Stumptown Mom

Fight for Preemies

Does it make us feel better to know that Oregon's rates of premature birth are better than those of the southern US?  Well, it shouldn't.  We've only earned a C on the March of Dimes' report card.  That's barely passing and our rate of premature birth is still 10.3%!  This is why we're participating in the Fight for Preemies during November, Prematurity Awareness Month.

Did you know that prematurity accounts for about half of hospital charges for infants?  And that the first-year medical costs for a premature baby are ten times that of a full-term baby?  Yikes.  The birth of a premature baby has long-term impacts on the lives of that family and on our health care system.  We all share in those costs (how much have your health insurance costs gone up?).  But monetary costs shouldn't be our only concerns - the emotional toll is great for those families.  

Resources & what you can do: 

• If you're a pregnant woman or thinking about getting pregnant, the March of Dimes offers some great tips and resources for planning and having a healthy pregnancy.
• Give your baby the full 9 months.  Late pre-term births are on the rise and you'll be surprised to know that the brain of a 35 week baby weighs only 2/3rds of a 39 week baby.  Those last weeks make a difference!
• Support the March of Dimes Oregon.  Give financially or give your time.  They offer a NICU Family Support Project at Doernbecher and an online Scrapbook where families can share their NICU stories.
• Precious Beginnings is a great local organization of parents supporting other parents of critically ill infants.  If you're the parent of an ill infant, they can help with support and a free help-line.  They also offer a great list of online resources for families.

[Thanks to Flickr CC - Scott & Justine fromWyo for the photo of a baby born 10 weeks early]

New moms need one another

It might take a village to raise a child, but it really takes a village to support a new mom.  The birth of a child can bring wonder, joy, exhaustion and frustration.  Am I doing the right things? Do all babies do this?  Am I the only one who is so exhausted I feel like I've been hit by a truck?  Or maybe you just need a little adult conversation (even if it does center around baby's bowel movements!) and companionship.

Thankfully the Portland area's got a wealth of groups that new moms - and dads or other caregivers in some cases - can attend.  Feel free to attend any that work for your schedule & are closest to home, even if you delivered at a different hospital (they don't mind!).  Some charge small fees. Some focus more on breastfeeding support. Some help attendees organize smaller play groups that meet in homes or coffee shops.  

We're focusing here on groups for families with new babies.  In future posts we'll cover other kinds of groups.  Here's the latest info we can find.  Add any additions or corrections in the comments.

Hospital Based Groups

Adventist Medical Center - SE Portland

Mother Baby Support Classes for Babies up to Twelve Months 

Wednesdays 2pm-4pm  & 4pm -6pm

Legacy Health

Baby & Me Groups

Cruisers—9+ months 10:00am-11:00am 

Gigglers—5-8 months 12:00pm-1:30pm 

Snugglers—0-4 months 2:00pm-3:30pm 

 

Emanuel - N Portland —Wednesdays 

Good Samaritan - NW Portland —Tuesdays 

Meridian Park - Tualatin - Tuesdays 

Mt. Hood - Gresham —currently Wednesdays 2:00pm-3:30pm only for all ages

Salmon Creek - Vancouver —Thursdays 

Providence Health 

New Moms Mid-Week Break for babies up to 6 months old

Providence Portland Medical Center - NE Portland
Wednesdays 10:30am-12:30pm
Fridays 10:30 am-12:30 pm  OR 1:30pm-3:30pm

Providence St. Vincent Medical Center - SW Portland
Mondays Noon-2pm
Thursdays 10am-Noon OR 1pm-3pm

Providence Newberg Medical Center
Thursdays 10am-11:30am

Sherwood YMCA
(no YMCA membership required)
Wednesdays 10am-11:30am

SW Washington Medical Center - Vancouver

Mothers Share Support Group (babies up to 6 months)

Mondays 10am

Mommies & Movers (9 months & older)

Fridays 10am

Breastfeeding Support 

Thursdays 9:30am

Multiples Support Group 

Fridays Noon-1:30pm

Tuality Healthcare - Hillsboro - search online under Support Groups

Movers & Shakers (12-24 months) 

Mondays 9am-10:30am 

 

New Parents’ Group (newborn-12 months) 

Mondays 11:30am-1pm 

 

Breastfeeding Support Group 

Tuesdays 10am-12pm

Willamette Falls Hospital - Oregon City

Parents & Babies group

Wednesday afternoons

Community Based Groups

LaLeche League - various locations

Breastfeeding support groups - see website for locations

New Seasons Market
New Parents & Breastfeeding Support Group

Tuesdays—Seven Corners (SE Portland) 

Wednesdays—Concordia (NE Portland)

Thursdays—Happy Valley

 

All groups 10am-11:30am

Nurture, A Center for Growing Families - NE Portland

Mothergarden group 

Mondays 10:30am-12pm

Zenana Spa & Wellness Center - SE Portland

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mondays 10am-11:15am (3months+) OR 12pm-1:15pm (birth - 3months)

[Thanks Flickr CC - Ash(ley) for the perfect pic!]

