Rip Current

Rip currents (or rip tides as they are often called) are a top worry now that my two preschoolers are “swimming” regularly at Tybee Island beaches.

Which is why I’m thrilled that Tybee  Island marine scientist/biologist Dr. Joe Richardson, who leads Tybee Island Beach Ecology Trips , agreed to offer some info for SouthernMamas.com on rip current awareness.

This week June 5-11 is Rip Current Awareness Week. Rip currents are strong narrow currents moving away from shore. The strongest rip currents can attain speeds reaching 8 feet per second; this is faster than an Olympic swimmer can sprint! On average, more people die every year from rip currents than from shark attacks. According to the United States Lifesaving Association, 80 percent of surf beach rescues are attributed to rip currents, and more than 100 people die annually from drowning in rip currents.

Dr. Joe Richardson recommends checking out the information, graphics, video and other resources on the NOAA Web site by clicking here so you can try to recognize a rip current and teach your kids what to do if caught in one. Click here to go to the Kids Korner Rip Current Safety page.  

Another concern, according to Dr. Joe Richardson, are strong tidal currents, especially at the north and south ends of Tybee Island (ie. North Beach near the jetty, and South Beach from about 17th St. to the south end of the island). 

“These currents can be surprisingly strong, and they don’t move at a constant speed.  At irregular times and places they move faster, so someone noticing that they are gradually drifting along the beach might find that they are suddenly drifting much faster,” said Dr. Joe Richardson. “This can be extremely dangerous because it might take only a few seconds to suddenly realize that you are too close to the jetty/rocks or the pier to get back to shore or shallow enough water to stand.  I’m afraid that I see this happen too often. And this keeps our lifeguards and ocean rescue people especially busy at the north and south end.”

Read more of Dr. Joe Richardson’s Guest Posts here, including which jellyfish in our local waters sting and which don’t.

Tybee  Island marine scientist/biologist Dr. Joe Richardson, who leads Tybee Island Beach Ecology Trips . These beach walks are an excellent way to educate your kids and entertain your visitors.  Read a list of activities and topics the beach ecology walk covers by clicking here.  To book a family, scout, school and tour group beach walk call (912) 596-5362 or email  joe@ceasurf.com . For updates regarding what Dr. Joe is finding and doing on his ecology beach walks, check out (and “like”) the “Tybee Beach Ecology Trips” FACEBOOK page by clicking here.

Something Special Magazine is a lifestyle magazine for all created by a special needs parent.

This magazine brings hope, inspiration and resources for the special needs parent, while taking care of the “parent” in the special needs parent. For families that don’t directly have a special needs child in their life, chances are- they know someone that does.

By educating yourself on life with a special needs child, you are more able to teach your children about differences and disabilities.

Something Special is free both online and in print. The magazine’s advertisers keep the information coming to you.

Find one of Something Special’s 5,500 copies at over 125 locations in Georgia, or simply log on to www.somethingspecialmagazine.com .

This publication started out locally by a real “southern mama” of five children, one of whom has autism. Log on today and please enter your favorite special needs dad for Something Special’s Fabulous Father’s Day giveaway. Enter as many times as you wish! Grand prize is a family four pack of Atlanta Braves tickets for a game in July against the Pirates and VIP batting practice seats. Winners will be announced on Something Special Magazine on Facebook June 18 at 8pm.

Make sure you visit and “Like” Something Special Magazine on Facebook by clicking here for updates, places to visit, and some words of wisdom.

Too often breastfeeding turns out to be the surprise challenge for new moms.

Nursing is easier with support and supplies from Savannah-area lactation consultant Pamela Holland of Babies, Breastfeeding and Beyond LLC.

Call for an initial in-home consult to help with any problems you may be experiencing with your baby or for a pre-natal visit for breastfeeding concerns before your baby is born.  

Breastfeeding, even including the price of consultation is a more affordable and healthier alternative to formula. Formula costs at least $1,650 per year, more than ten times the cost of one consultation.

As a board-certified Lactation Consultant who has worked with moms and babies of Southeast Georgia in the public  health sector for the past 20 years, Pamela Holland can help you feel confident in your ability to learn how to nurture and feed your baby. 

