Royal Bottoms, a local Portland, Oregon company, is a mom-owned and sustainable cloth diaper company. And these aren't your ordinary cloth diapers.

Raya, the mom, owner and talent behind the beautiful designs ensures that each order is made to your exact specifications and needs. Her Royal Bottoms blog as well as her website have lovely photos of each design, so you can find something for your needs.

Royal Bottoms recommends that parents start with 20 cloth diapers for a newborn. Although that sounds like a lot, Raya says that "when you take into account a one-size diaper will last until he or she is potty-trained it makes a lot of sense."

What about poop in the washer? Raya has this to say, "A lot of people worry about putting feces in their washer. But in the first six months of life if a baby is breastfed that poop is 100% water soluble and will leave no trace in the washer. Then when the child starts eating solid foods you can use biodegradable rice paper liners and plop those off in the toilet before washing. Most of the time everything just shakes right off and whatever is left is fine to wash. Trust me, it's not as scary as it sounds."

Looking for sustainable clothing, wetbags, wipes? You can definitely find it at Royal Bottoms as well. Each wetbag is handcrafted at home by Raya and is used to hold the smells and moisture of dirty diapers until laundry day.

Here is what I love best about this company: the education. Raya takes the time to teach you how to begin the path of cloth diapering, and her products make it a much easier and safer task than the old school cloth diapers you had to fold and pin. And they look so cool on little babies.

Infant Craniosacral Therapy Clinic and Infant Hearing Screening

Friday April 10, 2009

Nurture

1614 NE Alberta St.

Portland, OR 97211

Infant Craniosacral Therapy Clinic

Babies six months and younger will receive FREE Craniosacral Therapy treatments from Carol Gray and graduates or student practitioners of her Craniosacral Therapy for Infants training program on the following dates at the following locations throughout the Portland Metro area.

You must make an appointment in advance for your one-hour treatment time by calling Carol Gray at 503-236-2999 or by e-mailing Carol Gray.

Please do not call or e-mail the clinic location for an appointment.

Free Infant Hearing Screening

This is for babies up to 18 months old. Anyone can make an appointment to have their baby's hearing screened. The screening is non-invasive and takes about ten to twenty minutes. Babies who are born in hospitals usually get their hearing screened before they are discharged. Many of those babies should be re-screened.

Babies born out of hospitals don't get their hearing screened unless their parents take them somewhere to get it done. The cost is usually $70-$90 - maybe beyond the reach of the uninsured.

THE FACTS:

•Hearing loss is hard to identify without testing - it can be subtle, yet serious.

•Six out of every 1,000 babies born will have some degree of hearing loss.

•Hearing loss may result in delays in speech and language development.

•Early identification and intervention enhances your child's potential for speech and language development.

You must make an appointment.

To make an appointment call Carol Gray at 503-236-2999

or e-mail Carol Gray at carolag@e-z.net

Carol Gray

Craniosacral Therapy

Home Birth Midwifery

Free Infant CST Clinic

Study CST With Carol Gray

503-236-2999

http://www.carolgray.com/

http://www.tworiversmidwifery.com/

Staying Connected With Your Pre-teen & Teenager

Staying Connected
With Your Pre-teen & Teenager

Don't believe the hype! The teen years can be wonderful and magical!
Avert a connection crisis – build a trusting relationship with your Pre-teen/Teen!

Wednesday, May 6th, 20096:00-8:00 pm
$25 per person, $40 per couple, sliding scale available
Nurture
1614 NE Alberta

More information: 503.754.2718

Wondering if consequences and incentives are the only way?
Feel your teenager pulling away?

This class focuses on the primacy of connection in parenting teenagers. Hear from two parent educators and experienced parents of teens about how they stay(ed) connected with their teenagers through these exciting, scary, fragile, powerful years. You will come away with an understanding of the importance of preserving connection between parent and teen, and ideas and inspiration for how to set limits respectfully while preserving your teenager's autonomy, without using threats, rewards (bribes), punishments/"consequences", or any other tools of disconnection. Incorporates concepts from the work of Patty Wipfler, Dr. Gordon Neufeld, Marshall Rosenberg (NVC), and Mira Kirchenbaum, as well as the professional and personal experience of Lyla and Emily.

