Thanks to all the wonderful people that attended the Eat Local Meeting! We had a great turnout, and a great speaker! Thanks to Abby from Thistle Byre Farm, as well! We very much enjoyed her talk.
We had a handout for those that did attend, but we would also like to have all of that information available to anyone visiting our site. Check back soon for a huge list of ways to eat locally. We will offer resources for assistance with your own garden, resources for local community gardens, local CSA’s, Farmer’s Market vendor contact information, and also a link to join the local food co-op that is in the works for getting started.
Tags: community gardens, eating locally, food co-op, gardening, indiana, lafayette
Jamie Oliver and our children need you to sign this petition. Help make our schools more able to provide a healthy lunch! You can even become an activist for this campaign on a local level!
Jamie’s Message:
I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It’s time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!
You live in an amazing country full of inspirational people and you have the power to change things. With your help, we can get better food into homes, schools and communities all over America and give your kids a better future. Sign the petition to save America’s cooking skills and improve school food. It could be the most important thing you ever do for your family. America’s health needs you now!
Tags: fresh food, healthy school lunches, Jamies Food Revolution, Nutrition
We’ve added a new resource to our Resources page, DrugWatch.com.
DrugWatch.com is a comprehensive Web site database featuring extensive information about thousands of different medications and drugs currently on the market or previously available worldwide. DrugWatch.com includes up-to-date information about prescription and over-the-counter medications and includes details about associated side effects to aid in the protection of patients and consumers.
Check it out!
Tags: Over-the-Counter Drugs, Pregnancy, Prescription Drugs, side effects
In the case that you weren’t aware, it is Cesarean Awareness Month! The whole point to having such a theme for the month is to raise awareness about normal birth, raise awareness about the very scary cesarean epidemic, and to advocate for women’s reproductive rights.
1 in 3 women in the U.S. end up with a Cesarean Section. Is this safe? Is this normal? No, it is not. The World Health Organization recommends that the optimal rate of Cesarean Sections should be in the range of 5%-10%. Any higher or lower, is risky for mothers and babies. So why is our country lingering around a very unsafe rate of 30%? Why has the rate not gone down even after such a recommendation? I urge you to do some research for yourself. If you are a mother or know a mother, read up. Interview your OB to see what their C-Section rate is. Find out at your local hospital what their rates are. Look into ways to potentially avoid a Cesarean Section. And if you’ve already had one, look into your rights to have a vaginal birth after Cesarean (VBAC).
I’ve gathered some great resources to go through for more information.
International Cesarean Awareness Network
VBAC Facts.com
Stand and Deliver
The Unnecesasarean
The Feminist Breeder
Tags: April is Cesarean Awareness Month, CBAC, Cesarean Section, HBAC, VBAC
CHOICES Natural Parenting Network is happy to be hosting a presentation about the many benefits of eating a whole, naturally grown and local diet.
Monday April 19th at 5:30pm in the
West Lafayette Public Library
Abby Abbott-Rider from Thistle Byre Farm will be giving an informational presentation on the subject of finding local food and their nutritional value. There will be a resource handout designed to help you find area farms, CSA’s, Farmer’s Markets and Community Gardens.
Please Join us, this is a FREE presentation open to the public!
Tags: eating locally, famers market, farms, gardens, IN, lafayette
Over at the Motherwear’s Breastfeeding Blog I learned of an extension on the new Health Care Bill that gives mothers in the United States the right to express breast milk at work. The requirement for this allowance applies to all employers of 50 employees or more. Here is a portion of the bill:
…provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to do so. The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk. An employer shall not be required to compensate an employee for any work time spent for such purpose.
This portion of the bill is a HUGE step forward, but to put that year time limit on it is a baby step backwards. Overall, I am thrilled, though. This is great news.
I love this article. The author is interviewing Gena Kirby, who sits on the Attachment Parenting International Board of Directors about safe co-sleeping, safe baby wearing, and the many misconceptions about Attachment Parenting (AP). Here is a highlight:
Q: What should moms know about Attachment Parenting (AP) and what are the biggest misconceptions?
A: Attachment Parenting is summed up best for me by Dr. John Gottman. He says, “The key to successful parenting is not found in complex theories; elaborate family rules, or convoluted formulas for behavior. It is based on your deepest feelings of love and affection for your child and is demonstrated simply through empathy and understanding.
“Good parenting begins in your heart, and then continues on a moment-to-moment basis by engaging your children when feelings run high, when they are sad, angry, or scared. The heart of parenting is being there in a particular way when it really counts.”
Attachment parenting misconceptions? One of the biggest is that AP mommies are passive and let their kids do whatever without discipline. Sometimes they think we are a by-the-numbers group and we parent exactly the same way.
Tags: Attachment Parenting, Baby Wearing, Breastfeeding, child safety, co-sleeping
Anyone and everyone interested in breastfeeding, needing support while breastfeeding, who has questions about breastfeeding, or would just like to sit and chat with like-minded moms is encouraged to attend.
Date: Friday, March 19, 2010
Time: 12pm – 2pm
Location: Believe Midwifery Services, LLC
118 West Main Street
Thorntown, IN 46071
Phone: 765.436.7527
This group meets monthly on the third Friday of each month.
CHOICES Natural Birth & Informed Parenting group-meetings will resume on Monday February 8th at 5:30 pm in the West Lafayette Public Library. As always refreshments will be available and there is free parking across the street in the parking garage. Our topic will be “Raising Difficult Children”, we are inviting back Judith A. Myers-Wall to talk about handling children with unique characteristics as well as identifying hallmarks in the parents behavior and giving suggestions on how best to adjust to and recognize the root of some issues. We hope to give good support and suggestions to parents who often suffer from guilt or feel alienated because of their children’s less than appealing social skills. I hope that you will be able to join us.
Our March session will be our annual Vaccine Seminar with guest speaker Dr. Daubenspeck from The Nutritional Wellness Complex. Last year we had 55 people attend and we hope to meet if not exceed that many this year! Please help us spread the word about these two meetings to any new parents or social networks you may be in contact with!
