Starting in January, Amma Maternity is offering HypnoBirthing®, a unique method of natural childbirth education. Jen Wareham, a Registered Nurse in labor, delivery and postpartum at Methodist Hospital, teaches HypnoBirthing and used it during the birth of her daughter.
"HypnoBirthing is the perfect option for women who want a calm and comfortable birth experience," says Jen. Trust in your body, along with relaxation and breathing techniques that women practice throughout the second and third trimesters, reduces the need for pain medications and medical interventions and can often lead to a shorter labor.
Jen tells us that "unfortunately our society has programmed us to think that birth is a painful, scary and stressful experience. HypnoBirthing shows expecting families that this does not need to be the case." As a Registered Nurse on a busy birth unit, Jen knows the emotions and fears of laboring women. After having her own HypnoBirthing labor last year, she is especially motivated to bring this technique to Amma Maternity parents. "I had a wonderful birth experience. I had a quick labor and an easy, comfortable birth. I felt very energized afterward. My daughter was alert and calm right from the start."
Taking HypnoBirthing at Amma Maternity replaces the need for our traditional childbirth class, Preparing for Childbirth. You will learn the basic physiology of birth as well as what to expect during labor and birth.
Because the method is most effective when women have time to practice for several weeks before their due date, Jen strongly recommends women sign up for HynoBirthing during their second or early third trimesters.
With the right mindset and dedication, HypnoBirthing can increase your odds of having an amazing birth.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Prenatal Packages are here!
In this economy, we're all looking for ways to save. Having a baby is enough of a wallet-squeeze, with all the diapers, gear, and daycare to pay for. Now Amma Maternity families can save on classes! Our three most popular (and essential) classes are now bundled into a valuable package.
Preparing for Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Baby Care Basics are combined into our "Ready for Baby" package. At $150, parents save $15. Do you know how many diapers you can buy for $15?
Don't ask....
Preparing for Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Baby Care Basics are combined into our "Ready for Baby" package. At $150, parents save $15. Do you know how many diapers you can buy for $15?
Don't ask....
Sunday, October 25, 2009
A gathering place for Amma Mamas
Your mama group wants to meet up with all the babies. It seems like it should be simple to find a location, right? No one wants to host - too much cleanup! You don't want to meet at a mall - where would you hang out? A coffee shop? Too crowded. How could this be that hard?!
Mamas, starting in January you'll be able to gather at Amma Maternity. We'll have open drop-in playgroup time for caregivers with babies 12 months and younger. You'll also be able to sign out a classroom for an hour for your playgroup. We love that our New Mama graduates continue to gather with each other long after the newborn weeks are a distant memory.
Mamas, starting in January you'll be able to gather at Amma Maternity. We'll have open drop-in playgroup time for caregivers with babies 12 months and younger. You'll also be able to sign out a classroom for an hour for your playgroup. We love that our New Mama graduates continue to gather with each other long after the newborn weeks are a distant memory.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
H1N1 and pregnancy: your questions answered
On October 3rd, we wrote about the Swine Flu (H1N1) and the questions you may have. We've gotten more questions about flu vaccinations during pregnancy, especially after the front page article in the Star Tribune about fatalities during pregnancy.
It's hard to imagine a more heartbreaking scenario than a healthy pregnant woman dying of complications from the flu. Most healthy adults who get the flu are able to avoid serious complications, but Amma Maternity's consulting obstetrician, Dr. Andrea Messina of Park Nicollet Health Services, says "while the H1N1 virus in general causes mild flu symptoms, there are certain populations who have had very serious symptoms, medical complications and deaths. Pregnant women and young children are in this category. About 30% of the deaths related to the H1N1 virus have been in otherwise healthy young people."
Despite these risks, the Associated Press reports that only one in seven pregnant women gets vaccinated. For some women the shot is not readily available at their OB clinic, but for many others the fear of adverse effects from the vaccine overrides the fear of actually getting the flu. Women who may be leery of vaccine safety in general may become especially reluctant to get vaccinated in pregnancy, according to another recent Star Tribune article.