Limited space available so register soon!
To register: Lyla@zenana-spa.com

crafty/creative family: make garden markers

As spring begins (happy spring to all), we have been finding ourselves drawn to the garden more and more despite the crazy Portland spring weather. Every bit of shining without clouds and every cloudy-yet-dryish chance we get we grab our seeds, boots, and shovels and get out. Playing in the dirt feels so good. I have saved seeds from years past to give my son something to plant when we have run out of seeds that are ready to be planted. He has gardens all over our yard and who knows, maybe we will have an extra bounty this year.

But Portland is Portland, the weather is fickle, and some days we just don't want to tough it out through a hail storm. While we are indoors, art projects are the next best thing to freely being messy in the dirt. Making garden markers is an activity that ties together two of our favorite activities!

What you will need:

• tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks or something similar (the wider the better)
• medium sized smooth rocks also make cool markers
• paint/water proof markers
• sealant that can withstand the elements

optional:

• ribbon, yarn, etc.
• beads
• glue that can withstand the elements
• pictures from magazines, etc.
• bendable wire
• bits, scraps, toys, etc.

Decorate the garden markers anyway that you would like. Write the name of the plant, paint a picture of the plant, decoupage a picture of the plant, create symbols of the plant, write a poem, blessing, quote, or thought about the plant...the possibilities are endless.

If you do not have sealant on-hand, you can create plant markers for the indoor starts or houseplants. Other favorite garden markers are random toys/parts of toys and plastic animal figurines to "keep watch" over the plants.

(pictures coming soon!)

Tiffany's Massage Annviersary Special

Congratulations to Tiffany, on her 3 year massage anniversary! To celebrate she has a special treat for all of you...

This April I will have been a Licensed Massage Therapist for 3 years! To celebrate I am offering 60 min massages for $35 (regularly $60) to all of my clients as well as new clients. All massages must take place in my space at Nurture.

Please feel free to forward and tell anyone that needs a massage. I am available on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sundays. To schedule you can either call my cell at 360-600-5869 or email me at tiffany@nurturepdx.com. I look forward to seeing everyone!

Nurture Welcomes Angi Gunther

We are excited to welcome Angi Gunther, LCCE to Nurture. Angi will be teaching childbirth education and doing an early pregnancy class at Nurture. Angi tells us about herself and her services...

I am a mom to three children born in 2001, 2004 & 2008. I received a lot of information and support during my first pregnancy and birth. My husband, childbirth instructor, Doula and midwives were very supportive and confident in my ability to birth my son. Inspired by my experience, I decided to change careers and become a Birth Doula and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.

I LOVE teaching Childbirth. I chose Lamaze because it aligns with my own philosophies about birth. Lamaze is not a method for giving birth. It is a philosophy that women have the innate ability to give birth and have the right to labor without unnecessary intervention. The classes that I teach focus on the normalcy of pregnancy and birth, trust in a woman’s body, and informed consent. I believe that parents need access to complete information regarding their options surrounding pregnancy and birth so that they can make truly informed decisions. It is a pleasure to support families during this special time and I am excited to offer Confident Birthing Childbirth and Early Pregnancy classes at Nurture!

Childbirth Education

What is Confident Birthing?

Just as a woman’s body is designed to grow and nourish her baby during 40+ weeks of pregnancy, her body is perfectly designed for birth. A woman who is confident will trust her baby to come when he or she is ready. She will rely not only on science, but also on her inner knowledge and trust of the process to make decisions during labor. Confidence in the birth process and in her ability to cope with labor decreases the amount of pain she will feel and increases her satisfaction with her birth experience. This is important because the way a woman feels about her birth will have an impact on other areas of her life. A positive experience will have positive affects on her self-image as a woman and as a mother. Confident Birthing leads to confident parenting!

