Dear Friends,

I hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday and are settling comfortably into 2008. The New Year is a time for fresh beginnings, and we have a number of new offerings and announcements this month. We have added a Newborn class to our Itsy Bitsy repertoire to address the needs of moms and babies from three weeks to three months. We are also experimenting with an afternoon Itsy Bitsy class for Tots. Check out the What’s New section for more information on these and other January offerings.

I am also pleased to announce that The Business of Being Born will be shown again on February 3rd, at the Byrd Theatre. Following two sold out screenings in November, a local group of birth advocates has brought the film back for one last viewing. This film, which has been called the "Inconvenient Truth" of childbirth, is an important film to see for anyone who is pregnant or contemplating becoming pregnant.  There will be opportunity for discussion after the screening.

Childbirth education classes and doulas were a hot topic in the Prenatal classes last month. As women and families take a more pro-active role in shaping the kind of birth experience they want to have, the number of approaches to childbirth preparation is expanding. Our On-Line Resources page provides links to a variety of national organizations offering information about childbirth education and support, and our Local Resources section has a growing list of Richmond area childbirth education and support providers. We are actively updating the Resources pages to create a comprehensive listing of local services and businesses that support new and expecting families, so if you have a suggestion, please send us the contact information and we’ll follow up. As always, choose your care, education, and support providers mindfully: they will be with you in person or in spirit on one of the most important days of your life.

If you’re looking to take some steps toward a more active lifestyle (and yes, you can do this during pregnancy as well as after – the list of benefits for exercising during pregnancy keeps growing), OmMama and TriGirl Training will be forming a walking/running team for the Monument Avenue 10k. The training schedule is appropriate for all levels of fitness and will be geared toward pregnant and postpartum women. The Monument Avenue 10k is one of Richmond’s most enjoyable fitness events – and participating in a group event is a great way to boost your fitness and connect with friends old and new. Please join us and spread the word!

Thank you to all who participated in the classes offered through Yoga Source and OmMama in 2007. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to practice yoga with you and your children, to observe your transformation into parenthood, and to watch your families grow. We wish you all the best in 2008.

Namaste,

Leslie

p.s. OmMama is in the process of developing an evidence-based childbirth education curriculum with the input of Richmond area health care providers, childbirth professionals, and mental health therapists. We need your input! Please be on the lookout for a on-line survey we will be conducting soon to seek your ideas and input on what is/was most desirable to you in a childbirth education program.

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Recent Arrivals!

Congratulations to:

• Hilary P and son Ashton Michael (11/3/07)
• Catherine S and daughter Tess (11/6/07)
• Cindy B and son Emre (12/2/07)
  

Submit your birth announcements and stories on ommama.com!

What's New

• January 9th  & 10th:  Itsy Bitsy Yoga starts.  New students may join the classes through January 17th.
• January 26th:  Conscious Birthing: A Workshop for Couples.
• Register now for the Healthy Mamas Walk/Run Team for the Monument Avenue 10k. First Team Meeting on January 27th.
• February 3rd, 12:30 – 3:30 at the Byrd Theatre: Attend a special pre-screening of The Business of Being Born, a documentary film produced by Ricki Lake and directed by Abby Epstein.  For more information or to purchase tickets visit http://thebusinessofbeingborn.eventbrite.com/.
• Looking for Childbirth Education Classes? Check out our Resources pages for a list of local offerings.
  

Birth Story

Ashton Michael

Ashton Michael P was born Saturday, November 3 at 1:21 pm. My first POSSIBLE symptom that labor was near was an unfamiliar leg and hip soreness all day on Friday, the day before the birth. My legs and whole hip area felt as if I had worked out too long. I kept stretching through the day, but nothing made it more comfortable. At this point, I was really ready to have my baby. So, since I had heard that eating basil can help bring on labor, I had my mother-in-law bring over the last of the basil from her garden for me to make some pesto. . .