Pamela Holland started her private practice because she felt that women were being too hard on themselves when they did not achieve the kind of breastfeeding success that “the books” recommended.  Breastfeeding is a natural process, but it may not always be easy.  Rather than take a cookie cutter approach, Pamela Holland believes each mom and baby are unique and must have a personal plan of care that is customized to meet their specific needs. After all, Caesarean delivery, multiple births, and proximity of extended family are just a few of the challenges that are typical in today’s newborn delivery.

If you are having any issues with breastfeeding or have had a previous experience that was less than you had hoped for,  call Babies, Breastfeeding and Beyond at 912-306-4619.

Lactation Consultant Pamela Holland, Babies, Breastfeeding and Beyond LLC, 912-306-4619. Babies, Breastfeeding and Beyond is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Interested in birthing in the privacy, safety, and familiarity of your own home? Want a waterbirth in your living room? Curious about natural alternatives during pregnancy? Want to be empowered by your birth rather than afraid of it?

Then check out our local homebirth certified nurse midwife (the only one in Georgia south of Macon actually), GeorgAnna Wiley at Savannah Midwifery. Call or email for a free, no-obligation consultation. Enjoy your birth!

www.savannahmidwife.net/

GeorgAnna Wiley is qualified to provide care for healthy, low-risk women and their babies during pregnancy, birth, after the birth and to help with women’s health needs from annual exams to menopause and everything in between.

Services offered include:

Prenatal Care

-certified HypnoBirthing® instructor

-a holistic model of care from a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)

-herbal and natural remedies, massage, exercises, and alternative therapies used when desired

Homebirths with GeorgAnna Wiley and Nicole Lavallee, CPM

-give birth in the comfort of your own home, attended by skilled midwives

-offering waterbirths (and they supply the heated tub)

–breastfeeding support

For more information, please visit the homebirth page by clicking here 

Doula Services

-Intrapartum (during birth at a hospital, birthing center, or your home) or postpartum (after birth) doula services in your home. Postpartum includes breastfeeding support, help with sibling adjustment, newborn care help, housekeeping, cooking, nurturing the new mama, etc…. especially helpful after a c-section or if you have little help at home.

Extras: GeorgAnna can even help with a variety of baby slings and cloth diapers, as well as breastfeeding support.

Feel free to contact Savannah Midwifery with questions about any services above.

 State licensed and nationally certified nurse midwife (CNM) practicing in the Savannah area: GeorgAnna Wiley at Savannah Midwifery visit her on the web at www.savannahmidwife.net or call (912) 344-5066 or email birth@savannahmidwife.net Savannah Midwifery is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Below is a guest post by Tybee  Island marine scientist/biologist Dr. Joe Richardson, who leads Tybee Island Beach Ecology Trips . These beach walks are an excellent way to educate your kids and entertain your visitors.  Read a list of activities and topics the beach ecology walk covers by clicking here.  To book a family, scout, school and tour group beach walk call (912) 596-5362 or email  joe@ceasurf.com . For updates regarding what Dr. Joe is finding and doing on his ecology beach walks, check out (and “like”) the “Tybee Beach Ecology Trips” FACEBOOK page by clicking here.

Cannonball Jellyfish are very abundant right now on our beaches, and they are harmless.

The large flat Moon jellyfish will become more common as summer comes, but their sting is mild.

Jellyfish: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not

It’s not unusual to find jellyfish on our beaches, but most of the time the ones we see are harmless and will not sting you. Right now (mid May) the most abundant jellyfish on the beach is the Cannonball Jelly. They are ball-shaped (as opposed to flat), relatively firm, and have a broad reddish-brown band wrapping around an otherwise cloudy white body. The thick structure extending out from under the bell is a system of multiple mouths. Cannonball Jellies do not have stinging tentacles hanging from the bell, so as long as you handle them on the outside of the bell or mouths, there is nothing to sting you. Only if you stick your fingers way up inside the bell could you contact any tiny tentacles, and even then they would give you only a slight tingle. So, don’t mind the Cannonball Jellies – they aren’t going to sting you.

Our common winter-time jellyfish, the Lion’s Mane Jelly, has pretty much finished its season for this year. I haven’t seen any Lion’s Mane Jellies in a few weeks now that the water has warmed up. They are round and fairly flat, and they often have some pink color. Their tentacles are fairly short and form a “hairy-looking” circle of tentacles hanging from the underside of the flat

The Lion's Mane jellyfish is our winter-time jelly and have pretty much disappeared from our beaches now

The Sea Wasp Jellyfish will become a problem in mid July through mid August, and their sting is intense.

jellyfish. This thick circle of short tentacles supposedly resembles the hairy mane around the neck of a male lion. Lion’s Mane Jellies produce a very mild sting; and I personally don’t consider it a “sting” but more of an irritation.