Confident Birthing is a 5-week childbirth education series. We will meet once a week on Saturday mornings at Nurture. Our first series begins May 2nd!

We will discuss ·pregnancy & birth as a normal yet significant experience in a woman’s life ·the role of pain in labor ·the emotional and physical needs of the birthing mother ·the role of her partner and ·birth from the newborn’s perspective.

The fee for this class is $125 per couple. This includes class materials and yummy snacks each week! Email me at confidentbirth@gmail.com to sign up.

Confident Birthing is based on the principles of Lamaze International and supports Lamaze’s Six Care Practices for Normal Birth.

For more information on Lamaze, please visit http://www.lamaze.org/

Early Pregnancy Class

Why do you need an Early Pregnancy Class?

Birth Planning begins when the birthing family chooses a care provider and birthplace. Your care provider and place of birth should share or at least respect your own philosophies about labor, birth & the care of your newborn.

The Early Pregnancy Class will cover everything you need to know to plan for the birth of your baby, including:

Prenatal Classes and Services, Care Providers, Choice of Birth Place, Doulas, Birth Planning, & More!

Dates for the Early Pregnancy Class to be announced!

For more info or to register for classes, please email me at confidentbirth@gmail.com

Sweet Tooth, Bitter Truth

Sweet Tooth, Bitter Truth

Sugar in the Bodies and Brains of Our Children

We all know that food affects how the body functions. Now it's time to take a closer look at how our diet affects the brain, and the mental health and behavior of our developing children. Studies show that sugar intake, in particular, corresponds to mood swings, diabetes and compromised immunity. This eventually increases the risk for depression, certain kinds of cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Yet sugar is more prevalent in our children's diets now than ever before. It's hidden in their morning cereals, pasta sauces, and snack foods. This class demystifies what sugar is, why it's a problem, and gives parents of school-age children the steps to make dietary changes, reduce or eliminate sugar intake, and lean more toward healthy alternatives. Children and the entire family will benefit!

March 29th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM

$25/person

15 person maximum

*note: this class is not at Nurture*

April 26th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM

$25/person

15 person maximum

*note: this is class is not at Nurture*

Taught and hosted by Andrea Nakayama,

a Certified Nutrition Educator

at ReplenishPDX in Portland, OR

Click here to reserve your spot now!

About Andrea
What you put on your plate impacts how you feel. In fact, food is even your best medicine when it comes to depression, anxiety, autism, ADD and ADHD, memory loss, fatigue, and the psychological affects of eating disorders. These conditions affect more of us than ever before. Statistics show that you or someone in your family suffers from the effects of one of these neurological conditions. I can help you decipher your unique nutritional path toward recovery.

I am a Certified Nutrition Educator and am also earning certifications as a Nutrition Counselor and Holistic Health Counselor. I consult with adults, children, and entire families to illuminate the connection between food and mental health in order to activate the body's innate healing potential. My work and studies focus on the link between food, mood, and energy--how what we eat, digest and absorb are an integral part of our ability to flourish.

I rely on a whole foods diet to support my clients through various treatments and to help them realize their greatest potential for health, happiness, and vitality. My love of, and expertise in cooking enable me to teach clients to easily translate my nutritional recommendations into tasteful, beautiful and nourishing meals. This is the essential change you've been waiting for.

Fertility Awareness Workshop

Fertility Awareness Workshop

with Katherine Murphy and Christy Hall

Fertility Awareness is a method of observing the bodies’ signals to determine fertile and infertile phases. Have you ever wondered if there was a natural alternative to hormonal birth control? Are you trying to become pregnant? Do you want to become more familiar with the intricacies of your cycle? This workshop will explore these topics and more. The goal of this workshop is to empower you to be your own reproductive health advocate through cycle awareness and charting.

This 3-hour workshop will cover reproductive anatomy and physiology, observing, charting and interpreting fertility signs, and special conditions such as anovulatory cycles and charting during breastfeeding or after coming off hormonal birth control.

