Stumptown Mom

Got milk? Donate to Haiti!

****UPDATE - 1/28/10 - Breastmilk donations are no longer being requested for Haiti.  We'll let you know if that situation changes.  In the meantime, US milk banks are facing historic shortages so you can help vulnerable and sick infants here in the US by becoming a milk donor.****

We've all been deeply moved by the scenes of devastation following the earthquake in Haiti earlier this month. And if you're like so many of us, you've wondered how you can help.  Making a financial donation is important - if you haven't already, the need is still great!  

Nursing moms have been looking for a way to donate breastmilk for babies who were victims of the earthquake. Finally, there's a way to donate breastmilk!  

Just yesterday, 1/25, the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, together with several other breastfeeding organizations, made an urgent call for donations of human donor milk.  The first shipment of donor milk is expected to be sent this week to the US Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort.  Read the press release.

Interesting in donating breastmilk?  In Portland, you can drop-off at one of three local sites.  Contact drop-off sites directly to start the donor screening process.

For now, they are focusing on providing donor milk to the USNS Comfort as they have a lactation consultant and doctors on board.  The hospital ship welcomed the delivery of its first baby, a 7 week early premature baby and is now home to several preemies.   There are not yet systems available to keep the perishable donor milk safe on the ground in Haiti.

Find out more about plans to open a milk bank in Portland.

Photo courtesy United Nations.

Prepare your family

We've waited to the very end of September to highlight National Preparedness Month, but better late than never, right?!  The same can also be said for getting your emergency plans together.  It's easy to put it off but once you get it done, you can put it out of your mind.  So just do it, already.

A couple years ago we took the plunge and put together emergency kits -- one for the car and one for the house.  And now it's time for some updating as our lives change.  New job locations, new preschools.  Time to revisit. 

Don't be overwhelmed.  One step at a time.  There are lots of great tools available.

• Get a kit together with stuff you'll need in an emergency.  You can even buy pre-made kits!
• Create a Family Emergency Plan.  Or build your plan online.  Get the kids involved with fun activities.
• Create an emergency plan at work.
• Does your child's daycare or preschool have an emergency plan?  Encourage them to develop one!
• Public schools are required to have an emergency response plan.  Ask for a copy!

The Oregon Red Cross has great info and resources on all kinds of disasters.  They also offer great classroom presentations for kids.

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]

A new downtown fountain = more water fun

Another heat wave is upon us -- thankfully not as extreme as the last one.  But it's still hot and we need ways to cool off.  Sadly, the Portland Parks & Recreation summer park programs are over which means no more wading pools.  You can still catch some free family fun time at the pools, but the summer playgrounds are finished.

There is some good news on the water play front.  Portland's downtown has a NEW public fountain that is perfect for playing!  The Bill Naito Legacy Fountain will officially open tomorrow, August 20th with a dedication ceremony at 11:45am.  Kids are invited and encouraged to come dressed and ready to get wet!  There will be Chinese Lion Dancers, music and even ice cream.

The new fountain is part of the revamp of the northern end of Waterfront Park near the Burnside Bridge.  This weekend you'll find continued celebrations for the new fountain and the new home of the Portland Saturday Market.  A wonderful array of multicultural music acts and fun activities are planned.

[thanks Portland Parks & Rec for the photo]

World Breastfeeding Week: Are you ready?

It's World Breastfeeding Week!  Time to celebrate breastfeeding and its role in the health of babies around the world.  This year, the theme is Breastfeeding:  A Vital Emergency Response.  Planning for an emergency is important.  Who would have thought about breastfeeding as a vital part of this kind of planning?  But it's true.  Being able to safely feed a baby during times of disasters can be critical as infants are more vulnerable during emergencies.

Remember that Chinese police officer who selflessly breastfed orphans after the devestating earthquakes?  UNICEF and other groups are encouraging moms to breastfeed, especially following disasters.  Check out this video about their efforts following the cyclones in Myanmar.

You might be thinking - that's great for folks in other parts of the world, but how does this impact us?  Well, we never know when an emergency will strike.  We live in an earthquake zone, remember?!  Or maybe we'll have flooding or who knows (remember Hurricane Katrina?).  

You can support local breastfeeding efforts or get breastfeeding assistance by contacting one of these wonderful organizations:

•  Nursing Mothers Counsel -- offers a volunteer-staffed help line, free breastfeeding classes and pump sales.  Call them at 503- 282-3338 
• La Leche League -- offers free support groups around the area.
• Find a Lactation Consultant near you.

National Night Out - planning a party?

Every year it seems to sneak up on us as the summer flies by.  Before we know it, it's August and National Night Out.  Maybe you've had a party for years, or maybe you're scratching your head saying, "National what?"  But it's a great way to meet your neighbors and have some fun while doing some covert crime prevention.  That's right, the whole point of getting neighbors together is to show that you won't tolerate crime in your 'hood.  