As the water warms into the summer, we will start seeing Moon Jellies. They are very flat, round and clear, and usually have 4 horseshoe shaped structures visible near the center. Moon Jellies have a fringe of short tentacles extending from the very outer edge of their flat body. I’ve seen Moon Jellies on Tybee Island as large as a dinner plate. Moon Jelly tentacles produce a mild sting. It is not really painful, but you know that you have been stung; but it’s not likely going to cause you much discomfort.

It’s during late July and the first couple of weeks of August, on average, that we reach the peak of the Sea Wasp season on Tybee. The Sea Wasp jellyfish are our “bad guys” around here. (We rarely have trouble from floating, blue Portugese Man of War on Tybee, especially compared to some beaches in Florida). But the Sea Wasp jellyfish in late summer do cause us problems. They are clear, and we can’t see them in the water. Although their body is fairly small (2-3 inches), they produce a number of long thin tentacles that extend from 4 hand-like structures that hang from the bottom of their box-shaped body. Even when they are dead and washed up on the beach, Sea Wasp tentacles can still sting. Their sting is an instant intense burning sting, and these stings will make you want to get out of the water and seek some relief. Although the intense pain subsides after a few minutes, the stung area will still hurt a while, and usually some red marks will appear where the tentacles contacted your skin. For me, the stung areas itch for a few days later also.

The above is a guest post by Tybee  Island marine scientist/biologist Dr. Joe Richardson, who leads Tybee Island Beach Ecology Trips . These beach walks are an excellent way to educate your kids and entertain your visitors.

Are you pregnant or new mother?

Are you feeling alone, sad, overwhelmed or angry?

The Mary Telfair Women’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s/Candler and Mental Health America bring you a free line to help you deal with those feelings. Left untreated, postpartum depression can become debilitating.

Contact the Confidential Project Healthy Moms Warmline at 1-800-933-9896 ext. 234 or PHMhelp@mhageorgia.org  .

When you call or email the Project Healthy Moms Warmline, please leave a message, and an experienced registered nurse will respond as soon as possible. She will be able to provide peer support and encouragement and to suggest appropriate resources.

Read my article about local moms dealing with postpartum depression here. A big thank you to the moms who were generous enough to share their experiences with PPD.

What is postpartum depression and anxiety?

• Irrational, intrusive thoughts that seem like they are set on repeat. You may ask, ‘Why did I have that thought?’
• Anxiety is prevalent, including worries or obsession about the baby’s health
• Feeling all the time that you are doing everything wrong
• Depression, characterized by intense sadness, anxiety or despair.
• Tearfulness, insomnia, fatigue, appetite disturbance

The line is not for emergencies. It is considered a postpartum emergency if you are afraid you are going to hurt yourself or your child.

What can you expect when you call?
• The first call you will leave a message and Joanne will get back to you within 24 – 48 hours.
• A mother who has been through postpartum depression and anxiety and survived.
• To begin to understand that you are not alone and that there is help.
• Honest support about the good and the bad parts of being a parent.
• Joanne will have a resource list of local counselors should you want one.

On this Earth Day 2011, SouthernMamas.com is raising our reusable, eco-friendly glass BottlesUp water bottle in a toast to Kim Smith Rowe!

Kim won this week’s SouthernMamas.com giveaway:   a BottlesUp glass water bottle with the lowest carbon footprint in the industry. Cheers Kim!

Thanks to everyone who entered to win by sharing your Earth Day resolutions on the BottlesUp Facebook page .

What better time than Earth Day to ditch your landfill-bound plastic bottle and opt for a sustainable, recycled BottlesUp? Bluffton-based Bottles Up founder and a nationally-acclaimed glass artist Laurel Herter kindly mailed SouthernMamas.com our own BottlesUp for review and we love it. 

The sleek 22-ounce vessel is made with recycled glass and the snap-on cap is from food grade silicone – all sourced and made in North America. You have a choice of four different colors of caps and matching silicone grip rings. We especially appreciate the retro milk bottle lip.