The follow-up workshop will provide a space for us to assist in analyzing your charts and review any areas that need clarification. Participants at the first workshop will decide on the follow-up date.

Registration is limited, to sign up contact Katherine at murky81@hotmail.com.

Monday, March 30th, 2-5 pm (Plus a follow-up session)

at Nurture
Cost: $20 ($30 for two-bring your partner or a friend!)

Biographies:
This workshop will be facilitated by Reproductive Health Educators Christy Hall and Katherine Murphy.

Christy, owner of LilyToad children’s store in St. Johns, is a seasoned community educator. She is a practicing doula and specializes in childbirth education, reproductive health counseling, and psycho-social health issues.

Katherine has a background in community education and women's health issues. At The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA she organized a campus group on sexual and reproductive health, organizing over 40 workshops on related topics.

An Open House Thank You

Our open house on March 14th was a good time had by all. I saw several familiar faces and made many new friends, thank you everyone for coming and celebrating Nurture's one year birthday.

Nurture has been such a gift in my life. Since co-founding it last year, I have been able to keep up professional activity while keeping my main focus at home with my family. Thank you to my family and friends for supporting me in this endeavor.

I have had the honor of working with mothers who have shared their stories of challenges, hopes, fears, and change. I appreciate your willingness to trust me. Thank you.

Nurture has also given me the wonderful gift of connection. Throughout this year, I have met so many people, mostly women, who are working to support growing families just as we are at Nurture. The connections I have made with these professionals has been sustaining and enriching in ways I cannot put into words. Thank you.

And thank you to all of the fabulous women who are a part of the Nurture collective. You are all a part of the previous category, but I think thanking you twice is quite short of all the thanks you deserve. I enjoy our collaborative efforts and love what Nurture has become this year. Thank you.

We had several door prizes to give away at the party. Congratulations to our winners, I will be contacting you soon to make sure you receive your gifts...

Milagros gift certificate winner: Angi G.

Winner of the Pediatric Wellness Session with Molly Fitzpatrick: Joanna M.

On Hour Massage with Tiffany Ueltschi winner: Melissa C.

Winner of Two Hours of Postpartum Support: Dan B.

Grasshopper gift certificate winner: Dave

Campbell Salgado Studios gift certificate winner: Lynette W.

SCRAP Membership winner: Kimberly D.

A big thank you to our local business for offering these terrific prizes! And an extra thank you to Campbell Salgado Studios for sharing your beautiful photographs with us, I have really enjoyed having them on our walls.

Enjoy a few pictures from the party...

HB2666 for Maternal Mental Health

Wendy Davis from Baby Blues Connection and Postpartum Support International has been keeping us up-to-date on House Bill 2666. I want to pass on the information for those who are interested.

HB2666 is scheduled for a public hearing at the House Human Services Committee in Salem on Monday March 16 at 8:30 am. The house committee will comment on this bill and then send it on with their recommendations. They have given us more time to testify than usual, because they are sointerested in this bill. Come to Salem for the hearing - let's show the committee just how many of us support this measure.

On Thursday, March 5, the Oregon House voted unanimously on HJR15, a resolution that recognizes March 2009 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Oregon. The sponsor of the bill, Representative Carolyn Tomei (D-Milwaukee) is a great champion for maternal mental health, and in her house remarks she announced the upcoming companion bill, House Bill 2666, which would create a statewide taskforce to study Maternal Mental Health needs and resources in Oregon.

DETAILS: HB 2666 creates a collaborative statewide work group on perinatal mental health disorders within the Department of Human Services that will study the needs, best practices, and funding resources for improved care in Oregon, and report its findings back to the legislature. The bill is written to reflect the importance of including all stakeholders and addressing vulnerable populations across the state. Many public and private partners have already begun working together in Oregon to collaborate on creating better prevention and care systems for childbearing families. This legislation would bring in full support and visibility that will strengthen our work.

