Postpartum Questions Answered

Join us for a Mother's Appreciation Event~

In honor of you we will be offering free mini massages this Saturday with Teresa Dudrey from 1-3pm. Please come by and let us pamper you! In addition, all our products and clothing for moms and and moms-to-be will be 25% off during this time! This includes breastfeeding products, Yoga clothing and much more. This is also a great time to enter our May drawing for a free session from Atelier Photography! Then Join Us For~ Belly's Night Out May 9th at 5:30pm A fun get together for mom and partner or a friend. Come and have mommy's belly decorated by our professional henna artist, Amy Haderer. Our amazing photographer, Rachel Kemble, will be there to take pictures of the event. Enjoy mocktails and organic treats, while enjoying mini spa treatments and getting a chair massage from our massage therapist, Teresa Dudrey. A great way to have a night out and celebrate while getting pampered. Click here to read more & to sign up A great way to celebrate Mother's Day! Whether this is your first Mother's Day as a new or expecting Mom or you've celebrated many ~ Get something you'll love this year! Belly Bliss offers gift certificates for all our services. Come on ladies, sometimes guys and loved ones need a hint. Pass this on. Click here to buy a gift certificate online. A blessing tribute to all mothers "Blessed be all mothers Who have come into our lives Whose kindness, care and loving Remain with us to guide. Your inspiration in us Made us strive in every way Especially to remember Helping others makes our day. Mothers, this little tribute Flows directly from my heart You are so loved and cherished Invaluable, one and all, you are. -Susan Kramer

Common Postpartum Questions How often do I need to bathe my newborn, and what kind of soap and shampoo should I use? Before they begin eating solids (when food will find its way into every bodily crevice) and crawling (when hands and knees will be perpetually grimy), babies don't have many opportunities to get dirty. So unless the baby is especially fond of her bath or soothed by it, every other day is plenty for now, with spot washing in between. More than that can dry the skin. Shampooing is rarely needed more than once or twice a week (unless your baby's sweating a lot in hot weather or has a full head of hair). Soap is usually only necessary on the dirtiest areas, such as the hands and bottom. To reduce potential dryness or irritation, use a gentle product designed for babies that contain no colors or fragrances. Will I spoil my baby by picking him up every time he cries? A good cry is a baby's way of saying he's hungry, bored, lonely, overtired, in pain, or simply in need of a cuddle. When you respond to his cries, the baby learns not only that he's loved and valued but also that communication works. This is an early and important lesson in socialization. New parents should not worry that they might be overindulging him; most babies under six months don't possess the cognitive sophistication necessary to be manipulative: so it's virtually impossible to spoil them. In fact, many experts believe that infants who are picked up when they cry actually cry less and demand less attention later on. As a bonus, they're more likely to grow up self-reliant, and trusting. This doesn't mean you should drop everything when the baby cries. If it takes you a few minutes to finish what you're doing, that's fine as long as he can't get himself into any trouble in the meantime. Play some soothing music or put a favorite toy within his line of sight and get to him as soon as you're done. If it's practical (you're working in the same room, you're not on the phone), talk to him so he knows you're there. When I take my baby out, strangers inevitably comment to me that he's not dressed warmly enough. But I'm afraid of overheating him. Who's right? Infants under six months generally require about one layer more than you do to stay comfortably warm. Older babies typically need to wear only as much as an adult does when they leave the house. Hats are a good idea in even slightly cool weather, since 25 percent of body heat is lost through the head. The best gauge of whether a baby is too cold is not his hands - which may be cool even when he's warm - but the nape of his neck. If it's warm to the touch, he's dressed just right. It is wise not to layer on too many clothes. More babies are overdressed for the outdoors, which can lead to overheating, than are under dressed. What to know more? Join us for Infant Care 101 Wednesday May 20th at 7:15pm Click here to read more and sign up. From Sharon Rowland, Postpartum Nurse, owner of Smooth Transitions and teacher of Infant Care 101 at Belly Bliss.