Dr. Messina offers reassurance to those who may have concerns. "Pregnant women have understandably been concerned about the safety of the H1N1 vaccine. It has been manufactured with the exact same techniques as the general flu shot, which has many years of proven product safety. Each year the seasonal flu vaccine is adjusted to the strains of flu that we may be exposed to. In the case of H1N1 we know the exact strain and the vaccine has been manufactured specifically to this strain. The effectiveness against preventing the H1N1 flu is greater than 95%."
The decisions a woman makes during pregnancy are "warm-up" decisions for parenthood. Mothers must make decisions with a combination of their hearts and their minds. Choose to read reliable sources and be sure to seek the advice of your care givers when making this important decision.
It's hard to imagine a more heartbreaking scenario than a healthy pregnant woman dying of complications from the flu. Most healthy adults who get the flu are able to avoid serious complications, but Amma Maternity's consulting obstetrician, Dr. Andrea Messina of Park Nicollet Health Services, says "while the H1N1 virus in general causes mild flu symptoms, there are certain populations who have had very serious symptoms, medical complications and deaths. Pregnant women and young children are in this category. About 30% of the deaths related to the H1N1 virus have been in otherwise healthy young people."
Despite these risks, the Associated Press reports that only one in seven pregnant women gets vaccinated. For some women the shot is not readily available at their OB clinic, but for many others the fear of adverse effects from the vaccine overrides the fear of actually getting the flu. Women who may be leery of vaccine safety in general may become especially reluctant to get vaccinated in pregnancy, according to another recent Star Tribune article.
Dr. Messina offers reassurance to those who may have concerns. "Pregnant women have understandably been concerned about the safety of the H1N1 vaccine. It has been manufactured with the exact same techniques as the general flu shot, which has many years of proven product safety. Each year the seasonal flu vaccine is adjusted to the strains of flu that we may be exposed to. In the case of H1N1 we know the exact strain and the vaccine has been manufactured specifically to this strain. The effectiveness against preventing the H1N1 flu is greater than 95%."
The decisions a woman makes during pregnancy are "warm-up" decisions for parenthood. Mothers must make decisions with a combination of their hearts and their minds. Choose to read reliable sources and be sure to seek the advice of your care givers when making this important decision.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
What to do about Swine Flu?
We've been asked a lot lately about the H1N1 vaccine, and whether we think the vaccine is safe.
With the CDC reporting that pregnant women are especially vulnerable to complications from H1N1 infection, and the Minnesota Department of Health reporting that the virus is spreading rapidly throughout the Twin Cities metro area, it's certainly appropriate to carefully consider vaccination.
For pregnant women, getting both the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available is especially important. Flu shots given in pregnancy have been proven to reduce both illness in the pregnant woman as well as her newborn after birth. Because the seasonal flu is caused by a different virus than the H1N1 virus, it is recommend that pregnant women get both vaccines to ensure maximum safety. And when expectant mothers do get vaccinated, they will be given the injection rather than the nasal mist.
If a woman did not get a flu vaccine during pregnancy, it is still safe for her to get vaccinated after birth, either with the injection or the nasal mist. If mothers are breastfeeding, the vaccine is safe and even more encouraged since the mother will pass antibodies to the flu to her nursing baby. According to the CDC, "by breastfeeding, mothers can pass on to the infant the antibodies that their bodies make in response to the flu shots, which can reduce the infant’s chances of getting sick with the flu. This is especially important for infants less than 6 months old, who have no other way of receiving vaccine antibodies, since they are too young to be vaccinated."
A thorough discussion about flu vaccination in pregnancy can be found here.
Newborns under the age of 6 months are not eligible for flu vaccination, either with the seasonal or the H1N1 vaccines. It is especially important for parents to get vaccinated to ensure the household stays healthy. Parents should consider avoiding crowds and standing at least 6 feet away from someone who appears ill. Careful hand washing and disinfecting surfaces such as shopping cart handles is an important barrier between you and illness while out and about.
If parents of newborns have older children in school, it becomes especially important to pay attention to hand washing and good hygiene in the home. Schoolchildren are especially vulnerable to outbreaks because of the concentration of people in the school buildings; the close proximity can spread illness rapidly. If your older child shows signs of illness, maintain distance between the older child and the baby, and pay close attention to hand washing, covering coughs, and discarding tissues after each use.