Not only does the glass bottle help you in your goal to stop being environmentally reckless, it also will help you save money by refilling at the tap.  

But our favorite aspect of BottlesUp? Glass means that outside materials such as BPA won’t creep into our water. Now that’s something to toast to on Earth Day. Cheers!

$33.95 at www.bottlesupglass.com  or in specialty retailers. Learn more at www.glassisback.com . Glass is back.

In celebration of Earth Day this week, a SouthernMamas.com reader will win BottlesUp, a  reusable “designer” glass water bottle with the lowest carbon footprint in the industry.

Laurel Herter, based in Bluffton, is founder of Bottles Up and a nationally-acclaimed glass artist and the designer of BottlesUp.  The bottles blend art, functionality and environmental responsibility.

To enter to win, “like” the BottlesUp Facebook page by clicking here. After “liking” the page, answer this question on the BottlesUp Facebook Wall: “What’s one thing you’ll do this Earth Day to be more ‘green’?”  (Examples: hang a clothesline, pick up litter, bike ride instead of drive, resolve to USE MORE GLASS and less plastic).

Deadline to enter is noon Fri. April 22. We’ll announce the winner here that Friday. You have to be a SouthernMamas Weekly E-letter subscriber to enter to win. Subscribing is free. Click here to subscribe.

BottlesUp glass water bottles and packaging are 100% sourced in North America. The glass in the reusable water bottles is made from a minimum of 75% post-consumer recycled glass, that is sourced on site in Pavisa, Mexico. Glass is naturally BPA-free and PVC-free. The colorful food-grade silicone grippers and cap are made in Maine. They use minimal packaging that makes the most of recycled materials. You’ll find zero plastic in the product or the packaging – zero, zilch, nada.

The glass water bottle is designed for the modern hand with a slight curviture and rings to be an easy, natural fit. Also, it has a rounded lip, like old-fashioned milk bottles, making it easy to drink from. So, bottles up and enjoy!

$33.95 at www.bottlesupglass.com  or in specialty retailers. Learn more at www.glassisback.com . Glass is back.

Savannah Yoga Center at 1319 Bull St. believes that moms and dads should be able to grow a yoga practice while raising kids. While you find your center, your kiddo will be enjoying structured activities with other children right in the other room. Childcare at Savannah Yoga Center provides organized learning, yoga, & skill development projects for ages 6mo – 5yrs. Cost is $5 per child, $3 per additional sibling.

Child Care Times:
Tuesday 10am-11:45am
Wednesday10:30am-12:15pm
Thursday 10am-11:45am
Friday 10:15am-12:00pm

Please reserve childcare 24hrs in advanced via email: savannahyoga@gmail.com. For more info. on childcare at Savannah Yoga Center, click here.

Savannah Yoga Center also wants to encourage practicing yoga WITH your child. Which is why Savannah Yoga Center offers a Mommy and Baby (for babies 9 – 14 months old.) yoga class at 10:15 am Mondays and a Mommy and Infants (for Infants 6wks to 8-9 months old; pre-crawling) yoga class at 11:45 am Mondays. Click here for more info on those classes.

Savannah Yoga Center, 1319 Bull Street, Savannah, 31401, email: savannahyoga@gmail.com, (912) 232-2994, www.savannahyoga.com Savannah Yoga Center is a SouthernMamas.com sponsor

The Savannah Soap Co.  – a new green laundromat on the Southside that can save you time and money – is expected to open in early February 2011, possibly as soon as this Saturday, Feb. 5.

So what are you going to do with all the time and money you save by doing your laundry at The Savannah Soap Co.? Tell us by “liking”  The Savannah Soap Co. on Facebook by clicking here, then answer that question by commenting on their wall. The first 100 SouthernMamas readers to comment will each win a cute, canvas Savannah Soap Co. laundry bag with their logo “Fresh. Clean. Smart.”

You can then pick up the bag at the store when visiting anytime over the next four weeks.

At  The Savannah Soap Co., you can do 10 loads of laundry in 20 minutes, using eco-safe, non-toxic laundry soaps. And cut back on your electric bill, too. It’s time to rethink laundry, and laundromats. The Savannah Soap Co. is so sleek and hip, it’s the Starbucks of laundromats with sleek stainless steel cabinets; the largest commercial state-of-the-art energy efficient washers and dryers in the country; white porcelain mosaic floors; retro white subway tile on the walls; white carrara marble countertops; and a fun ceiling made of authentic antique washboards.

