A whole month dedicated to pregnancy awareness
Pregnancy Awareness Month (PAM) will be celebrated in May 2008 in Los Angeles. Wouldn’t it be great to see PAM postage stamps some day? Or colored (puce…?) ribbons tacked on every lapel? (I don’t know what colors are left, I don’t think anyone’s picked puce!)
April BirthChat: Show and Tell
Bring photos and memorabilia of your prenatal care and birth experiences and be prepared to offer a brief description of your treasures. A computer will be available to those who haven’t made it to the photo lab and have their photos on a CD or DVD.
We look forward to seeing you!
Breastfeeding Saves Babies
A story that is both sad and triumphant.
Breastfeeding-friendly Businesses in Northern Colorado
When a breastfeeding mother draws negative public attention for the simple act of feeding her child, it highlights our cultural lack of understanding, support, and acceptance of this normal, nurturing behavior. Thereafter ensues media attention brought to the mother, the business, and breastfeeding in general. Often this attention is unconstructive and creates a forum for arguments over the “public decency” aspect of using breasts to feed babies. Typically, the emotional, moral, and legal battles gloss over the facts and focus more on personal values and belief systems. We are the only culture that so highly ab-normalizes breast milk and breastfeeding.
Businesses that not only tolerate breastfeeding patrons and employees, but also encourage and support them, deserve special recognition and positive attention. They make a conscious decision to promote the healthy interdependence of MotherBaby and the importance of breast milk for normal infant growth and development. They enjoy wider appeal to customers who know they can breastfeed publicly without condemnation or embarrassment and, if also providing services or comforts for older children, may enjoy their continued patronage for years to come. When business owners employ nursing mothers and allow breaks for breastfeeding or pumping, or allow moms to bring their nursing children with them, they have happier employees who take fewer sick days to care for ill children. We applaud these pioneers in business who chose to put people before profit.
If you know of a breastfeeding-friendly business or institution, please feel free to add them to the comments on this post. If you received especially welcoming treatment as a patron or employee, please share your experience. As the list grows, we will include it as a file or category on this site. One goal for this list is to present each business with a “Certificate of Breastfeeding Friendliness” from The Family Journey.
To begin the list:
(new address forthcoming)
Fort Collins, CO 80526
970-223-9035
BOBB Info
Good stuff from Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake…
April 2, 2008
Hello! It has been a very exciting time for “The Business of Being Born.” We released the movie last month on Netflix and 85,000 people already have rented it or have the film listed in their queue of movies to watch!
Also, 14,000 Netflix subscribers have watched BOBB online, making it #28 in the top 50 of Netflix’s instantly watched films! We owe much of this success to the supportive community who has been spreading the word.
We want to especially thank all of the organizers of the grassroots community screenings. They have made a huge impact and contributed to all the positive buzz. Over the past few months, these screenings took place in all fifty US states, as well as all over Canada, Australia and Ireland. More grassroots screenings are coming up in Scotland, England, Switzerland and Holland.
The DVD will be available for sale in North America on May 6th and you can reserve a copy to purchase on the BoBB website now! The DVD includes some important bonus features to the film, including deleted scenes, follow up interviews and more. If you order the DVD from our website, you will also receive a free National Birth Guide published by Choices in Childbirth. We will be having another burst of publicity and press to build awareness about maternity care surrounding the May 6th DVD release, including national TV appearances on 20/20 and The View. Let us know if you would like to post information on your website and we can get you details.
New video footage from the NYC Premiere is now up on the website, sponsored by earth-friendly G Diapers, with red carpet interviews with Ricki and Abby, the post screening Q&A and audience reactions! We also have added to our site some valuable links, articles, a book list, questions to ask your care provider, medical research and a BoBB message board is in the works. Also coming soon is the BoBB Store, which will sell BoBB t-shirts, diaper bags, birth balls and baby apparel. A portion of all proceeds from our online sales will go to the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS).
All the best,
Ricki, Abby, Amy and the BOBB Team
Hmmm…what’s the deal with Ultrasound Scans?
Childbirth International presents this information, geared toward helping doulas and childbirth educators assist their clients in making informed decisions.
Off Her Back
This story from mothering.com covers one woman’s account of becoming aware of the powerful choices to be made regarding maternity care.
ASAC’s Birth Issues Magazine
Canada has some excellent resources for supporting moms and families. The ASAC (Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth) puts out a magazine called Birth Issues. Check out the online version, which is chock full of birth stories, information, and articles.
We are a group of individuals interested in making birth better for mothers, babies, and families.
We believe that, through education and support, women will be empowered to make choices that are safer and more satisfying to themselves and their babies.
When life begins peacefully and safely, everyone benefits.
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