Letter From Anna Getty

Hello, and welcome to the Pregnancy Awareness Month (PAM) Newsletter. For the last five years in my yoga class I have had pregnant women come to me with myriad questions about their pregnancies. Questions about their changing bodies, nutrition, child birth, circumcision, vaccinations, among others. During my first pregnancy I realized how important educating myself was is during this time. As pregnant women we are both vulnerable and so open to learning new things, getting the right information to support us in our decision making process is crucial for our own confidence and ultimately for the choices we make. Use your intuition to guide you and you will find your way. Our goal with PAM is to help you find your way. I hope you enjoy our EDUCATION week, week 1 of PAM."

Best,



Anna Getty
Founder, PAM

Do You Know What's Lurking Under Your Sink?

Did you know that 47 percent of us can't name a single ingredient in our household cleaners? That more than half of us have never checked a cleaning product's label to assess the ingredients or warnings? Or that one in five of us don't take steps to safeguard our families from more than 60 chemicals found in the average American home? These new statistics are alarming.

Be the most powerful consumer and protector of your family's health and that of the environment by educating yourself on the impact of household toxicity. As an expectant or new mom, your body is an eco-system at its finest and you treat it accordingly by detoxifying your habits and diet. Challenge yourself to do the same with your home.

Visit WebMD's new Health eHome to symptom check your house; learn about the various "hot spots" of toxicity and how to overhaul them in practical, affordable ways. Nesting should be fun - and safe - as you prepare your habitat for the amazing addition of new life.

Seventh Generation

Respect is the Foundation of the RIE Approach

Most of us would agree that it's important to treat an infant with respect. But what does a respectful interaction between parent and baby look like?

A good place to start is to always tell your baby what you're going to do before you do it. Before picking up your baby, say, "I'm going to pick you up now." And then, wait, for your baby to process what you've just said.

By slowing down, telling your baby what's about to happen and giving your baby time, you create a more peaceful atmosphere. The message sent is "I care about you. You are important to me."

Deborah Solomon
Executive Director, Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE™)

To find out about RIE Before Baby Pre-Natal, Parent-Infant and Nurturing Nanny courses, go to www.rie.org

Who's Going to Win this Week???

What can you win this week just for forwarding this newsletter to 5 or more friends?

· Sampler of SproutBaby.com 1st 25 people only!

Parenting Begins Before A Baby is Born

Pregnancy allows time for expectant moms and dads to think deeply
about what kind of parents they want to be. The Center for Nonviolent Education and Parenting is a resource for new and expecting parents to develop their skills and explore the new relationships with their children.

• Who do you hope these babies will be when they are adults?
• What kind of relationships do you hope to have with them?
• How does the way I was raised affect
• the way I parent?
• Do my partner and I have a similar vision about how we will raise our children?

Options for Maternity Care

How do we ensure high quality, high value maternity care? In the U.S., 23% of those discharged from hospitals are childbearing women or newborns, 6 of the 15 most common hospital procedures in the entire population involve childbirth. Cesarean section is the most common operating room procedure. Research conducted in the United States has consistently shown equal or better outcomes for midwife versus physician-assisted low-risk births, citing significantly lower rates of interventions such as induction of labor, rupture of membranes, episiotomies, and cesareans. Midwives approach birth as a normal, natural, healthy life event. Midwives are experts in watchful waiting, non intervention in normal process, and judicious use of intervention and technology.

Midwives can be found in private practices, hospitals, clinics, physician's offices, free standing birthing centers, and home birth practices. The scope of services a particular midwife practice offers depends on the state and local regulations, insurance, hospital policies, and the relationship with her collaborating physician who provides consultation and assistance when needed. For pregnant families it is important to choose a practice that respects and addresses their concerns and whose philosophy on birth is compatible with theirs.

Shadman Habibi CNM, MSN, MA
American College of Nurse Midwives, LA Chapter
Certified Nurse Midwife, UCLA Maternity Associates,
UCLA Department of OB/GYN

Breast Pain Relief from the Produce Aisle

Chilled cabbage leaves can provide relief from the pain of engorged breasts, and women who used the cabbage leaves preventatively while their milk was first coming in tend to report less engorgement. The leaves can stay on for about 20 minutes 2-3 times a day. Breaking the spine of the cabbage leaf may help. If you don't like them cold, studies have shown that room temperature leaves can provide the same relief. You may not want to spend your money on cabbage leaf extract creams. Studies haven't found them to help!

More from Dr. Greene: Breastfeeding
Nature's Way to Nourish Your Baby

So...you're pregnant...

Many pregnancy experiences can be viewed as preparation for parenthood. With the excitement of hearing your baby's heartbeat for the first time and the anticipation of your little one's joyful arrival, you may also be encountering some less-welcomed aspects of pregnancy:

Making frequent nighttime restroom visits and wakefulness? Welcome to nightlife with a newborn! Enduring uncomfortable leg cramps? Think of them as reminders to practice your labor breathing and relaxation techniques. Filled with wonder at your ever-changing body? Prepare yourself to be awed by your infant's rapid development.

Reflect on your prenatal experiences and be aware of your reactions - they may provide insights into the type of parent you will be.

Gillian Beerman
President
Moby Wrap Inc

PAM Mom's Green Essentials Giveaway

Winning is as EASY as signing up! When you sign up for the PAM Newsletter you are automatically entered to win one of our weekly Giveaways as well as the incredible Grand Prize worth over $1500! Each week one person from our newsletter list will win a gift from one of our sponsors, simply by being signed up to receive our newsletter. This week someone will win a $100 gift card to A Pea in the Pod.

At the end of the month of May, we will draw one last name from our newsletter list, and that lucky person will win over $1500 in prizes:

Naturepedic Organic Cotton Ultra Crib Mattress, 1-month FREE Sproutbaby.com membership (that's 60 pouches of organic baby food), Dr. Greene Vitamins Gift Pack, MobyWrap Organic Gift set and a signature piece from their handknit line, Seventh Generation Natural Baby Starter Kit, "Your Best Birth" by Ricki Lake & Avvy Epstein, a 10-month supply of LUNA minis (300 bars), Born Free Smart Start Gift Set, Argon Oil & Bear Naked Wipes from Josie Maran Cosmetics, Epicuren Baby Gift Set, "It's a Big World" CD by Renee and Jeremy, Green Bliss Eco Spa Package $100 Gift Card from A Pea in the Pod, "Portraits of Pregnancy: The Birth of a Mother" by Jennifer Loomis and Hugo Kugiya, BeBePT Free Prenatal Massage, FREE month of classes at Strollerstrides nationwide, Hot Mom's Club onesie and signed copy of Hot Mom Handbook, 1-year FREE subscription to Pregnancy Magazine, signed copy of "Raising Baby Greene" by Dr. Alan Greene, Amon Maternity $50 gift certificate, Magda Gerber's "Dear Parent" Anna Getty's Pre & Post Natal Yoga Workout DVD, 2 FREE weeks of the "Get Slim fresh food diet program" by Freshology and counting... Learn more

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