The Savannah Soap Co.  features: a T-bar that serves two unique sweet teas and two unsweetened teas each day. (Refills are free); a full wash/dry/fold service; and a natural and organic soaps boutique which carries eco-safe laundry soaps, kitchen and baby products you could not previously find in Savannah.

As little as $36.99 buys you unlimited wash and dry for a month. To see just how much you’ll save on your electric bill by doing your laundry at The Savannah Soap Co., click here.

Half of the The Savannah Soap Co.’s easy-to-operate washers are already loaded with pre-measured, premium eco-friendly laundry detergents and softeners using their trademarked system called “Perfect Wash” or you can add your own favorite detergent and softener to any of their other washers. Continental’s commercial E-Series High-Performance front load washers reach extract speeds of 354 G-Force, roughly 3 times greater than conventional commercial washers. The result is your clothes emerge virtually dry, saving you even more time.

The Savannah Soap Co., 12324 Largo Dr, Savannah GA 31419, 912.335.1538, email fresh@thesavannahsoapco.com, www.thesavannahsoapco.com  Opens the first week of February. The Savannah Soap Co. is a SouthernMamas sponsor

We all need counseling every now and then – whether for our romantic relationships, our children or ourselves.

Which is why it’s comforting to know about a new therapy practice in Savannah doing individual and family therapy called Georgia Outreach. Georgia Outreach therapists Ashley Richbourg and Kim Brauda offer a fresh, innovative approach to therapy.

Georgia Outreach Therapist Kim Brauda

Georgia Outreach Therapist Ashley Richbourg

When it comes to children or adolescent therapy at Georgia Outreach, the parent and therapist work as a team. The goal being that the therapist will serve as a resource to parents, as extra support in helping children during transitions. Georgia Outreach strives to provide an environment that children are eager to return to.

Georgia Outreach also offers couples counseling, whether you’re married or dating. Such therapy can be useful even before there’s ever an issue. “If you are having a “great” relationship you can make it better,” said Georgia Outreach therapist Ashley Richbourg. “If you find the right therapist, they will not point out what is wrong with you, but should focus on what is working and how to make the positives shine even more.”

During talk therapy for individuals, the therapist provides a non-judgmental, let-it-all-out, retreat-type session for individuals.

For SouthernMamas readers, Georgia Outreach offers a $20 discount per session on any private pay client who starts sessions in February. Mention you read about Georgia Outreach on SouthernMamas to receive the discount. Georgia Outreach is a SouthernMamas sponsor.

Georgia Outreach, 408 East Bolton St., Savannah 31401, 912.349.4495, email Info@GaOutreach.com, www.gaoutreach.com

Imagine if you could do 10 loads of laundry in 20 minutes, using eco-safe, non-toxic laundry soaps. And cut back on your electric bill, too.

You can at The Savannah Soap Co., a new green laundromat on the Southside that can save you time and money. The Savannah Soap Co. opens the first week of February 2011.

It’s time to rethink laundry, and laundromats. The Savannah Soap Co. is so sleek and hip, it’s the Starbucks of laundromats.

Forget the drab, uncomfortable laundromat from your college days. Instead picture sleek stainless steel cabinets; the largest commercial state-of-the-art energy efficient washers and dryers in the country; white porcelain mosaic floors; retro white subway tile on the walls; white carrara marble countertops; and a fun ceiling made of authentic antique washboards.

The Savannah Soap Co. also includes vintage décor (Yes, that real nickel plated antique cash register works); a T-bar serving two unique sweet teas and two unsweetened teas each day. (Refills are free); a full wash/dry/fold service; and a natural and organic soaps boutique which carries eco-safe laundry soaps, kitchen and baby products you could not previously find in Savannah. They have wonderful small custom wood boxes with their logo branded on them which they use to create unique gifts boxes of products. Think “Mommy-To-Be rescue kits” or “New Mommy relief kit,” or “Not so New Mommy in need of something special kit,” very cool.

As little as $36.99 buys you unlimited wash and dry for a month. To see just how much you’ll save on your electric bill by doing your laundry at The Savannah Soap Co., click here.