Read Full Birth Story

Prenatal Article

Massage Therapy and the Expectant Mother
By Anca Markie, CMT, CPMT

Massage therapy has gained a favorable reputation over the last decade as a viable adjunct to health and well-being  - both physically and psychologically. It is the third fastest growing industry here in the United States and this trend is reflected throughout the world.

Massage therapy for the general population has the documented benefits of reducing the body's responses to stress by promoting sympathetic nervous system sedation. In addition, massage therapy relieves muscle spasms, cramps and myofascial pain commonly felt in the back and neck, counteracting stress on the body's weight bearing joints and muscles. Other aspects of massage include relief of swelling, increasing poor circulation (especially to limbs) and facilitating the metabolic process.

All of the general benefits of regular massage therapy are especially applicable to the expectant mother as her body goes through the dramatic structural and physiological changes of pregnancy.

The pregnant woman's body adjusts to the additional weight of the growing baby which often produces tension in the muscles of the back and legs, stretching of the abdominal muscles and stress on the weight bearing joints - hips, knees and ankles.  Physiologically, the circulatory system and every other body system must adapt to and support the changing body.

While massage therapy during pregnancy is not intended to replace appropriate medical and prenatal care, there are a number of indications and potential benefits of massage treatment designed and directed specifically to the pregnant client that addresses the mother-to-be's unique physical and emotional needs:

• Relieves pain in the muscles and joints that must support the added and redistributed weight gained during pregnancy
• Can help increase flexibility, making it easier for your body to adjust to a changing shape
• Reduces excess fluid retention by gently pushing fluid in to circulation where it can be eliminated
• Will slow the progress of varicose veins as enhanced circulation lowers pressure on bulging veins
• Promotes low blood pressure and can be very helpful in cases of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH)
• Relieves headaches caused by tension, constipation & build up of toxins

Particularly for those women who are alone in their pregnancy, either literally or through the emotional absence of their partner, the massage therapist can also provide much needed emotional support and physical nurturing for the mother-to-be, helping her feel more confident and comfortable with her new role.

Therapists working in this specialized field also have the unique opportunity of working with a mother over a period of time in developing her sensory awareness in order to facilitate labor and delivery, specifically through teaching her how to relax the back, abdomen and pelvic floor musculature which in turn allows the uterus to labor without resistance.

And, finally, it is our belief, supported by other's research and our experience that women who have the experience of nurturing touch during pregnancy and labor, become mothers who are comfortable touching and handling her baby in a nurturing way.

Certainly there are a number of contra-indications to massage therapy during pregnancy and these need to be responsibly addressed through detailed case histories and when necessary, consultation with the woman's physician.

Massage therapists involved in maternity massage often include other services in their practice such as labor support or labor support training to partners, infant massage and teaching mothers, fathers or partners pain management techniques. The special considerations, contra-indications and adaptations crucial to professional pregnancy massage therapy are not always included in massage therapy training so it is important for a potential client to seek out a competent, specialized therapist. Such a therapist will have received at least 30 hours of additional specialized professional training that includes testing and practicum work. She should be able to produce a certification of completion of such a course in addition to certification of Massage Therapy.

Anca Markie is a Nationally and State Certified massage therapist who received her initial training at the Richmond Academy of Massage in 1999. She holds a degree in Health Sciences from George Washington University and is certified in Pregnancy Massage through the National Association of Pregnancy Massage Therapy. She founded Mama’s Touch Maternity Spa as part of SPAepidauros in 2004, and has 4 certified Prenatal Massage Therapists on staff. In addition to Prenatal Massage, the Maternity Spa offers other therapies to address circulation & swelling, and associated skin conditions. For more information on SPAepidauros or Maternity Spa services please visit www.spa-epidauros.com.

