In need of a community, support or just want to get out of the house with your baby? Enroll in a new moms group!

Oakland Mom2Mom’s group is starting this Tuesday in Rockridge and has a few openings left. The group is 6 weeks from 10-12 on Tuesday mornings. It is a fantastic group for new moms to get support during those challenging first weeks and months. The group is for moms & babies and focuses on the joys, challenges & many humorous moments of this major life transition.

Please share the information with any interested friends as well!

Details can be found at www.oaklandmom2mom.com
or contact Raine Dougan, rainedougan@gmail.com.

As this is tum e time, every once in a while, I will try to put up articles about…yes…tummy time.

Here is one now.

As I’m on vacation at the beach, I have to say that tummy time in sand would be quite a sensory experience.

Enjoy the long weekend!

http://arabia.msn.com/lifestyle/mother-child/1873829/tummy-time-for-your-newborn/

Talking to your baby seems pretty natural, right? We have learned that baby talk or babbling is actually not helpful to communication development. So what is? Everything that you describe, comment and joke about throughout the day! Its as simple as saying, “What should we have for breakfast today?” “Oh, look, we have oatmeal, milk and fruit. Lets put them all together to make a yummy oatmeal. Here is the pot….” Anything you can do to boost the conversation, even if it seems like you are just talking out loud, encourages baby’s brain to gather words and information. Its important to remember that these interactions must come from a live person, not a screen.

See what else research has shown in this NYTimes article:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/the-power-of-talking-to-your-baby/

Sometimes its a nice to take a bath or a walk as a retreat from our busy lives, but how often do we celebrate ourselves for the job we do being a Mom?

Take time this Mothers Day to congratulate yourself in a small or big way.

Gina Hassan is offering a mini-retreat you might want to consider.

Mindful Mothers’ (Day) Retreat
Saturday May 11th 10:00-1:30
A gift to give yourself or a loved one for the day before mothers’ day

Come honor your motherhood with this half-day mini-retreat led by Gina Hassan Ph.D., mother, psychologist, and mindful parenting coach. We will practice mindfulness with guided meditation and other practices, including a yoga practice with Jessica Premsangha Prakasha, strengthen our intention and focus and explore the path of mindful mothering. Give this gift of care to yourself or a mother you know. We will cultivate spaciousness and connect with the powerful wisdom we can offer our children and families by taking the time to open our hearts to the present moment.

This half-day retreat will be led by Gina Hassan, Ph.D., director of Mindful Beginnings, which offers Mindfulness-Based New Mothers’ Groups, 2nd-Time Moms’ Groups, Mindful Mothering Groups, and individual and couples therapy. Gina has a daily meditation practice and strives to incorporate mindfulness into her own parenting as well as the lives of the mothers and couples she works with.

To register please call 510.644.1097 or send an email to
ghassanphd@aol.com

The cost for this half-day retreat is $70.00. If you sign up with a friend there is a $5.00 discount. Size is limited and it is necessary to pre-register. No prior experience is required. This retreat is appropriate for pregnant women and mothers of all ages.The retreat will be held in South Berkeley, location details will be provided upon registration.

Gina Hassan, Ph.D.
510.644.1097
www.ginahassan.com