Happy New Year's

Hi ALLL,
I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season.  I look forward to the time ahead to slow down a little more. 

The first topic in our 2009 LLL series is the Advantages of Breastfeeding (Jan. 15th).  The advantages of breastfeeding sprawl across many dimension and can permeate into so many areas of your family's lives.  Every month, more and more research is proving breastfeeding is essential to you, your baby/toddler, and the Earth.  It also continues to benefits later in adolescence years and adult life as well.  Breastfeeding has been attributed for positive effects on both well being and mental health later in life.  This includes depression, anxiety, ADD & ADHD, diabetes, cholesterol, asthma, allergies, healthier immune system, cancer prevention, and more.

One advantage that interests me, is the science behind the entire child bearing cycle: from impregnation, to giving birth, to sustaining a life.  The advantage I see, is that nursing completes the entire birthing process therefore it allows us to continue to reproduce as a species. If we don't continue to use the ability to breastfeed, it will affect our ability to survive as a race.  It is a fundamental piece of how we are made and how we reproduce.  If we omit that step in the process, then we may omit the ability to be able to create life (millions of years from now).

Please join us and share some of your Advantages of Breastfeeding: Jan 15th at 7PM at Earth Spirits!

HAPPY NEW YEAR's!! May we all have healthy breastfed babies in 2009!

Many BLLLessings,
Erin Abrams, LLL Leader of Sturbridge, MA

Did you see LLL Sturbridge in the paper!  Reporter Jonathan Cook did a thoughtful story on our group and the benefits of breastfeeding and extended breastfeeding.  Thanks to all that could come down and be in the photo!

Article about extend breastfeeding and our group in the Tantasqua Town Common, Dec. 4, 2008: http://www.thetantasquatowncommon.com/120308towncommon.pdf

Image of our group in the Tantasqua Town Common, Dec. 18, 2008::
http://www.thetantasquatowncommon.com/121108towncommon.pdf

Previous Meeting Notes: Medical Miracle of Mother Nature's Perfect Food. 
See attached documents.

Moms Night Out
This is a time for us moms to have some "me" time with friends.  Come join us for some well deserve fun!!
Date: Jan. 11th
Time: 2:30pm-4pm
Location: IceSkating at Horgan Arena, 400 Oxford St N Auburn, MA
Please join us for open skate.  If you have never skated before, you are not alone! ;)  It is a great way to get out of the house, laugh if you fall, and get a little workout.  Prices are $4.00 Admission; $4.00 for rentals . 
Website info: http://www.fmcarenas.com/public/locations/auburn.htm#Public_Skating
Open Skate info: http://www.fmcarenas.com/public/locations/public-sessions/auburn.htm LLL Contact for event: Beth Sadecki's cell phone: (508) 207-5759.

LLL Leader Meeting:
Monthly meeting of Leader, Leader Applicants and potential Leader Applicants that would like to explore how they can support breastfeeding mothers in our community.
Date: Jan. 13th
Time: 12:30 PM (just before the Toddler Playgroup)
Location:  Southbridge Saving's Bank on Rt. 20 in Sturbridge
Bring snacks/lunch for your kids.
If you have ever thought of giving back, please join us or click on this link: http://www.llli.org/LAD/TaLLL/TaLLL.html  to see if becoming a leader is something that fits into you and your family's lives. 

Toddler Playgroup:
Open to all mothers that have toddler's nursing and siblings or plan to nurse through toddler-hood.
Date: Jan 13th (2nd Tues. of the month)
Time: 1 - 3pm
Location: Southbridge Savings Bank - Sturbridge on Rt. 20
Please join us for some inside craft and fun. 

