from 6:45 to 8 pm. As always, newborn specialist and postpartum doulas will offer free childcare during class. This is a great way to meet Bee and her team of doulas!
Register for these events on website! Check out all of our offerings below or on our calendar of events page.
Meet Student Nurse-Midwife Anya Krause
Hello, I’m Anya Krause! I grew up in Dartmouth, MA with two older siblings. I graduated from
Scripps College in Claremont, CA with a degree in Organismal Biology in 2018. I realized while
participating in ecological research that I wanted to make a switch to a women-led, community-
focused career. Through shared stories of homebirth and knowledge of maternal mortality in the US, the midwifery philosophy of care spoke to me. I then began working at a hospital in Boston as a research assistant, where I also trained as a birth doula. Now, I’m working towards becoming a Nurse-Midwife at Vanderbilt University. This is my first time in Texas, and I am excited to be able to provide care to Heart of Houston’s community. In my free time I love to practice yoga, cook for others, and be by the ocean.
Welcome Anya, we've enjoyed every moment with you!
Multigenerational Housing
Last week I talked about folks choosing to share housing with aging parents and vice versa. We heard from our Whole Heart Community member and West U Wellness Chiropractor, Dr. Ploy Chotiratkul. She, her husband Gary and their two kiddos shares a home with her mother.
What are the benefits of having your mom so close?
One of the best benefits of having my mom so close is for all the things that come up unexpectedly such as getting sick, emergency closures, and basically any of the unexpected things in life that you can't possibly plan for. It's great to have her close by so that she can help fill in the gaps for when extra hands are needed at home wither it be for us, the kids, or herself. It was also our intentions that we wanted to be close by so that we can look after her in case anything was to happen with her. She's healthy and very capable right now but even with small things such as a migraine or stomach bug it gives us a piece of mind that we can pop in to check on her and be quick to act in case she needed a helping hand as well.
Did you intentionally look for homes that would have space for her?
Yes, amongst the many criteria in our home search was to have a space for her and a flexible guest space in case we needed to take someone else in temporary. As both our parents are ageing we wanted to have a welcoming feel in case the need arises.
What was the discussion like with Gary about looking for homes that would include her?
First we discussed with the ideal situation would look like for us in order for her to live with us, what type of space and amount of space that would make both parties comfortable as it would most likely be a permanent situation for the next 20 years. We wanted to both be on the same property or within walking distance, somewhere that the kids could come back and forth between, but still be separated so we're not always sharing the same space constantly, and of course so she can also have her own privacy and won't feel the need to be involved with us 24/7.
A bigger discussion that we had about the sharing a home together was what our lives would look like together. We had lots of uncomfortable talks up front and made her aware of our expectations. We didn’t want to live with her so she would be our lived in nanny. We wanted her to still live her own life, be able to travel, vacation, and work if she wanted to. We always wanted her to be comfortable to say no, and not feel obligated to say yes only because she was living with us. We didn’t want to hold her schedule hostage for the convenience of our family. We also expected to have our own family time and privacy and did not want her in our space every day hence the separate entrance and living quarters. We also wanted the new space to feel like her space so which we were building out I had her input on colors, materials, and fixtures, so she would feel more at home. We also gave ourselves a timeline and checked in every few months to make sure if this situation was still working out for everyone. And if not adjust and brainstorm various ways to improve current conditions so it continues to work for our family.
All events, classes and circles are now at 6550 Mapleridge 77081
This Week's Events
**No online PP support group 9/21, We resume 9/28**
Upcoming Events
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Ongoing Events
Postpartum Support Group: Alternating Wednesdays 10-12 on Zoom. Every Thursday in person 10-12. Link to zoom room has been sent to all HOH clients and Whole Heart Collective members. Email Jessica if you need more information.
Feeding Clinic: Twice a month during Postpartum group. Keep an eye on schedule for specifics
Queer Parent Circle: Second Sunday of every month 2-4pm Open to the public!
Birthworkers Circle: Second Sunday of every month 11am-1:30pm
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 great week everyone.