Postnatal Article

Choosing Toys for Babies
By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of Gentle Baby Care

You may not be sure what kind of toys, or how many, your baby should have. It’s likely that you hear conflicting advice that runs from one extreme to another! It’s either: “Don’t give your baby toys — he’ll be spoiled,” to “Give your baby lots of toys — they develop his brain.” So…which is it?

Both sides of this debate have valid points. A baby does indeed learn from the things she plays with, and the more things she has access to, the more she can learn. With this in mind, many parents spend a fortune buying toys; however, many toys hold a child’s attention for three or four days, only to be relegated to the bottom of the toybox or back of a shelf.

Babies learn about their world by using all five of their senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Toys engage and refine these senses by:

• Helping your baby learn how to control his movements and body parts
• Helping your baby figure out how things work
• Showing your baby how he can control things in his world
• Teaching your baby new ideas
• Building your baby’s muscle control, coordination, and strength
• Teaching your baby how to use his imagination
• Showing your baby how to solve simple problems
• Helping your baby learn how to play by himself
• Setting the foundation for learning how to share and cooperate with others

Experts agree that babies need a variety of toys to enrich their lives and encourage learning. While your baby can learn from expensive store-bought toys, she can also learn from a crumpled piece of paper, a set of measuring spoons, an empty box, or a leaf. Everything is new and interesting to a baby, and if you open your eyes to the many wonders in our world, you’ll see that you don’t have to spend a fortune to keep your baby happy, interested, and learning.

What “home-grown” toys are best?
As you view the whole world as a bottomless toybox, here are some tips to consider:

• Search for items of different weights, materials, textures, flexibility, sizes, shapes, colors, and smells. (Most store-bought baby toys are primary-colored plastic; that’s why your metal keys on a leather key ring are so very appealing — they’re different!)
  
• Babies are generalists. Your little one will apply what he learns from one object to any other that is similar. Therefore, don’t give him an old book or magazine to scribble in unless you want all of your books to be potential notepads. A sealed bottle may look fun, but your baby may then think he can play with your pill bottles.
  
• Take a closer look at the things you consider “trash.” Some may be valuable toys! Empty boxes, egg cartons, and tin containers are just a few examples of everyday castoffs that, once cleaned, can provide endless hours of play.

• Your kitchen is overflowing with baby toys! Once your little one begins to crawl, it’s time to rearrange the kitchen. Put all your baby-safe items, such as plastic containers, pots and pans, potholders and canned goods, in your lower cabinets and let your baby know where his “toys” are. You’ll have to relax your housekeeping standards and deal with disorganized cabinets for a while, but the play potential is so fantastic that it’s worth it!
  
• Young children love water play, and a bowl or pan of water along with spoons and cups of various sizes make a fabulous source of fun. You can put your baby in his high chair, sit him on the floor on a beach towel, or take him outside in a shady spot if the weather’s warm. I guarantee he’ll be soaked when he’s done, but that will be after a very long and happy play session.
  
• Containers to fill and empty are lots of fun for a baby. You can safely fulfill your older baby’s desire to manipulate small things by filling a large bowl with a variety of colorful children’s cereals (nothing hard or ball-shaped) and supplying spoons, measuring cups, and other containers. Since you’re using cereal pieces, it’s okay if some end up in his mouth. Don’t try this with beads, seeds, macaroni, or other items that pose a choking hazard.

What store-bought toys are best?
A while ago, I went to the toy store to buy my youngest child, Coleton, a toy that my older three adored when they were babies. It was a simple pop-up toy for toddlers with various buttons, levers, and dials. I found a bewildering variety of this kind of toy, but to my dismay, every single one was electronic. They made sounds, they made music, they had blinking lights — they just about played by themselves! I finally had to order the prized toy from a specialty catalog that carries “back to basics” toys. Sure, electronic toys can be exciting — for a while — but they can also stunt your baby’s developing ability to imagine and manipulate (and let’s face it: those repetitive electronic sounds can get annoying). If a toy does everything by itself, it loses its potential as a tool for developing creativity. Also, if your little one gets used to these toys, then simple pleasures like wooden blocks seem boring by comparison because he expects the blocks to play for him. And those simple toys are among the very best for baby playtime.

