The Weekly Newsletter for Heart of Houston Birth and Wellness Families and Friends
Over the Weekend
Happy Tuesday, friends. We had such a great time Thursday evening welcoming our community partners into our space for our open house for professionals. We loved catching up with friends and meeting local practitioners. We also had yummy beverages and dessert made by our friend Hannah Goodwin of Nurture and Nourish Doula. We asked folks suggest names for our two main birthing suites and got some great submissions. Keep an eye on our Instagram account for some of the best ones. On Saturday we had our public open house. It was great to see some of our babies and families past and present. We are so very grateful for all the love and support we've received from you. Thank you!! And a huge thank you and high fives to all my HOH teammates for showing out! Go team!
Traveling with a toddler?!
Tis the season to get out of Texas and seek out actual winter weather. Or maybe you long for the heat again, like I do. Either way here are some tip for keeping your sh*t together while traveling with littles. I asked two of our HOH families to share their traveling tips.
Evangeline's mama, Virginia
With a little bit of planning and lots of patience, traveling with a toddler can be such an amazing experience. When Jessica asked me to share some tips of traveling with a toddler, my first thought was *TO BE BRAVE*. Do not let what might seem like a daunting, totally overwhelming task, deter you from taking time together as family. Trips will be different, but can be so rewarding and allow you all to bond in a way that you might not get to at home. You will get the opportunity to experience the world in a totally different way than you did pre-kid and they force you to slow down and appreciate things you might have missed otherwise.
So…once you have been brave enough to book the trip, here’s a couple tips that might make your experience that much more enjoyable:
Lower your expectations and be willing to adapt. You are just not going to get as much sightseeing done as you would have pre-kid. That is okay. Sometimes, you are going to have to knock things off the list or change the schedule that you normally keep.
Honor the nap. This might mean you have plan to make it back to your hotel/Airbnb and cut the amount of things you do, but you will have a happier kid that is more willing to come along for the ride.
Let them try all the local foods. They might surprise you.
For flights, bring along a couple toys they have never seen before (you can always borrow something from a friend!) A new paperback book that they can flip the pages can entertain for much longer than you think. Sticky notes, paper and crayons. Think small and light. We also broke down and got some toddler headphones as a last resort. We found these were also good at muting down some of the noise. Oh and the cord was a fun toy too.
If you are taking a long flight, figure out a way that everyone can sleep on the plane. This might mean buying a seat for a kid even if they are under two, or look into the bulkhead bassinet option (we just did this with our 18 month old… it would have been better when she was younger, but still worked well enough).
Speaking of long flights, if you have not booked a seat, you will need to bring along substantial snacks/ food for them. And vary the snacks. We always bring a small lunch box that I pack full of lots of different things in a variety of containers. These are toys too.
Traveling to a foreign country? Do a little research on snacks and where to get them. Having something quick and ready to go can save you as you are trying to find a place for dinner or just have not quite finished that tour.
Both my husband and I work full time and we do not get a lot of time together as just a family. We recently got the opportunity to take our 18 month old with us to NE Italy and Croatia (while I was 28 weeks pregnant!). To say I was nervous is an understatement, but it turned out to be an experience that I’ll never forget and has made our family unit that much stronger.
Tarah, Petra and Bevan
Having just returned home from Trinidad and Tobago, Tarah shot me her list of advice:
Tips for plane:
*Overnight diaper
*Cloth diaper cover over the overnight diaper to help contain blow outs (this works well in a car seat, too)
*Extra change of clothes for both baby AND YOU 😵💫
*I travel Petra in footie PJs so she’s warm on the plane and I don’t have to mess with blankets or layers
*bottles, straws, and those apple sauces they come in pouches help them pop their ears if you’re not breastfeeding
*try avoid pumping on the plane, the pressure change makes it difficult. Or if you have to and are comfortable taking sunflower lecithinin to help flow.
*im glad I travel with a stroller now. If she’s not in it, the bags are and it’s free to gate check anyway.
*take advantage of pre-boarding. Not all airlines announce it.
Tips in general:
*Travel with medication you’re comfortable giving - and a nose frida!
*we always plan for a grocery run the first day to pick up diapers, snacks, safe foods, ect
*Petra always drinks more milk and eats less food when we travel so traveling with way more formula than you think you need.
*We traveled with zero toys - she was entertained enough with the novelty of the new environment, plus she somehow acquired hand me down toys while there
*embrace the car nap, the skipped nap, the random 3 nap days, beach naps
*she has a lovey that was amazing for helping her get sleep in when things were off plus babywearing is usually a guaranteed nap, too.
*trinidad had less of the things we were use to (changing tables, high chairs, food targeted towards babies or children) but in general, babies are more part of the community so even though it was missing some Conveniences, it was still actually ends up easier. We just asked what people did in a certain situation and everyone was more than happy to help or accommodate
*plan ahead, set a realistic pace, be flexible, and allow for buffer time.
*we left a lot of the baby gear at home but we did pack a travel sheet and unscented detergent (they sell travel sizes) since she has sensitive skin
SAVE THE DATE
This week
All events, classes and circles are now at 6550 Mapleridge 77081
Upcoming Events
Wednesday Take a Walk: Wednesday 10/26 10am Now that the weather is better let's start our walks again! This week we'll meet at the Sabine street Water Works parking lot. Text Jessica if you plan on coming so we don't miss anyone. Everyone is welcome!
FREE Friday Night Yoga with Bee: Our friend Bee and her team of doulas are hosting a FREE class for HOH clients and Whole Heart Collective members. Childcare is included. Non members $20 at the door, $10 to join us virtually. RSVP please.
Houston Birth Fair: Saturday 10/29 10am-4pm at the United Way on Waugh. This is a free event showcasing all the amazing Houston area birth workers and ancillary providers. There will be a ton of free stuff, giveaways and demos and panel discussions. Swing by our table for hugs and pictures!
2nd Annual Spooky Baby Bash: Sunday October 30th 10am-12:30 Family costumes are Aggressively encouraged!!! Bring a snack to share and visit with friends. Please RSVP!
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.
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