Where's this baby's mother? A Postpartum Group Discovering Motherhood Adjusting to having a new baby takes much more than the six weeks medical doctors designate as the "postpartum period." Whether you are new to motherhood or have just added a child to your family, each experience is different and requires social, emotional, and informational support for a healthy adjustment. Come chat, cry, laugh and explore with other mothers on topics such as; · getting support · self-care · breastfeeding · identity ("how have my roles changed?") · what is normal for you emotionally and physically · feelings of loss · leaving or returning to work · changes in romantic relationships · changes in friendships · sleep · "baby blues" or postpartum depression/anxiety-how to tell the difference. Share as much or as little as you want. Monday's beginning June 1st at 11am to 12:30 pm *6 week series Babies in arms welcome $180.00 for series Call 303-399-1191 to sign up. Danielle Vance MA, LPC is a licensed Psychotherapist serving the Denver area for over 11 years. She has her own experiences with motherhood, in addition to working intimately with women from all over on pregnancy and postpartum concerns. Click hereto read more & sign up. Upcoming Workshops and Events Maternity Clothing Exchange and Sale Saturday May 23rd at 1:30pm Do you have gently used maternity clothing that you don't need anymore? Or, are you looking for maternity clothing at a reasonable price? Cloth Diapering Is Back Saturday May 16th at 1:30pm Slings and More~ Babywearing Basics Saturday May 16th at 3:15pm Preparing for Pregnancy Saturday May 30th at 3:30pm Before you get on the "trying" merry-go- round come to assess where you are individually and as a couple for this life changing and exciting step. Learn how you can start nourishing yourself in preparation and in anticipation of welcoming this new member of your family. Click here to read more about any of our workshops and sign up.

HELP SAVE OUR BIRTH CENTER!

We at Belly Bliss feel strongly that women should have the right to choose where to give birth and with whom. Every woman is different and has different needs. Please take the time to read this material and sign the letter to congress. Mountain Midwifery Birth Center is an amazing resource and option for women in Colorado and people come from all over the nation to give birth there! Even if it is not the choice you would make for yourself please support the right to choose.

You can read more about the legislation by clicking here.

This is the letter Joel, one of the owners of Mountain Midwifery has drafted to be sent to your congressman. Please feel free to print it out, sign it and send it.

"Dear ________

I am contacting you about an important and much overlooked health reform issue - the role of Midwives and freestanding Birth Centers in our healthcare system - and direct action you can take to improve our birth outcomes and lower costs at the same time.

Here in Colorado, we only have one licensed birth center, the Mountain Midwifery Center in Englewood, delivering babies since May 2006. They have 4 full time CNMs (Certified Nurse Midwives) and deliver almost 30 babies a month. Their outcomes speak of the valuable contribution made by birth centers around the nation - Mountain Midwifery's C-Section delivery rate is 1/8th that of our local hospitals (5 percent vs. 40 percent) and their total billing is 1/5th the price ($4000 vs. $21,000).

There is actionable legislation being drafted for which I'd like your support. The national birth center organization - the American Assoc. of Birth Centers (AABC) - has drafted a bill mandating that CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) direct Medicaid to cover birth center facility fees nation-wide. By doing so, Colorado and other states where birth centers are not covered will see improved birth outcomes at a lower cost.

To learn more about Mountain Midwifery Center, midwives and their active role in health care, please visit http://www.birthcenters.org/legislative-alerts/index.php?id=17 or call Mountain Midwifery at 303.788.0600 - their staff would love to meet you and your aides."

Michael Bennett 303.455.7600 303.455.8851 (202) 224-5852 702 Hart Senate Office Bldg, Wash DC 20510 2300 15th St Ste 450, Denver CO 80202
Mark Udall 303.650.7820 303.650.7827 (202) 224-5941 202.224.6471 B40E Dirksen Senate Office Bldg, Wash DC 20510 or 8601 Turnpike Dr Ste 206, Westminster CO 80031

You can also sign the consumer letter to congress online by clicking here.