Look for these qualities as you shop for your baby:

• Long-term play value: Will this hold your little one’s attention for more than a few weeks?
• Durability: Will it hold up when sat on, thrown, jumped on, mouthed, or banged?
• Solid simplicity: Babies don’t need complicated toys.
• Challenge: Look for toys that teach but do not frustrate.
• Appropriateness. Does it match your baby’s thinking, language, and motor skills?
• Interest: Will it encourage your baby to think?
• Stimulation: How does this toy foster creativity and imagination?
• Interactiveness: Does it engage your child or just entertain him as he watches passively?
• Versatility: Can your baby play with this in more than one way?
• Washability: Well-loved toys tend to get very dirty!
• Fit with your family value system: Does this toy reflect your family’s particular values? For example, is the toy friendly to the environment? Does it promote diversity? Are you comfortable with what the toy represents?
• Novelty: Is this toy different from others your baby already has? You don’t want a toy box filled with 30 different kinds of rattles!
• Fun appeal: Is it something that you will enjoy playing with, too? Toys that encourage you to play along with your baby are ideal.

Best toys for young babies:

Board books
Foot or hand puppets
Musical toys
Rattles
Small, lightweight, easy-to-grasp toys
Squeaky toys
Teething rings
Toys with high-contrast graphics, bright colors, or black-and-white patterns

Best toys for older babies:

Activity boxes (levers/buttons/dials/hinges)
Balls
Beginning puzzles (two or three large pieces; knobs are helpful)
Blocks
Cars and trucks
Chunky small people and accessories
Dolls and stuffed animals
Hammering toys
Large interlocking beads
Modeling dough
Musical toys
Nesting cups
Peg boards
Picture books
Plastic animals
Pop-up toys
Push or pull toys
Shape sorters
Stacking rings
Toy versions of everyday items (telephones, cooking utensils, doctor kits)
Toys you still remember from your childhood (The classics endure and are always a good bet!)
Washable crayons or markers and blank paper

Playtime
As you give you baby new things to play with, keep in mind that there is no right way to play with toys. For example, a puzzle is not always for “puzzling.” The pieces make great manipulative characters, can be sorted or put in boxes, and make interesting noises when banged together or against an empty pot. Children learn through play, so any toy they enjoy playing with is, by definition, educational.

Safety for all toys
Always consider well the safety aspects of anything your baby is going to play with. Here are a few ways to keep playtime safe:

• Discard any plastic wrapping, plastic bags, packaging, or tags before giving a toy to a baby.
• Always watch for choking hazards. Anything small enough to fit in your baby’s mouth has the potential for danger. Watch for pieces that may become loose from a larger object, too. Make sure that no small parts can be pulled off or chewed off the toy.
• Check the paint or finish on the toy to make sure it is non-toxic, since babies put everything in their mouths.
• Check toys for sharp points, rough edges, rust, and broken parts.
  
• Always abide by the age rating on the package. No matter how smart your child is or how wonderful the toy, don't second-guess the manufacturer, since age rankings often are given due to safety issues. If you choose to purchase a toy with an older age recommendation, make certain that the toy is used only when you are playing with your baby, and that it is stored where your baby can’t get to it without your supervision.
  
• Remove rattles, squeeze toys, teethers, stuffed animals, and other small toys from the crib or bed when your baby goes to sleep for naps or bedtime. The exception here is a specialty made-for-baby toy that has been carefully created to be a safe sleeping lovey.
  
• Avoid pull toys with long cords that could wind around your baby’s neck. Pull toys for babies should have either very short strings or rigid handles.
  
• Make sure toys are properly assembled, with no loose parts.
  
• Beware of excessively loud toys. Babies tend to hold things close to their faces, and you want to protect your baby’s sensitive ears.
  