When your babies are 6 months old, they are eligible for seasonal and H1N1 vaccination. Both the CDC and the AAP encourage parents to get their babies and children vaccinated. Amma Maternity's trusted pediatrician, Dr. Stefan Kramarczuk of Park Nicollet Health Services, tells us that "because the new H1N1 vaccine is made using the same method as the seasonal flu vaccine, the safety profile should be the same". Study after study has supported the safety and efficacy of vaccinating children against serious disease, and the flu is no exception. According to most experts, because babies sick with the flu are at significant risk for potential life-threatening complications, the risk of illness outweighs any potential perceived risk of vaccination.
If you are a breastfeeding mother and experience flu symptoms, you may have many questions about how to best care for your baby and give your baby breastmilk while keeping enough distance to prevent the spread of illness. The CDC encourages sick mothers to continue giving their babies breastmilk throughout illness. Babies will benefit from the antibodies the mother produces. Information for ill mothers who are breastfeeding can be found here.
Careful discussions with our advisors and reading trusted sources like the CDC and the AAP have convinced us that flu vaccines are especially important this year.
With the CDC reporting that pregnant women are especially vulnerable to complications from H1N1 infection, and the Minnesota Department of Health reporting that the virus is spreading rapidly throughout the Twin Cities metro area, it's certainly appropriate to carefully consider vaccination.
For pregnant women, getting both the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available is especially important. Flu shots given in pregnancy have been proven to reduce both illness in the pregnant woman as well as her newborn after birth. Because the seasonal flu is caused by a different virus than the H1N1 virus, it is recommend that pregnant women get both vaccines to ensure maximum safety. And when expectant mothers do get vaccinated, they will be given the injection rather than the nasal mist.
If a woman did not get a flu vaccine during pregnancy, it is still safe for her to get vaccinated after birth, either with the injection or the nasal mist. If mothers are breastfeeding, the vaccine is safe and even more encouraged since the mother will pass antibodies to the flu to her nursing baby. According to the CDC, "by breastfeeding, mothers can pass on to the infant the antibodies that their bodies make in response to the flu shots, which can reduce the infant’s chances of getting sick with the flu. This is especially important for infants less than 6 months old, who have no other way of receiving vaccine antibodies, since they are too young to be vaccinated."
A thorough discussion about flu vaccination in pregnancy can be found here.
Newborns under the age of 6 months are not eligible for flu vaccination, either with the seasonal or the H1N1 vaccines. It is especially important for parents to get vaccinated to ensure the household stays healthy. Parents should consider avoiding crowds and standing at least 6 feet away from someone who appears ill. Careful hand washing and disinfecting surfaces such as shopping cart handles is an important barrier between you and illness while out and about.
If parents of newborns have older children in school, it becomes especially important to pay attention to hand washing and good hygiene in the home. Schoolchildren are especially vulnerable to outbreaks because of the concentration of people in the school buildings; the close proximity can spread illness rapidly. If your older child shows signs of illness, maintain distance between the older child and the baby, and pay close attention to hand washing, covering coughs, and discarding tissues after each use.
When your babies are 6 months old, they are eligible for seasonal and H1N1 vaccination. Both the CDC and the AAP encourage parents to get their babies and children vaccinated. Amma Maternity's trusted pediatrician, Dr. Stefan Kramarczuk of Park Nicollet Health Services, tells us that "because the new H1N1 vaccine is made using the same method as the seasonal flu vaccine, the safety profile should be the same". Study after study has supported the safety and efficacy of vaccinating children against serious disease, and the flu is no exception. According to most experts, because babies sick with the flu are at significant risk for potential life-threatening complications, the risk of illness outweighs any potential perceived risk of vaccination.
If you are a breastfeeding mother and experience flu symptoms, you may have many questions about how to best care for your baby and give your baby breastmilk while keeping enough distance to prevent the spread of illness. The CDC encourages sick mothers to continue giving their babies breastmilk throughout illness. Babies will benefit from the antibodies the mother produces. Information for ill mothers who are breastfeeding can be found here.
Careful discussions with our advisors and reading trusted sources like the CDC and the AAP have convinced us that flu vaccines are especially important this year.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Now you can stop using Google to diagnose your baby...
We've all done it. You know. Saw something suspicious on our baby in the middle of the night and tried to figure it out using Google.
