News and Notes

Extra August weekend intensive added!

We've added an August weekend intensive childbirth education class!  Join us on August 7th & 8th from 9a-3p.  Space is limited - register now!

For your older baby: gentle solutions to separation anxiety

As our babies grow older, we face new challenges - including the wee one that doesn't take kindly to our brief-but-necessary absences!  We love Elizabeth Pantley's books - they provide loving, thoughtful ways for parents to develop their own strategies around a variety of concerns: sleep, naps, potty training . . . Her books are evidence-based and while they have an attachment-parenting focus, are supportive of a wide variety of parenting styles, which we appreciate.  Be sure to check out her lastest book, The No Cry Separation Anxiety Solution at www.nocrysolution.com.

Green your pregnancy, birth and early parenting

NOTE NEW DATE!

We're excited to be hosting this new workshop designed especially for new and expectant parents!  Prepare for the changes of the childbearing year--from conception through the first few months of infancy. Learn what is truly essential in protecting you and your babies health, how to create a healthier home and save money, and ways to navigate the onslaught of choices from skincare products to paints, furniture, and toys for the nursery.  Held at Birthways - September 11, 2010 - 10:00am - 3:30pm - for more information, visit The Green Mama: http://bit.ly/greennest.  To register, contact Birthways at 888.506.0607.

Birthways is welcoming new doulas into our group!

Birthways is growing!  We're excited to be welcoming new doulas into our group.  Know someone with lots of experience with new mothers and newborns?  Here's more information on becoming a Birthways doula: http://bit.ly/joinBWcommunity

Join Team Birthways as we support birth choices for women!

Come join us this Sunday (May 16th) as team Birthways participates in the Walk for Illinois Midwives.  The more choices women have for births, the better births we will all have!

http://walkformidwivesillinois2010.eventbrite.com/

On creating attachment to our babies

Great piece for all parents by Katherine Stone, a blogger who writes on parenting after perinatal mood disorders: http://huff.to/9hUVkI

Highlights of "Protecting the Mommy Brain"

Thanks to Northside Parents Network for hosting Karen's talk, Protecting the Mommy Brain.  Check out the highlights.

Making hormones work for you!

Check out this great article by Karen on making the hormones of pregnancy and breastfeeding work for you: http://bit.ly/drM46s

Birthways has virtually arrived!

Birthways is now on Facebook and Twitter!  So glad to be able to connect with family and friends in a new way.  Help us link up to others who care about the childbearing year -- join us!  If we gain 250 Facebook friends in the next two weeks, we'll give away a massage to one of our new Chicago-area fans.

Free talk on protecting the "mommy brain"

Learn about a great organization - Northside Parents Network - and about protecting those all important "mommy brains" at this free event on Thursday, led by Birthways' founder Karen Laing. http://www.npnparents.org/parentUniversity.asp

Chicago Trib weighs in on VBAC research

Check out this post from Chicago Trib's Julie Deardorff on VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean).  Nice look at the most recent research: http://bit.ly/9ac64c

Struggling with sleep?

These logs, developed by sleep expert Elizabeth Pantley, are a great starting place for exploring your baby’s sleep patterns:

http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/links/3.html

Want to see babywearing in action?

This great video shows nearly every sling and wearing method with real moms and babies.

http://www.tummy2tummy.com/

Birthways mamas are welcome to borrow it from their doula – just ask!

We used to see our mothers, sisters, aunts, and neighbors breastfeed.

Now great videos can help us learn!  This five minute video shows a good latch in action:

http://www.ameda.com/community/videos.aspx