Full Text of the Task Force Bill - HR 2666 http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hb2600.dir/hb2666.intro.pdf

Wendy Davis, PhD

Oregon Perinatal Legislation Committee Chair

http://www.postpartum.net/

http://www.babybluesconnection.org/

Infant Massage Class Series

Infant massage is a gentle and loving way to bond with your baby. Massage teaches your baby relaxation at a young age, which is an important tool that your baby can use throughout his or her life. By spending this special one-on-one time with your baby, you will be more in-tune with your baby and begin to recognize your baby’s cues more quickly. Massage has the benefit of increasing circulation, which enhances the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream, in turn, strengthening the immune system. Massage can also relieve your baby's discomforts caused by teething, gas, colic, and constipation.

Join us for one focused class or attend all three classes to learn techniques for a more in-depth, full body massage. All supplies will be provided. Ages: Birth to 3 years, older siblings are always welcome to join us and learn.

Fees: $35 per class or Take all 3 classes for $100Dates/Times:April 8th 3:00pm-4:00pm ~ Getting Started, Legs & TummyApril 15th 3:00pm-4:00pm ~ Chest, Arms & FaceApril 22nd 3:00pm-4:00pm ~ Back, Stretching , & Putting it All Together

Birth Trauma On-Line Community Support

We have written about birth trauma and the on-line community support, Solace, before. Solace is relaunching their on-line support. Below is a letter from Solace.

We are pleased to announce the Solace for Mothers Friends and Advocates Online Community which provides a forum for those who support mothers who have experienced birth trauma, have been impacted by witnessing birth trauma, or want to connect with others to advocate for gentler birth practices.

Solace for Mothers is committed to providing resources and support to professionals and loved ones supporting women through the difficult emotions following a disappointing, hurtful, or violating birth experience. Spouses, family, and friends of mothers who have experienced traumatic births are offered a space to find information, support, and resources through participation in the Friends and Advocates Forum. Birth attendants are also provided with the opportunity to process their own emotions in response to births they have attended. Birth professionals and birth advocates are provided a space to discuss the causes of birth trauma, how policies and programs can be enacted to prevent trauma from occurring to childbearing mothers, and methods of treatment when trauma has occurred.

The Solace for Mothers Friends and Advocates Online Community welcomes birth activists, mothers, families, and professionals, all of whom are stakeholders in providing healthy, safe, and empowering births that enable families to successfully transition to parenthood. Users of the online community are invited to contemplate and discuss the current state of birth and what evidence based practices best support childbearing women, their babies and families. Advocates who are interested in becoming involved in organized efforts to promote these practices are encouraged to participate and share their thoughts.

The Friends and Advocates Online Community can be entered from www.solaceformothers.org/advocates-forum.html. The forum is made public for browsing and registration is required to post and respond to topics. To view the online community, go to: http://forums.solaceformothers.org/mb/birthtrauma

Mothers are welcome to participate in the Friends and Advocates role but they are invited to register and participate in the Online Community for Healing Birth Trauma (www.solaceformothers.org/forum.html) which provides peer support to women who have had traumatic childbearing experiences. Birth professionals, family members, and friends please respect the privacy of the Community for Healing Birth Trauma and register only for the Friends and Advocates Community.

If you have something to say regarding childbirth and want to be a part of a larger conversation, please join us. We are interested to read your stories, thoughts, hopes and goals for the future! Please also feel free to pass this invitation on to organizations and individuals who would be interested in the topics of birth trauma and improving maternity care.

Warmly,

Sharon Storton, Founder of Solace for Mothers, Inc.

Jenne Alderks, Creator and Moderator of Online Communities

Jennifer Zimmerman, Creator and Moderator of Online Communities

Two Workshops with Silke Akerson

The Fruitful Body: Nourishing Herbs and Foods for Fertility

Come learn about the many simple and powerful ways you can prepare your body for conception and pregnancy!In this class I will cover a number of medicinal herbs and healing foods that can help bring your body into balance and increase your vitality and fertility. We will be focusing on readily available and local herbs and foods that are easy to prepare and use on your own. You will come away with recipes for simple teas, foods and other tools for a fertile lifestyle.