Not to knock online research, but frankly the internet's advice can be unreliable. There are some great sites, but we've seen some crazy advice out there!
The American Academy of Pediatrics to the rescue. Check out their new online patient education site, www.patiented.aap.org. Search a huge range of topics from teething to immunizations or even listen to audio files of advice from a pediatrician. Our Mamas are going to love the wealth of information, and our nurse Instructors are going to love the reliability.
Now you can sleep easy.
Not to knock online research, but frankly the internet's advice can be unreliable. There are some great sites, but we've seen some crazy advice out there!
The American Academy of Pediatrics to the rescue. Check out their new online patient education site, www.patiented.aap.org. Search a huge range of topics from teething to immunizations or even listen to audio files of advice from a pediatrician. Our Mamas are going to love the wealth of information, and our nurse Instructors are going to love the reliability.
Now you can sleep easy.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Hand sanitizer? For babies?
What with the H1N1 flu going around these days, our Mamas have lots of valid concerns about keeping their newborns safe. How does a mom keep those tiny hands clean? They spend all day in those tiny mouths, after all.
There are some all natural hand sanitizer products on the market.... or should you wash their hands with soap and water? What about cleaning them with baby wipes? Should you even bother?
Our trusty pediatrician, Dr. Stefan Kramarczuk, says babies' hands can safely be cleaned with hand sanitizer, but it can be an irritant to eyes and mouth. After sanitizing your baby's hands rinse them with plain water.
And what about alcohol-free products? Only alcohol-containing products are recognized by the CDC as an effective alternative to hand washing. Only use hand sanitizer if your hands are free of visible dirt - otherwise you should wash your hands thoroughly with good old soap and water.
And if you want to have hand washing skills that make the grade? Schoolchildren are taught to scrub hard for as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday." Twice.
A-plus for clean hands, mom.
There are some all natural hand sanitizer products on the market.... or should you wash their hands with soap and water? What about cleaning them with baby wipes? Should you even bother?
Our trusty pediatrician, Dr. Stefan Kramarczuk, says babies' hands can safely be cleaned with hand sanitizer, but it can be an irritant to eyes and mouth. After sanitizing your baby's hands rinse them with plain water.
And what about alcohol-free products? Only alcohol-containing products are recognized by the CDC as an effective alternative to hand washing. Only use hand sanitizer if your hands are free of visible dirt - otherwise you should wash your hands thoroughly with good old soap and water.
And if you want to have hand washing skills that make the grade? Schoolchildren are taught to scrub hard for as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday." Twice.
A-plus for clean hands, mom.
Monday, August 10, 2009
A New Website
Our new website is up and running, and... well... WOW! Not only does it look great, but Mamas will have an easy time searching for classes, registering, finding answers to questions - even downloading supplemental materials from classes with a password. We're thrilled about it.
In other news, planning for the new center is in full swing. We'll be looking for several staffers - know anyone fabulous? The perfect candidate to work in the center will have retail experience, an engaging personality, a comfort level with computers, and - preferably - real world experience as a mom. We'd love to hear from you if you fit the bill! Email Sara at sara@ammamaternity.com.
(Don't forget to scope out the new website!)
In other news, planning for the new center is in full swing. We'll be looking for several staffers - know anyone fabulous? The perfect candidate to work in the center will have retail experience, an engaging personality, a comfort level with computers, and - preferably - real world experience as a mom. We'd love to hear from you if you fit the bill! Email Sara at sara@ammamaternity.com.
(Don't forget to scope out the new website!)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Launching the blog
Dear Amma Mamas,
Welcome to the new blog! This is a forum for our Amma experts to share news and notes.
Our biggest news is the upcoming new Amma Maternity center, of course! In January of 2010 we'll be throwing the doors open to welcome all you new and expecting moms. The center will be the Twin Cities' best comprehensive resource for new parents, including a full menu of childbirth and baby preparation classes, workshops, new mom groups, pre- and post-natal fitness, drop-in playgroups, breastfeeding assistance, and a retail boutique.
We're proud to have been selected as the exclusive provider of childbirth and baby preparation classes for Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital! Methodist moms can now register for classes for January and beyond. Expecting parents from any hospital are welcome in our classes, from the first trimester through your baby's first birthday.
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