Tuesday August 4, 2009 is National Night Out

Some communities plan big parties in the park, but many folks have more low-key bbq's on the front lawn.  Not sure if your neighbors have anything planned?  Search online by zip code for a celebration near you.  Or search the Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement's list of registered parties.  Those that registered early enough (we never get ourselves organized in advance!) get a meet-and-greet from the police or fire fighters.  Fun for the kids and great for their public relations!

Here's a little invite you could use to include your neighbors.  Or check out these fun printable kids activities including fun cut-out badges!  It's not to late to throw together a  little get-together for "America's Night Out Against Crime". 

[Photo courtesy Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement]

Summer Food Program - a simply wonderful idea

During the school year, thousands of kids in Oregon (and across the country) receive free or reduced cost meals.  This essential program allows kids to nourish their bodies and minds at school.  But what happens when school's out and funds are still tight at home?  Thankfully, we have the Summer Food Service Program.  

Maybe you've taken advantage of some of the fun free activities at your neighborhood Portland park.  But did you know that many of these sites (and many more) provide free lunches - and sometimes breakfasts and snacks - to kids 1-18 in the summer?  This vital resource is available to any child and no proof of income is needed.  But still only 18% of those kids eligible are served.

Help us spread the word so more kids can benefit!  There are meal sites all across the Portland metro area.  Find a meal site near you!

We're on the road

We've been out of town visiting family, so Stumptownmom's been a bit slow lately (sorry!).  Traveling with kids isn't always a breeze.  Whether it's car travel or plane travel, it can try the patience and will of even the most laid-back of parents.  So we thought we'd share a valuable travel resource to help ease your travel minds.

We LOVE Delicious Baby.  A great blog written by a Seattle mom who has no fear of taking her kids on the road or in the air.  In fact, she's traveled the world with and without her kids. Learn from her excellent tips, sense of adventure and general love of new places.

We especially appreciate the Family Travel Tips.  Why travel with kids in the first place?  How to deal with jetlag.  What to pack when traveling with kids.  And even great lists of plane toys to occupy toddlers (thanks Delicious Baby for this - you've saved our bacon with this one!).

What's even better to love?  The amazing City Guides- featuring ideas for activities, lodging, restaurants and essentials in cities from Seattle to Paris.  Readers are encouraged to add their favorites too so share your travel gems.  Or add your Portland favorites so families visiting our fair city can benefit from your kid wisdom!

[photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons - xersti]

We LOVE Portland Sunday Parkways!

Sounds like Portland's version of Utopia doesn't it -- no cars, just bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, stollers and the freedom to wander the neighborhood for a whole day without worrying about traffic.  After last year's success with a Sunday Parkway modeled after similar weekly(!) events in Bogota, Colombia, Portland's event is back and bigger than ever.  This Sunday is the first of THREE Sunday Parkways to happen this summer in different parts of the city.

Sunday June 21st

North Portland Sunday Parkways

9am-4pm

7.5 miles of car-free biking heaven.   Look for lots of great music, kid-friendly activities, food vendors, entertainment and fun at Kenton, Arbor Lodge and Penninsula parks.  There's no start or finish, just join in the fun when and where you want.  Here's the route map.

Upcoming Sunday Parkways:  July 19th in Northeast Portland and August 16th in Southeast Portland.  Mark your calendars now!

We LOVE Bikes -- and helmets!

This is the second in our series on biking here in Portland.  We LOVE our bikes, hope you do too.

Helmets.  We didn't wear them when we were kids (collective gasp), but now they are the law for anyone under 16.  And, it's just a good, healthy idea for all of us.  A large percentage of bicycle related brain injuries can be avoided by wearing a helmet.  While Oregon law only requires kids to wear them, adults have brains that need protecting too.  Plus, there's nothing we hate more than seeing a kid with a helmet while their parent goes without one.  Let's all set examples of safe bike riding for our kids!

In the market for a bike helmet but don't have $40 for a new one?  Used bike helmets are not the best idea - you never know if they have been in a crash.  Fortunately, we can buy $5 NEW helmets here in Portland thanks to the Trauma Nurses Talk Tough program.  Join them at Thursday's helmet sale at Legacy Emanuel hospital.  Find high quality kids (toddler sizes too!) and adult helmets and have them properly fitted!  BONUS:  Bring old helmets in for free recycling.

Bike / Skateboard Helmet Sale

Legacy Emanuel Hospital 

3-5pm

They'll hold more sales this summer at Emanuel - on July 16th & August 20th.

[photo courtesy Flickr Creative Commons -- *clairity*]