Queer families welcome.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

6-8 PM

Nurture 1614 NE Alberta

$20 per person/couple

Vaginal Ecology Workshop

Come learn about vaginal health and balance! In optimal health the vagina is a resilient and self-balancing organ, but physical and emotional stresses can lead to occasional or chronic imbalance, infection, and pain. I will talk about the bacterial ecology and pH of the vagina in health and in sickness and will address healing on a physical, emotional and relationship level. I will use real stories to cover multiple remedies for the two most common vaginal imbalances: Yeast and Bacterial Vaginosis. This workshop will be useful for everyone, from those interested in self-care to seasoned practitioners frustrated with persistent vaginal infections in clients.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

6-8 PM

Nurture 1614 NE Alberta

$20

To register please e-mail or call, Silke Akerson, CPM

silkeakerson@yahoo.com

503-705-5060

Silke Akerson is a midwife, herbalist, and mother with a passion for connecting people with plants and with their own self-knowledge for healing.

503-705-5060

silkeakerson@yahoo.com

http://www.tworiversmidwifery.com/

The Portland Time Bank - A Community Organization

The Portland Time Bank is part of an international, community-led organization that believes each person has a skill that someone else finds valuable. The basic premise is that members offer services (everything from accounting to massage to grocery shopping) and other members pick and choose what they need help with. Money never changes hands at the Time Bank.

For example, let's say you need a garden bed dug. You can post securely online or through a Time Bank Coordinator that you are looking for help or search out other members who list that skill. Once you find someone to dig your garden bed, you pay them one time dollar for every hour worked.

If it took the person 3 hours to dig your garden bed, then you have gone into "time dollar debt" by 3 dollars. There is no time frame for when you have to pay your time dollar debt off, but the premise is that you will then offer your unique services to someone else.

Now let's say that you offer guitar lessons and someone requests 5 hours of lessons from you. After those 5 hours you have paid off your 3 dollar debt and earned yourself 2 time dollars. And so the process continues....services provided and received without the exchange of money.

Joining is simple and requires no money, just a quick form to fill out and approval from the organization. Once you join you can request someone to sit down with you to explain how it all works or jump right in and start trading your time. If you would like to contact someone to learn more, email Jesse at pdxtimebank@gmail.com

Molly Fitzpatrick, Time Bank member since 2005, has this to say about the Time Bank, "At the Time Bank everyone's time is valued equally and everyone has something to give. If we all do what we love to do, everything gets taken care of."

Natural Parenting Postpartum Class

Having your first baby soon?

Come to our next Natural Parenting Postpartum Class!
on Wednesday April 1st, 2009
from 6:00 - 7:30pm
at Nurture (1614 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211)
$15 per couple, resource booklet included

Led by DONA-trained postpartum doulas (and experienced mamas) Emily Troper and Juliette Authier
(to learn more about Emily and Juliette, see http://compassionatemothercare.com/profiles.html )

Topics include:
Getting organized before the birth – what you need, what you don’t

Protecting the mama-baby bond, importance of skin-to-skin contact, responding to baby

Mom’s recovery (nutritional and herbal resources for emotional and physical care), and coping with stress and change

Breastfeeding

How to calm a fussy baby

Sleep – where, what to expect, etc.

Diapering and/or Elimination Communication

Relationship/marital issues

Babywearing


to register please email Emily at emtroper@earthlink.net or call (503) 753-9091

Shamballa Reiki Class

Shamballa Reiki Class
Sunday, March 15th, 2009

10:00am to 2:00pm

Create a Sacred Space. Each participant is invited to bring an item to add at the opening circle (to be returned to owner at the end of class). This could be anything- pictures, crystals, artwork, jewelry, something from nature, etc. This is done in combination with setting an intention for the class.

