As always, February arrived with an explosion of hearts, flowers, candy and Valentine’s Day cards. Reminders to demonstrate love and appreciation for our families and friends are everywhere. This year, I also find myself thinking about the gratitude I have for my community – both at Byenveni Baby and within the larger groups of people that I see throughout my days. In our overwhelmed lives, it can be so easy to keep to ourselves, but there are real benefits to even brief connections that we share with strangers.
The link between social connection and happiness is well documented – and one easy way to connect with others is a smile! According to psychologist and integrative medicine mental health expert Roseann Capanna-Hodge, “smiling at another person can have a ripple effect, not only improving your health, but creating well-being in others.” The act of smiling releases endorphins which lower stress levels and encourage feelings of warmth and happiness. Capanna-Hodge goes on to write- “Nothing beats the feeling of being appreciated just for the reason that you are a human being. A smile from a stranger is a celebration of complete equality between two humans.”
So, when you’re out in the world, give it a try! Be sure to let me know if it makes a difference for you. At the heart of it all, I really do think we belong to each other.
I am so excited to partner with My Gym Sherwood for an infant and pediatric CPR class on April 20th! I’ve heard so many great things about their programs, so here is a brief introduction to My Gym:
My Gym’s goal is to love and nurture all children through meaningful play. We focus on helping children gain confidence, gross and fine motor skill development, and social/emotional development in a safe and clean environment! Plus, our Parent & Me classes are FUN and a wonderful bonding time for babies and grown ups. Our movement classes are for children age 3 months through 8 years.
Find out more on our website- mygym.com/sherwood and IG- @mygymsherwood.
Message Sara to get signed up for this special pop-up class at My Gym on April 20th!
We are fortunate to have many amazing resources in our area for pregnant people and those who have recently given birth. However, I was recently asked what resources and podcasts were available for partners, and it was hard to come up with much! So, I did a little research. Here’s what I found-
- Sam Stevens, LMFT- local therapist- resource page: https://www.samstevensmft.com/Fatherhood.html
- Baby Blues Connection – monthly support group for partners: https://www.babybluesconnection.org/get-help/support-groups/
- Baby Blues Conncetion – help for partners page: https://www.babybluesconnection.org/get-help/for-partners/
- Michael Finlay blog: https://thisisfatherhood.blog/llc/
- Podcast and website: www.thenewfatherhood.org
- Podcast: So Into That by Caroline Chambers, Episode: *the* guide to being the best newborn partner ever
- Podcast: Your Parenting Mojo by Jen Lumanlan, Episode 092: Fathers’ unique role in parenting
What other books, podcasts, support groups, or other resources do you know of for partners of the birthing person? I would love to know and share with others!
I am so excited to welcome Emily as a collaborator here at Byenveni Baby! Emily, a skilled Doctor of Physical Therapy, invites you to join her Perinatal and Postpartum yoga series, Mondays through March 11th. Emily expertly tailors her classes to meet the unique needs of each of her students and creates a supportive and inclusive environment for all expectant and new birthing parents.
Sign up for yoga here: https://www.bewellbabypdx.com/yoga
Emily is also offering an Infant Massage training on March 9th from 10-12. She will guide you through the techniques to help improve your babies feeding outcomes, immune function, sleep, circulation, and so much more – not to mention the bonding experience between parent and baby.
Early bird pricing ends February 15th! Sign up for Infant Massage Training here: https://bewellbabypdx.as.me/babymassage
New Offering- Birth Processing Visits with Midwife Sara
Pregnancy and birth can be transformative and beautiful experiences. They also have the potential to leave people feeling overwhelmed and possibly traumatized. Birth processing visits offer parents a time to reflect on their experiences in a supportive environment. Debriefing visits can be especially impactful for those who may have experienced complications, unexpected events or difficult decisions during the pregnancy and or birth process.
I’d love to talk with you more about these powerful visits. Reach out to chat.
- Monday, February 12th
10:45: Perinatal and Postpartum Yoga with Emily – see above to sign up
12:00: Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group with Robin Nunez! - Friday, February 16th
10:00: Sleep Support Group with Holistic Sleep Coach Court Wright
12:30: Developmental Play Groups with Baby With Me – see their IG to sign up - Monday, February 19th
10:45: Perinatal and Postpartum Yoga with Emily – see above to sign up
12:00: Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group with Midwife Sara - Friday, February 23rd
10:00: Sleep Support Group with Holistic Sleep Coach Court Wright - Monday, February 26th
10:45: Perinatal and Postpartum Yoga with Emily- see above to sign up
12:00: Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group with Midwife Sara and Special Guest Estefania of Nourishment for Generations - Friday, March 1st
10:00: Sleep Support Group with Holistic Sleep Coach Court Wright
1:30: Starting Solids Class with Baby With Me - Monday, March 4th
10:45: Perinatal and Postpartum Yoga with Emily- see above to sign up
12:00: Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group with Midwife Sara - Friday, March 8th
10:00: Sleep Support Group with Holistic Sleep Coach Court Wright - Saturday, March 9th
10:00 Infant Massage Workshop with Emily of Be Well Baby PDX! Sign up HERE. - Monday, March 11th
10:45: Perinatal and Postpartum Yoga with Emily – see above to sign up
12:00: Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group with Midwife Sara - Friday, March 15th
10:00: Sleep Support Group with Holistic Sleep Coach Court Wright
12:30: Developmental Play Groups with Baby With Me - Saturday, March 15 2:00 Infant & Pediatric CPR with Midwife Sara – email to sign up
As always, our in-house team is here for you…
- Mondays, Midwife Sara Holt- Consults and Supported Pregnancy Program visits
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays, CNM Joanna Wilder of Mariposa Midwifery Gynecology and Obstetric care visits
- Thursdays, Robin Nunez, IBCLC of Nurture Lactation- Lactation consultation
Reach out to us to get scheduled.
To stay up-to-date on all of the events at Byenveni Baby, please follow our Instagram.
Thank you so much for being here and for all your support of Byenveni Baby! Please hit reply if there’s anything I can help with in the pregnancy and postpartum world, or if you just need to chat!
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