Your doula search just got easier

If you're expecting, you might be looking for a doula to support you through labor, birth and postpartum.  Doulas can provide critical support to first time parents and experienced parents alike.  All can benefit from their experience, professional training and sympathetic ear.

Portland has an active community of doulas and we've talked before about finding one that's right for you.  Check this post and this post for info on the research behind doula care and things to think about when selecting a doula.

Now you can search for local doulas, check if they are available around your due date and even compare their prices -- all on the new website built by a Seattle doula:  DoulaMatch.net

Happy doula hunting mamas-to-be!

[photo thanks to Flickr CC - SeRVe61]

Make reducing infant mortality part of the debate

Health care reform is taking center stage in the news these days.  Chances are health care is taking a bigger chunk of your paycheck too.  With everyone talking about reform - what will it mean?  What are the misconceptions (and there are plenty out there!)?  What will it mean for me? - let's talk too about reducing infant mortality.

Each year our country spends $26.2 billion on premature babies.  Yikes!  Did you also know that our rates of premature birth have been rising and can lead to long-term issues for those children, their families and even our health care spending?  You can act now to make prematurity a part of the national health care debate!

DONA International, a certifying organization for doulas as well as a number of other interested groups are partnering on reducinginfantmortality.com to push this agenda forward.  

Learn more about the Midwifery Model of Care.  Find out how to take action and contact your legislators.

Watch this great video they produced to highlight the costs associated with prematurity and what we can do to fix the problem:

  

[Thanks to Flickr CC - protorio for the perfect pic]

Drop off a dish for a new parent

When we had a new baby, a friend organized an amazing schedule of meal deliveries.  Our friends and coworkers supported us for several weeks with regular food drop-offs.  We'll forever be grateful for the support and nourishment these meals brought at a time when we really needed help!  Ever since then, it's been my mission to bring a meal to every new mom I know (and even a few I don't know!).  

Everyone says, "let me know if there's anything I can do to help" but without a concrete way to help, their offers usually go unfulfilled.  A directed appeal to do something - and commit to a date - gives well-meaning supporters a way to do just that - help.  A few hints from the food delivery trenches:

1. Get someone to organize a calendar of food deliveries.  This SHOULD NOT be the new parents themselves -- they have enough to do and keep track of.  Assign a friend to be in charge of scheduling and make sure they are good at communicating.
2. Email everyone who might be interested - friends, family, coworkers, etc.  Let them decide whether or not they want to participate.  They can always ignore the email.  Sometimes people surprise you! 
3. Use email and a simple Google Calendar to let folks know which days are available and which are taken.  Or try using some of the new email services like Meal Baby.   Every other day tends to be a good schedule.  Make sure the family knows who is dropping off when, and how to get in touch with them in case something comes up.
4. Check with the family and make any food preferences and allergies known.  A meatloaf delivered to a vegetarian household isn't helpful for anyone. 
5. Remember that dropping off food is supposed to help the family, not be a burden.  You're not going to be eating with them - and you might not even see the baby.   
6. Don't bring lasagna.  OK, you could bring lasagna, but think about bringing something else.  Be creative - pasta casseroles get old quickly.  And when possible, don't leave baking dishes they will have to clean and return.

If you're a cook - just make extra food that night, throw in a bag of salad, maybe a baguette and some chocolate (essential, really) and you've got a great drop-off meal.  Leftovers keep the love flowing into the next day too.

If cooking's not your thing - take-out is always appreciated.  The New Seasons or Whole Foods deli counters are fabulous places to grab some delicious grub (maybe a rotisserie chicken and veggies or some soup and salad) to go.  Or pick something up at their favorite restaurant.  Think thai curry or a mezza platter or yummy Indian food.  You could also call a local pizza place and order something to be delivered.  Or try Delivered Dish - they pick up from a bunch of restaurants all over town.

Have you been the recipient of this kind of food love when you had a newborn or needed some extra help or kindness?  Did it make a difference for your family?  

[photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons - kimberlykv]

Birthing centers abound

There's been a lot of talk lately about where is best to give birth.  Did you catch the lively discussion on OPB's Think Out Loud about birthing?  Whew, even the comments got pretty heated.  Or this recent piece in Time magazine.  As with all things pregnancy and baby related, Portland offers many options.  In future posts we'll explore other birthing options, but today let's look at birthing centers -- a sort of middle ground between the hospital and a home birth. 