Nighttime Meeting:
Open to all nursing mothers and mothers that have nursed, nursing children welcomed to meeting.
Date: Jan. 15th (3rd Thurs. of each month)
Time: 7-8:30PM
Topic: Advantages of Breastfeeding (Your questions and concerns are top priority.)
Location: Earth Spirits on Rt. 20 in Sturbridge
Our night time meeting is a time for mothers to uphold the LLL traditions - mother-to-mother support.  If LLL has helped supported you and your child in breastfeeding, please consider attending a meeting and offer another new nursing mom your support with your experience and stories of your adventure through breastfeeding.  Even though we have a leader facilitating the group, other stories and experiences are valuable to helping other nursing moms.
Click here for directions.

Daytime Playgroup:
Open to all ages
Date: Jan. 23rd (4th Friday of each month)
Time: 10-11:00 AM
Location: Sturbridge Federated Church
Click here for directions.
Open to all moms, nursing children and siblings.

Better speech development
Tongue thrust problems often develop among bottle-fed babies as they try to slow down the flow of milk coming from an artificial nipple. This can lead to speech problems later on. Early weaning may lead to the interruption of proper oral motor development provoking alterations to the posture and strength of the speech organs and harming the functions of chewing, swallowing, breathing, and articulation of speech sounds. The lack of physiological sucking on the breast may interfere in the oral motor development, possibly causing malocclusion, oral respiration and oral motor disorders.

It takes 60% more energy to breastfeed then bottle-feed = resulting in developing a wider mouth pallet, better tongue maneuvering, teeth correctly coming in, and ability to make proper sounds in the language dialect.

Advertise with US!
If you or someone you know would like to advertise in our monthly newsletter, please spread the word. Money received will help support our group and the community we share. Our newsletter goes out to over 70 people and is hopefully shared with more as some on our list are doulas, nurses and midwives.   We are a specific market of moms, families, nursing moms, nutrition focused and many homeschoolers. Advertising rates begin at $10/month!  WHAT A DEAL!!

More info: calflaa@hotmail.com

Michelle Strzelewicz is a 200 hour RYT with Yoga Alliance, and has a prenatal yoga class that run in her home studio.  Her next session runs from 1/5, 1/12, 1/19, 1/26, 2/2, 2/9 (6 weeks at $60.00 for the session) in Webster.   Please view my website for more info and to see her background.

Info:
"Mimi" Michelle Strzelewicz, RYT
De-Stress with Yoga
141 Sutton Road
Webster, MA  01570
(508) 943-1579
www.de-stresswithyoga.com

Calendars for Sale
Please help support a local family in Sturbridge that is struggling a little.  Bill and Lynn Anderson have two children, a 3 1/2 year old and a newborn, 3 months. The mother, Lynn, had a brain abscess just a short while after she had her baby. She is now being cared for by her mom and she's not able  to take care of the kids at all. The father, Bill, is an artist and is selling a calendar with prints of his artwork to make some extra money to help cover their costs. The mother used to work, but now with the very long recovery ahead of them, she is without her job for a while so they are selling these calendars.

Calendars are $20 and are at The Stone Fish located in the Sturbridge Marketplace, 559 Main Street. , 2nd floor, in Sturbridge= Web site: www.thestonefish.net; Phone: 508-347-3080 and can also be purchased at Allure Hair Design located at The Center at Maple Hill, across from Paoletti's Fruit Store, in the mini shopping mall next to the fish market. Phone: 508-347-3711.  If you would like to send money to the family directly for a calendar: check can be made out to Lisa Anderson and sent to Lisa Anderson:  60 Union, Street Southbridge, MA 01550.

WIC offers BF'ing Programs

South Central WIC Program is committed to increasing breastfeeding rates from initiation at birth by increasing retention rates beyond three to six months of age. To help achieve these goals, they are starting prenatal breastfeeding classes and breastfeeding support groups for postpartum women.  Classes and support groups will be open to all interested at no coast.  Classes begin January 16th at 2PM.  More info, contact Christina Austin, Breastfeeding Coordinator at 508-765-0139.

Breastfeeding Petition to President-Elect Obama

Sign petition to ask President-Elect Barack Obama to make breastfeeding a high priority in his administration. This Web tool will allow USBC to compile signatures from supporters all across the United States to submit to the new administration.