Guided Meditations. Group meditation opens each individual up to higher levels of consciousness and creates a synergistic atmosphere of learning.
Questions and Answers . Each participant will receive a copy of the Shamballa Reiki handbook prior to the attunements. This is an opportunity to engage in a dynamic conversation that covers some of the material in the handbook, as well as other questions, concerns, wonderments, insights, etc.

Attunement. The Reiki and Shamballa attunements will be given to each participant. The attunement opens energy channels, and places healing symbols in one’s energy field. After receiving Shamballa Reiki attunements, each participant will have the capability to channel and transmit healing energy, through laying on of hands as well as long-distance healing.

Practice. Each person will get a chance to practice giving and receiving Shamballa Reiki.
Closing Circle. Each person can share his or her thoughts at this time.

Cost of class is $40, plus $10 for each handbook.
Members of PDXTimebank can pay partially with Timedollars.

Molly has been practicing Reiki since 2002 and received her Master/Teacher attunements in Shamballa and Reiki in 2004. She teaches classes, as well as offers individual treatments incorporating Shamballa Reiki with other holistic modalities for mind-body-spirit healing.

To Register For a Class:
Please contact Molly Fitzpatrick, L.Ac. at
molly@nurturepdx.com or 503-341-1372

Wild Feminine Reading

Join Tami Kent for a free public reading from her newly released book Wild Feminine at the Hawthorne Powell's store in Portland.

Wild Feminine Reading

Monday, March 9,

7:30pm-8:30pm

Powell's Books on Hawthorne

3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Portland, Oregon

In Wild Feminine: Finding Power, Spirit, & Joy in the Root of the Female Body, I invite every woman to journey deep into the heart of her female body, to her root place, and the root of all womanhood. Through stories, visualizations, and creative exercises, the wisdom arising from the female body has been distilled into this guide for exploring the feminine nature.

Tami Kent, MSPT, is a holistic women's healthcare provider, as well as mother and writer. She guides women in receiving the wisdom of their bodies and reclaiming the wild in themselves. Tami maintains a women's health private practice in southeast Portland.

Screening of the film Pregnant in America

One Night Only in Portland...A Screening of Pregnant In America and discussion with Barbara Harper and Betsy Chasse.

Thursday, March 12

at 6:30pm

The Bagdad Theater

Tickets are $8.00 and a portion of the proceeds benefit Waterbirth International

"Pregnant in America examines the betrayal of humanity's greatest gift--birth--by the greed of U.S. corporations. Hospitals, insurance companies and other members of the healthcare industry have all pushed aside the best care of our infants and mothers to play the power game of raking in huge profits. His wife pregnant, first-time filmmaker Steve Buonaugurio sets out to create a film that will expose the underside of the U.S. childbirth industry and help end its neglectful exploitation of pregnancy and birth. And though he set out to fight the system, Steve finds that he and his wife must depend on it when a hospital struggles to save their newborn daughter's life. Pregnant in America is the controversial story of life's greatest miracle in the hands of a nation's most powerful interests."

A film by Steve Buonagurio Now available on DVD

Website:
http://www.pregnantinamerica.com/

crafty/creative family: make a terrarium

Terriums are fun to create, educational, easy, and children love them.

You will need:

• a jar (glass or plastic) with a tight-fitting lid
• gravel
• charcoal (can get from a fireplace or pit)
• sand
• moss or peat
• loose dirt/potting soil
• small hardy plants (water-loving)
• small objects for decoration

Start by cleaning the jar thoroughly. Add the gravel about 1/4 inch to cover the bottom. Add about the same amount of charcoal as you did the gravel. Combine the sand, moss/peat, and dirt and put the mixture on top of the charcoal. Add plants and decoration. We added moss on top of the dirt between the plants. Water the plants. Put the lid on...and that is it! You do not have to water it or do any other maintainance except an occasional pruning.

Succulent and/or cactus terrariums can be made with more sand in the soil-mix and no lid. This type of terrarium will need to be watered but not very often.