At a birthing center, midwives (and in some cases naturopathic doctors) attend births in a home-like free-standing center.   They work with area hospitals and don't hesitate to transfer moms and babies if needed.  If you're looking for a low-intervention unmedicated birth but don't want to have the baby at home, a birthing center might be for you.

Birthing centers provide prenatal and postnatal care and many also offer breastfeeding support, childbirth classes, prenatal yoga and more.   Many insurance plans will cover birthing center births.  If you are on the Oregon Health Plan, talk to the birthing center about how you may be able to get coverage.

• Alma Midwifery in inner SE Portland offers water birth options. 
• Andaluz Waterbirth Center offers a waterbirth option at both of its locations - in SW Portland and in Tualatin.
• Natural Childbirth and Family Center in NE Portland offers naturopath assisted birthing as well as the option of water birth.
• If you're willing to drive - the Bella Vie Gentle Birth Center near Salem is located in a beautiful rural setting.  They also offer waterbirth.

Finding the right doula

A while ago, we talked about how wonderful doulas are.  If you're still unclear about using a doula, or your partner needs some data to seal the deal, check out why DONA says "Doulas Make a Difference!"

Maybe you're already decided that a doula would help with your labor and delivery or after the baby arrives.  So now what?  Where do you find a qualified, supportive doula?  We're lucky in the metro area to have a wealth of resources.  Here are a few tips on finding doulas in your area:

1. Ask your friends, family, neighbors and anyone else you know who has used a doula.  They can give you names and recommendations.  There's nothing better than a personal referral.
2. Find a qualified doula through the Birth Support Network (a local membership organization for doulas and other folks who support families).
3. DONA (a national membership and certifying organization) can help you find a doula in your area. 
4. CAPPA - Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association is another national membership organization.    

You really want to find a doula you feel comfortable with.  Chances are you'll be spending a fair amount of time with this person in a pretty intimate way if they are supporting you with labor.  Or they may be spending time with your family in your home.  You want to feel confident in the support person you choose --

• Start early!  Doulas juggle their schedules carefully and don't take many clients at once.  Looking early will give you choices.
• Interview a few different doulas to get a sense of what you're looking for, their personality and approach. 
• Ask lots of questions and ask about their training and certifications. 
• Ask for references - and check them! 
• Clarify the terms of the contract - how much they charge, when it's due, what happens if they aren't available, how to contact them, how many visits they include in their rate, etc. 

Wanting a doula but feeling pinched financially?  There are still some options!  PDX Doulas is an amazing, grant-funded program that provides birth doulas to moms who request them, free of charge at OHSU.   Or try finding a student doula -- they will often attend births or provide postpartum support pro-bono.  Birthingway College of Midwifery has a list of student birth and postpartum doulas.  Or get in touch with the Birth Support Network to find an interested doula.

Maternal mental health is important!

It might not be the best cocktail party topic, but we all need to talk about the mental health of new moms!  The Oregon State House is considering an important bill this legislative session - HB2666 that will create a statewide coalition to examine the problem.  And in honor of the Oregon State House's designation of March as Maternal Mental Health Month, we're highlighting the great work of an important local group -- Baby Blues Connection.

Baby Blues Connection serves as a critical resource for moms suffering from depression either during or after pregnancy.  They operate a 24-hour message line (call them at 503-797-2843) where you can talk with an understanding and trained volunteer who has been through antepartum or postpartum depression.   They offer weekly support groups in different parts of the city.  

And, they provide referrals to resources for more help.  Their website features a wonderful list of qualified and compassionate counselors who specialize in working with new moms, as well as vast information and links to other resources.  You'll also find printable information on related topics and tips for family and friends.  

If you need help or know someone who does, please don't hesitate to contact Baby Blues Connection.  We can't say enough great things about them!

Doula, doula, what's a doula?

Expecting a baby and wondering about using a doula?  This is the first of a few posts that will deal with finding, selecting and utilizing the support of a birth and/or postpartum doula.

First, what in the world is a doula?

Doulas can play two different roles:

A birth doula is a trained support person who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to mothers during and just after birth.  Postpartum doulas provide emotional and practical support after the baby arrives.  Some birth doulas also provide postpartum support.

Utilizing a birth doula has shown to have tremendous benefits for moms including reduced cesarian rates, a reduction in the use of pain medication and shorter labor.  The benefits also mean lower healthcare costs and greater satisfaction from families.  Read the research.