February Meeting Announcement: Extended Breastfeeding

On Tuesday, February 1, Mairi Breen Rothman will discuss extended breastfeeding with the DC Chapter of the Holistic Moms Network. Extended breastfeeding is typically understood as breastfeeding beyond your child’s first birthday. Many people are familiar with the recommendation that, to achieve optimal growth, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. But there are benefits to nursing a child beyond six months. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund recommend nursing for a minimum of two years, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for at least a year. Mairi will discuss the benefits of extended breastfeeding, and some of the challenges mothers might face who choose to nurse their children into their toddler years. There will be ample time for questions.

Mairi Breen Rothman has been a midwife since 1996. She and another midwife started M.A.M.A.S. Midwifery, a full-scope midwifery practice in the Washington, DC metro area, in 2008, and since that time have helped many women in DC give birth in their own homes.

Our “Extended Breastfeeding” meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 1 from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Community Room of the Cleveland Park Public Library, 3310 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008. There is street parking in Cleveland Park, and the library is also metro-accessible through the Cleveland Park/Red Line stop.

January Meeting Announcement: Recipe Exchange & Family Traditions

On Tuesday, January 18, please join the DC Chapter of the Holistic Moms Network for an evening of sharing recipe ideas and family traditions. Do you have a recipe for a meal you use to bring your family together? Or a recipe that is super healthy and loved by your children? Do you have a favorite dish that is vegetarian, vegan, raw, or tailored to a gluten-free, dairy-free, or other special diet? Please bring one or more of your favorite recipes to share. While we exchange recipes, we will share family traditions by discussing the ways in which we celebrate holidays, seasons, birthdays, and other celebrations with our families. Recipes and ideas for family traditions will be compiled and available to our members after the meeting. Please join us!

Our “Recipe Exchange & Family Traditions” meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 18 from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Community Room of the Cleveland Park Public Library, 3310 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008. There is street parking in Cleveland Park, and the library is also metro-accessible through the Cleveland Park/Red Line stop.

Please note that the DC Chapter of the Holistic Moms Network usually meets on the first Tuesday of each month, but our January 2011 meeting is taking place later due to the New Year holiday.

December Meeting Announcement: Handmade Holistic Holidays!

On Tuesday, December 7 the DC Chapter of the Holistic Moms Network will hold an evening of sharing ideas on handmade holidays. As we discussed at our last meeting, we will also continue the discussion on planning for next year. Please join us and bring your ideas of handmade holiday gifts! We hope to compile all ideas into a booklet of handmade holistic gifts, to be available to members. Hope to see you!

November Meeting: Anniversary Party & Planning Meeting

On Tuesday, November 2, we held our one-year anniversary party (a bit late as we started last September!) in conjunction with a planning meeting. Over cupcakes, we discussed topics for next year as well as other activities members of the chapter would like to become involved in. Thank you to everyone who attended! Members - please look for information from the meeting on our yahoo groups list!

October Meeting Recap: Wireless Safety

Thank you to Christine Hoch of Moms for Safe Wireless for presenting to us on "Wireless Product Safety" in October. Christine provided extensive information on existing research around wireless product safety, and offered suggestions on how we might reduce exposure to radiation from wireless products. Christine's powerpoint is available to members of our chapter on our Yahoo Groups page!

October Meeting Announcement: Wireless Safety

Do you wonder if it is safe for a child to use a cell phone, cordless phone, wireless game controller, or laptop? Do you have Wi-Fi in your home or office? These products could be impacting your health. On Tuesday, October 5, we will discuss these questions as we learn about radiofrequency radiation and what we can do to mitigate impacts from Christine Hoch, Founder and Executive Director of Moms for Safe Wireless, a local nonprofit organization.

Christine Hoch is the Founder and Executive Director of Moms for Safe Wireless, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Gainesville, VA and established in June 2009. Moms for Safe Wireless raises awareness of the reported health effects from wireless products. Christine worked for the National Safety Council’s Environmental Health Center for 9 years, where she raised awareness of environmental health issues such as lead poisoning, radon, pesticides, sun safety and high-level radioactive waste transport. She was Executive Director of the Autism Society of Northern Virginia and Co-Founder of the Walk for Autism – Virginia, both of which provide support to families affected by autism in Northern Virginia. Prior to forming Moms for Safe Wireless, Ms. Hoch was Vice President of Finance at the National Center for Family Philanthropy. She holds a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from American University.

Our “Wireless Product Safety” meeting with Christine Hoch will take place on Tuesday, October 5 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Cleveland Park Public Library, 3310 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008. There is street parking in Cleveland Park, and the library is also metro accessible through the Cleveland Park/Red Line stop.

September Meeting Recap: Navigating Vaccination Decisions

Our September meeting on "Navigating Vaccination Decisions" with Barbara Loe Fisher was full of information and resources on this confusing subject. Barbara gave an overview of childhood vaccination requirements and discussed how parents might increase their understanding of potential adverse effects of vaccinations as well as potential effects of contracting diseases. Members and visitors asked a number of thoughtful questions, and Barbara provided thoughtful responses. Thank you Barbara for providing our group with a huge amount of valuable information!