Dear President-Elect Obama:

There is virtually universal agreement among health care experts that, with rare exceptions, breastfeeding is the optimal method of feeding all infants, sick as well as healthy, preterm as well as full term. In addition to the myriad health benefits provided to mother and infant, breastfeeding provides significant economic and environmental benefits for families, employers, and society by reducing health care expenses, eliminating the need to purchase expensive formula, and reducing absenteeism from work to care for sick infants. Excess health care costs totaling more than $4 billion must be paid by the U.S. health care system each year to treat otitis media, gastroenteritis, and necrotizing enterocolitis--childhood diseases and conditions preventable or reduced by breastfeeding. When prevention of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions is factored in, the potential economic benefits of breastfeeding are significantly greater.

Given all of these benefits, the United States Breastfeeding Committee joins the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in recommending that infants be exclusively breastfed for six months, and continue to breastfeed for the first year of life and as long afterward as mutually desired by the mother and infant. Yet only a handful of states are currently meeting the federal government’s own Healthy People 2010 breastfeeding targets. Additionally, significant disparities in breastfeeding continue to exist, with non-Hispanic black and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups experiencing lower breastfeeding rates.

Obviously, more needs to be done to ensure the achievement of our national breastfeeding goals and to create an environment where women and their families can be successful in achieving their personal breastfeeding goals. You have the power to take immediate and concrete action to improve the Nation’s health by protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding. We urge you to use your position of leadership and power to set the tone in the federal government to place a high priority on breastfeeding as an essential public health issue.

Petition located at: www.usbreastfeeding.org/obamapetition

Every Friday from 1-3PM some LLL friends and other local homeschooling families take over the top gym at the YMCA in Southbridge.  Kids have a place to run around, play, participate in non-structured sports, and have space to be a kid. It is $4/child and if you pay $15 for the family you are allowed to come back that evening for the family swim (6-8:15PM).  Come join in the fun!

If you are in need of a book, please email Sylvie Dugas: shastadreamers@charter.net for any book that may be in our library. Sylvie can email you a list of books that range from breastfeeding, attachment parenting, discipline, tandem nursing, and more.

LLL friend, Jeanne Costello, has a full box of 100 count Avent nursing pads. If you can use then, please contact: Jeanne Costello: jeanne_costello@hotmail.com.

If you have a breast pump that you are no longer needing, please email Erin at info@lllsturbridge.org as we have a mother in need.

If you have anything gently used and would like to donate to someone in the group or do a swap (please no selling), email Erin Abrams by the 1st of each month.  Also if you are in need of anything, please email me.  info@lllsturbridge.org.

Great Website: http://www.care2.com
Send free a e-greeting card to anyone and help the rainforest! For each Free Care2 eCard you send, they will donate to save a square foot of rainforest. The website is devoted to all around healthier lifestyle and helping make the world a little better.

 
Isador's Fruit & Deli
Organic & Natural Foods
 
250 Main Street, rear lot
Oxford, MA 01540
508-987-1211
www.isadors.com

They can deliver fruit and veggies to your door weekly or bi-weekly, small or large shipment, and you choose how much fruit or veggies you'd like to receive. The prices are reasonable, the assortment is great.
 

