The Weekly Newsletter for Heart of Houston Birth and Wellness Families and Friends!
The More You Know!
Happy day, friends! It's springtime in Houston and that can only mean one thing, the oak trees have waged their annual war on the citizens of our fair city. Time again for our cars, outdoor furniture, and faces to temporarily don a light yellow dusting of tree pollen. Pro tip for those of you who are new to the city and the annual Purging attempt from our botanical brethren, nasal rinses are a must and bathing before bed can reduce the allergens on your pillow. You're welcome. On to the good stuff! Last week we had our quarterly employee skills and drills day. Rachel and Bethany led an inservice on safe usage of nitrous during labor and we ran drills on various emergency scenarios. I'm so grateful to be a part of this amazing team of gifted and intuitive birthworkers. We successfully resuscitated a compromised newborn, stopped a postpartum hemorrhage and managed a shoulder dystocia with precise communication and attention to detail. Our midwives are constantly thinking 10 steps ahead and forever on the lookout for yellow flags to ensure the birth center remains the safest place for you to give birth. We are experts in low risk and low intervention birth which also means we are experts in recognizing when things might veer off course. Running occasional drills like these really helps to keep our emergency management skills sharp and at the ready!
Mindful Movement
One of the challenging parts of my job as Director of Programming is convincing folks to attend events that might feel a little out of their comfort zone. I think our Mindful Movement class might be the best example of this. Led by our friend and HOH birth assistant Joanna Zepeda, this intentional hour long class is meant to equip you with important tools for pregnancy and birth. Each session begins with a practice of mindfulness and breath work which are two vital skills for managing labor. Joanna challenges you to explore your beliefs about labor and birth and what role those preconceived expectations might play on your big day. Sprinkle in some focused movements and exercises to optimize your baby's descent into the pelvis and a lot of laughter and you've got Mindful Movement. We are so sure that you will love this class as much as we do that we are offering a free demo class for all existing HOH and WHC members. Classes are held the first and second Saturday of each month. Your first chance to try it out is this Saturday at 10:30 am, partners/support people are welcome to participate as well. Let us know what you think!
Speaking of Talent
You might have noticed a few homemade items in our lobby. These lovely lip and nipple balms are made with love by our very own Nurse Rachel. She named her products Bèl Myèl, which means "beautiful bee" in Haitian Creole, which Rachel happens to speak. Beeswax is the main ingredient in her lip balms. She's also whipped up a few lavender heating pads that are perfect size for achy lower backs or tense neck and shoulders. Check them out at your next visit!
Our newest student midwife CJ is also offering a service that could be a game changer for exhausted new parents: postpartum housekeeping. Check out her flyers in the clinic or ask Rachel while you're checking out her lip balm.
This Week's Events
Community Walk will be at Centennial Gardens
March Events
RSVP on our Calendar of Events page
Events are for HOH and WHC Members unless otherwise noted
Community Walk: 10am 3/1 Centennial Gardens, 3/15 Memorial Park , and 3/29 Water Works Open to public!
Evening Core Class: Orientation, Mapping Out your Pregnancy Wednesday March 1st 6pm
Virtual Postpartum Circle: 10am 3/8 & 3/22 . Please RSVP for link to HOH Zoom room.
In-Person Postpartum Circle: 10am -12pm every Thursday
Mindful Movement: 3/4 and 3/11 10:30am register or pay at the door Open to the public $20 non members. WHC and HOH clients get one FREE introduction class $15 per class after.
Anxiety Support Group:Monday 3/6 & 3/20 12-1pm
Meet the Doulas: Friday 3/10 HOH zoom room Free & Open to the public.
Friday Night Yoga with Bee: 3/10 & 3/24 6:45pm Open to the public see event details for pricing for non members. Donation based for members
New address 6550 Mapleridge Ste 100
Monthly Ongoing Events
Wednesday Virtual Postpartum Support Circle: Second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 10-12 on Zoom. HOH clients and Whole Heart Collective members. Email Jessica if you need more information.
Thursday In Person Postpartum Support Circle: 10-12 in the community room. Open to current HOH & WHC members. Feeding clinic first and third Thursdays of each month.
Queer Parent Circle: Second Sunday of every month 2-4pm Open to the public.
Parents of School Age Kids Circle: First Sunday of every month 11-1pm Open to the public.
Babywearing Meetup: Third Saturday of each month 4-5pm New Topic each month
Birth workers Circle: Second Sunday of every month 11am-1:30pm midwives, student midwives, doulas, birth assistants, Obs and L&D nurses are all welcome to attend.
Mindful Movements: First and second Saturday of each month 10:30-12
Yoga with Bee: Every Monday from 10-11am Open to the public members donation based register here.
Various Childbirth Education Curriculums starting soon: Rebel Birth weekend intensive or Bradley Method with Anne Zwicky
That's all for now! Have a great week everyone.
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