• Buy mobiles or crib toys from reputable manufacturers, and make sure that they attach to the crib without dangling strings. Remove mobiles and other crib toys once your baby can sit up.
  
• Make sure that toys are never left on stairs, in doorways, or in walkways.
  
• Your baby’s toybox should have a special safety lid (or no lid at all) to prevent it from slamming on your baby's head or hands, or trapping your baby inside. There shouldn’t be any hinges that could pinch little fingers.
  
• Never give a baby a balloon, Styrofoam, or plastic wrap as a toy; these present a serious choking hazard, since they cannot be expelled using the Heimlich maneuver.
  
• If a toy is second-hand (whether purchased from a second-hand store or garage sale, or given to you by a friend or relative), give all of the above rules extra consideration. If you have any doubts, always err on the side of safety and discard the toy. Don’t let your baby play with a paint-finished toy that appears to be older than a few years — the paint may be lead-based, which poses serious hazards to a baby who touches or mouths it.
  
• Keep toys (and parts of toys) designed for older children out of the hands of babies. Your baby may like to play with toys belonging to an older sibling or friend, but these are geared, safety-wise, to older kids and are not safe for little ones to use without very close supervision.

  This article is an excerpt from Gentle Baby Care by Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003)  http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth

Ask the Teachers

Q: Leg cramps seem to affect many of us expectant mothers. I try everything - eat a banana a day, stretch before bed time, exercise, drink lots of fluids, etc, and still they come. I would love to know some stretches, some preventative, even some coping techniques.

– Turia P.

A: Leg cramps are experienced by almost half of all pregnant women, especially during the later part of pregnancy and particularly while resting.  The causes are thought to include muscular tension, impaired circulation, pressure on the nerves to the legs, and mineral imbalances caused by lack of calcium or magnesium or an overabundance of phosphorus may also contribute to leg cramping. Dietary measures to prevent leg cramps include increasing your intake of calcium/magnesium rich foods such as bananas, oranges, grapefruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, salmon, sardines, dark leafy greens, almonds, seaweeds, soy products and sesame seeds. Avoid processed foods (including lunch meats) and sodas, which contain high levels of phosphorus.  Stretch your calves frequently throughout the day and before bed.

Even with the best diet and lots of stretching, you may still get leg cramps. Here are some suggestions to avoid and/or relieve them:

To prevent leg cramps:

• Walk a mile or two daily to stimulate circulation in the legs
• Avoid pointing your toes.
• Try Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) for a minute or two and especially before you go to bed to drain the legs. See the Yoga Tip of the Month for instructions.
• Rest with a pillow between your legs to relieve pressure on nerves and improve circulation.

To relieve cramps:

• Straighten your leg and flex your foot so your toes point toward your shin. If you need help, have a partner press your foot firmly but gently toward your shin. Hold these stretches for 45 seconds to a minute. Avoid pointing your toes once the cramp releases.
• Standing with your hands braced against the bed or a wall, extend the cramped leg back and firmly press your heel into the ground. Slowly bend your other leg to increase the stretch in the affected calf.  Then continue to keep the heel of the affected leg firmly grounded as you attempt to bend that knee. You won’t be able to bend it very far, but you will create a very effective stretch of the calf muscles.

To cope with cramps:

• When all else fails, remember your yoga breathing and breathe right through and into the sensation of cramping. It may seem trite, but this is a perfect opportunity to practice being fully present with an unpleasant sensation, which will help to prepare you for the challenges of labor.

Send in your questions to info@ommama.com and we will try to answer them in the next newsletter.

Prenatal & Postnatal Resources

OmMama’s website features one of the best compilation of local and national resources for expecting and new families. Click here to view our online resource list.

Do you provide a service or business of interest to childbearing families in the Richmond Metropolitan area that you would like to list here? Please email info@ommama.com for information about our listing guidelines.