Joshua Hyde (Sturbridge) Library
Location: Rt. 131 in Sturbridge
Fees: Free
Upcoming Events:
Story Book Trail: enjoy a short family walk on the Hobbes Brook Concervation Trail near the library, off Charlton St. while enjoying a story posted along the way.
Story Time: Winter Series starts the week of Jan. 12th. Various times based on age group. Register before Jan 9th; 18-36 mo. Tuesdays @ 10:30 AM;  4.5-6 yrs. Tuesdays @ 1:30 PM; 3-4.5 yrs Fridays @ 10:30 AM.
HUla in the coola! Hula-Hoop contest! Win a Prize! Family/age/ability categories! Bring your own hula hoop! Sat. January 24th 11-11:45 AM Sign up in advance!
Mitten Tree Story Time:  Thurs. Jan. 8th 4:00 – 5:00 PM Ages 2 and up with caregiver Enjoy stories, craft, and hot cocoa! Please bring new/gently used pair of mittens, hat, or scarf for our Magical Mitten Tree!
Fun Family Yoga with Lauren Monroe Tuesday, Jan. 6th Ages 3-5: 11:00-11:30 AM; Ages 6-9: 3:45-4:30 PM Caregiver to accompany. Limited space; Sign up required.
Kickin’ Karate With McCoys Action Karate Interactive Intro to this popular martial arts sport. Sign up required. Ages 3 to 13 with caregiver. Wednesday, January 28th 4:15 – 5:15 PM
Sign & Sing With Kindermusik A fun way to learn sign language through song! Ages 6 mo. to 3 yrs. with caregiver 11:00 -11:45 AM 6 week program Wednesdays Jan, 7-Feb.11 Limited space: Pre-registration required!
More info: http://www.town.sturbridge.ma.us/Public_Documents/SturbridgeMA_LibCal/?FormID=158

Music Man
Location: Sturbridge Coffee House
Fee: Free
Date(s) and Time(s): Tuesday in Nov. from 4-5PM; Fridays from 10-11am
More info: Friday mornings have been so popular that SCH has added him to Tues. afternoons.  Armed with his guitar, harmonica and childhood classic songs, the Music Man gets the kids full of energy.  www.sturbridgecoffeehouse.com  

Story time for PreSchoolers at Broad Meadow Brook Programs
Location: Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester
Fee: Adults $5.00 m/ $6.00 nm, Children $5.00 m/ $6.00 nm
Date(s) and Time(s):
More info: http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Broad_Meadow/index.php

Family Yoga: FlowForms Yoga on Lake Ave. in Worcester offers Family Yoga (and PreNatal workshops) each month.  Family Yoga is for children of all ages and the grown ups who love them. Play and explore in this nurturing and uplifting class, taught by LLL friend, Jen Faldetta.  Jen offers a heart opening class to share with your whole family - all ages are welcomed, it is worth the trip (and Trader Joes is right around the corner to make it more worth while ;).  The next workshops is Sunday, January 25th and Feb. 15th.  Class is $18/class for two family members and $6.00 for each additional person.  More info: www.flowformsyoga.com.
 

If you know of a community event, please email Erin at info@lllsturbridge.org by the first of the month.

La Leche League offers 24 hour toll free helpline providing information, education and support for women who want to breastfeed and healthcare providers. Visit www.breasfeedinghelpline.com for more information or call 1-877-LA-LECHE (1-877-452-5324).

La Leche League International has a mother-to-mother forum on their website that is a great resource for mothers to share experiences on their time.  Much like how LLL meetings first began: experienced mothers helping new moms, and friends supporting each other, the online forum is another way to tap into a breastfeeding support group.  To connect to the forum, go to: http://forums.llli.org.

EarthSpirits - http://earthspirits-herbals.com - Located on Rt. 20 (East bound side) above TJ O'Brien's.  After entering Sturbridge from the MASSPike, drive down Rt. 20 West, go to your fourth traffic light (at Rt. 20 and Cedar St.) and make a left hand turn to reverse your direction onto Rt. 20 East - immediately you will see the entrance to EarthSpirits.

Sturbridge Federated Church - Located between the Town Hall and Library.  take Rt. 131 off of Rt. 20 when entering Sturbridge.  Travel up a 1/4 mile and you will pass the Post Office (red building) on your left.  At the traffic light, take a left and park on your right side.  If you need additional parking you can park across the street in the back of the Town Hall.  The Federated Church is adjacent to the Joshua Hyde Library. Enter through the side entrance and take the elevator down to the nursery.  From the elevator, take a right and enter through the doors and the nursery is on your left.

Submission are accepted by the first of each month, if not they will be included in the following month's newsletter.  Please send submissions to info@lllsturbridge.org.

To Unsubscribe, please email info@lllsturbridge.org.