Find your support group!

I just bumped into a great support group for new moms in Southern California. NewMomsConnect is an 8-week, expert-led education and support group for first time mothers and their babies (from 0 – 6 months old). The goal of the workshop is to provide education and support to help women feel more confident and secure in their role as mothers and to better connect to their babies. Additionally, the program connects new or first time mothers with other first time mothers in their regional areas or neighborhoods, and encourages the development of lasting friendships and support that will endure long after the group has ended. Facilitated by a family and child development expert, the group provides education on infant development (e.g, infant-mother attachment) and parenting issues (e.g., impact of baby on the marriage, parenting styles, work/family life balance).

To see what first time mothers are saying about the program, click here.

For more information or to register go to: www.socalmomsconnect.com/register/moms. 

You will be happy you did! Believe me, I've been there.

What do babies think?

Enjoy this interesting TED talk of Alison Gopnik: What do babies think?   Gopnik presents evidence that babies are conscious of far more than we give them credit for.  So be careful what you discuss about Santa while the baby is in the room.

Baby thinking

Canadian Doula Speaks

"As a Certified Birth Doula, Infant Massage Instructor, and soon to be Licensed Infant Sleep Sense Consultant, I initially ordered a copy of "The First 8 Days of Being a Mom" as a resource to add to my lending library. However upon receiving it, I realized that I had an AMAZING resource in my hands, one that is a must have for every expectant parent. I plan to share "The First 8 Days of Being a Mom" with all of my clients, as I believe that it is an invaluable resource, and will help to relieve a lot of stress surrounding the first days of being home with a new baby!"

~Kaitlin White CD(DONA), CIMI, B.A., B.Ed

Are you ready for your newborn? And is your dog?

In ‘Pregnant on heels’, a popular tv series, Maternity Coach Rosie Pope checks expectant parents in a new mommie questionnaire if the couple is ready for their newborn. The clientele is certainly not representative but the questions are! Do you know if you are/were ready for your newborn? 

What about these questions?

Normally a baby:

1. Gains weight after their first feeding
2. Loses weight the first few days
3. Stays on his/her birth weight for at least a week

Physically a new mom can expect:

1. To perspire a lot more, especially at night
2. To feel unpleasant cramp-like contractions in the uterus
3. To lose a lot more blood then during a normal period
4. None of the above
5. All of the above

You can find the answers in The First 8 Days of Being a Mom. But that’s something you probably already knew. But did you know about this. 

Dogs & Storks

New and expecting families with dogs also often have unique questions about how to prepare and include their dog before and once baby has arrived. Some of the questions most commonly asked are these:  

Will our dog be jealous?

How do we introduce our dog to the new baby?  

Will our dog adjust to this new life?    

What if our dog does not accept the baby?  

Should we play baby sounds, carry a doll?

Siblings have a class and it only makes sense that parents with dogs have a class to support their success as well. All too often families become overwhelmed and feel that they have no other option than to surrender their dog to a shelter. The Dogs & Storks goal is to decrease stress in the home and increase safety and fun so that dogs can happily remain in their homes while the family grows.  

Dogs & Storks has been supporting new and expectant families since 2002 in the U.S. and Canada. Offering positive, practical and affordable resources for families with dogs. They have licensed presenters who are qualified dog professionals that have chosen to specialize in the niche of new and expecting families.   Dogs & Storks knows how much you love your dog/s and how complicated things can become once a baby arrives.  It is with this in mind that they have created short monthly webinars that meet the needs of new parents. Check out the educational webinars for new & expectant families with dogs at www.dogandbabyinfo.com!

Check out the entire 'First 8 Days' newsletter on http://eepurl.com/edk0D 

Win a 'Bun in the Oven' T-Shirt

The First 8 Days is teaming up with Damo Momo and offering one lucky winner a cute and cozy Bun in the Oven T-shirt.  Damo Momo designs bright and cheerful shirts and dresses for babies, children and women that are handcrafted with eco-friendly bamboo blends, organic cottons and dyes.  While bamboo fabric is hypoallergenic, odor resistant and antibacterial, it also absorbs moisture, insulates and protects wearers from harmful UV rays.  Most importantly, its soft, silky texture remains that way wash after wash making Damo Momo's clothes unique, extremely comfortable and utterly sustainable. 

Damo Momo is a Laguna Beach-based mother-daughter company, owned by Ann and Dagmarette Yen, that was born when Dagmarette's (aka Damo) sisters became pregnant. Her sisters were disheartened about the maternity wear available in stores so Dagmarette determined that the solution was to design and sew high quality and fashionable maternity wear for them herself. Influenced by the casual, eco-friendly style of sunny California, as well as by the quality and innovation of London tailoring, Dagmarette created a stylish maternity clothing line. 

Every aspect of the Damo Momo line, from the fabric to the dyeing and printing process, is made from renewable resources and is environmentally friendly. Damo Momo is manufactured locally in Los Angeles, California. www.damomomo.com

To enter to win, simply let us know in what colors are the Bun in the Oven shirts available and which color would look best on you via icarepress@gmail.com or on our The First 8 Days Facebook page or tweet.