Spring Cleanse with Dr. Demetro

Spring Cleanse 2009
Cleansing your body is one of the quickest ways to eliminate toxins, restore health, and prevent chronic diseases. In almost every form of illness, the accumulation of toxins (whether it is from pesticides on our food, prescription medications, or simply from the air we breathe) interferes with the body’s healing process. This program is tailored to your specific health needs and three group meetings will support you through the process of cleansing. Developed, created, and guided by Alexandra Demetro, Naturopathic Physician and Midwife.

Benefits of Cleansing Includes:

• Decreased Pain & Inflammation
• Weight Loss
• Increased Elimination
• Ridding the Gut of Bad Bacteria, Yeast, or Parasites
• Tissue Repair
• Alleviates Allergies
• Increased Concentration
• Increased Energy & Optimizing Your Health & Preventing Disease & Illness

How To Register for Your Cleanse:
When: March 24th, 31st, and April 7th at 7:00pm
Where: Parkrose Chiropractic & Health Clinic
11125 N.E. Sandy Blvd.
Cost: $125 if Registered By March 15th, $150 After (Includes ALL Supplies)

To Register, Call: Dr. Demetro at (503) 257-3377

Baby Blues Connection Aftercare Group

I volunteer for the Baby Blues Connection, a wonderful organization that provides mother-to-mother support for postpartum mood disorders.

Baby Blues Connection is excited about expanding their mom-to-mom services! They are bringing back their group that supports mothers as they face the challenges of motherhood after postpartum.

Our Aftercare Groups are right for you if you:

• have a child older than 12 months,
• would like continuing support after 'graduating' from new mom group,
• or if you're pregnant again after recovering from a postpartum mood disorder.

If you have questions about attending, especially about time and location, please call their phone line and let them know. These numbers are also the numbers to call if you need support.

Oregon: 503-797-2843
Washington: 360-735-5571

Introduction to Healing with Flower Essences Class

Introduction to Healing with Flower Essences Class

with Molly Fitzpatrick, L.Ac

Come learn about how you can use the healing qualities of flowers to enhance your life and access your full potential. Flower essences are one of Mother Earth's gifts that engage our self-awareness to assist in personal evolution. By examining the feelings and sources of emotional stress, one can utilize the energetic healing abilities of flower essences to shift from states of fear, loneliness, hopelessness, etc. to love, joy, acceptance, forgiveness, etc.

This class will cover
· a brief history of flower essences
· the seven categories of emotions created by Dr. Bach
· an overview of the indications for the 38 Bach Remedies
· a guided meditation/visualization.
· a question & answer time at the end

For those interested, personalized flower essence formulas are available for purchase after the class. $5 for a 1 oz. dropper bottle with a custom formula created by you from what you learn during the class. I am happy to help you select essences that are most appropriate for you. Bring your own bottle and save $1.

The cost of the class is 1.5 timedollars for PDXTimebank members. For non-members the class is offered on a sliding scale of $5 - $15.

To register please contact Molly at:
503-341-1372 or molly@nurture.com.

Sunday, March 8th, 2009
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
At Nurture
1614 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211

Force of Nature

Vicky York passed the news about this wonderful play...
Actress, storyteller, and postpartum doula, Carole Groobman performs thirteen characters in a play about the social, political and cultural issues of childbirth. Force of Nature, written and performed by Carole Groobman, directed by Kathleen Edwards, will be at Lewis and Clark College, Council Chamber on March 12, 2009 at 1:15 p.m. and includes a post-show panel starting at 2:15 p.m. It is free to the public. For more information: visit www.lclark.edu/dept/gender or call 503-768-7678

Join Us

Join us for an open house celebration
March 14th
3pm-5pm

Special treats include:

• food
• chair massage
• Reiki
• friendly conversation
• family art activity (make a mini wood doll family)

Raffled goodies include gift certificates for:

• Milagros Boutique
• Campbell Salgado Studios
• Grasshopper
• SCRAP
• Nurture (2)