No schlepping your own detergent to this laundromat. Half of the The Savannah Soap Co.’s easy-to-operate washers are already loaded with pre-measured, premium eco-friendly laundry detergents and softeners using their trademarked system called “Perfect Wash” or you can add your own favorite detergent and softener to any of their other washers. Continental’s commercial E-Series High-Performance front load washers reach extract speeds of 354 G-Force, roughly 3 times greater than conventional commercial washers. The result is your clothes emerge virtually dry, saving you even more time.

Most Savannah Soap Co. customers have their own washers and dryers at home. They come to save time and money. The Savannah Soap Co. boasts four sizes of washers, including four massive 90lb washers which is the first of its kind ever installed in a retail setting in the country.

And that translates to no longer spending your weekends doing laundry, even if you are not in college anymore!

The Savannah Soap Co., 12324 Largo Dr, Savannah GA 31419, 912.335.1538, email fresh@thesavannahsoapco.com, www.thesavannahsoapco.com  Opens the first week of February. The Savannah Soap Co. is a SouthernMamas sponsor.

“Live Bands Every Mile.”
“Live Bands Every Mile.”

That was the mantra I kept repeating in my head as I apprehensively entered the first Savannah Striders Rock N’ Roll Marathon and ½ Marathon Training meeting earlier this week. I was nervous to be the still-haven’t-dropped-the-baby weight mom in a room of fit and fabulous runners.

But everything was fine. The crowd at the standing-room-barely meeting could not have been more welcoming. I left looking forward to taking part in The Savannah Striders coaching program to run the 1/2 marathon. The Savannah Striders training is available for beginner runners like me as well as more advanced runners. All you need is the desire to run or walk the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon & ½ Marathon on November 5, 2011. The run will start on Bay Street and end at Forsyth Park.

The coaching is FREE once you join the Savannah Striders Running Club, a cost of $25 which includes a free technical running shirt. Coach Ivan Levinrad, a Doctor of Physical Therapy who has many years of running experience having completed 105 marathons, will help us beginner runners out with everything, right down to telling us whether we’re sporting the right running shoes.

The next Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Training Meeting is 7 PM Thurs. Feb. 3 at The Exchange Restaurant on Waters Avenue. For more info, click here. And remember: Live Bands Every Mile.

Moms often ask us for info on prenatal water aerobics, stroller workouts and mom and baby water exercise classes. We’re thrilled to tell you Oh Baby! Fitness is bringing all of the above to Savannah

These exercise classes for new and expectant moms will be at Chatham County Aquatic Center (7240 Sallie Mood Drive) and Lake Mayer Community Park (1850 E. Montgomery Crossroads).

For details on classes including costs, click here. Oh Baby! Fitness  offers SouthernMamas readers a 10 percent discount off  the classes.  To receive the discount, just enter discount code SOUTHERNMAMAS when you register online for a full session.

Chatham County Aquatic Center classes include:
H2O Baby! Mom and baby exercise classes, 10 AM Saturdays March 5-March 26
H2O Baby! Mom and baby exercise classes, 11 AM Tuesdays March 8-April 12
Pregnancy Water Aerobics, 11 AM Saturdays March 5-March 26
Pregnancy Water Aerobics, 6 PM Mondays March 7-April 25

Lake Mayer Community Park
Stroller Workout, 11 AM Mondays March 7 to April 11
Stroller Workout, 11 AM Thursdays March 10 to April 14

To register, click here.

Here’s a New Year’s Resolution worth keeping.

Join the Savannah Striders as they train for the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon & ½ Marathon which will be held in Savannah on Nov. 5, 2011. The training program is designed for all levels of walkers and runners. There will be a free orientation meeting on Jan. 20 at 7 PM at the meeting room of the Exchange Restaurant on Waters and Stephenson Ave. Call 912-631-1532 for more information or go to www.savystrider.com.

Making Melodies Music Therapy is now in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Making Melodies offers quality individual music therapy sessions, as well as adaptive piano and guitar lessons, for children ages newborn to 18 years.

Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.

Music Therapy can address the following developmental domains:

• communication skills
• academics
• motor skills
• emotional/behavioral development skills
• social skills
• adaptive skills

Making Melodies also offers adaptive guitar and piano lessons, which are tailored to meet the needs of specialized population including children with:

• developmental disabilities
• physical disabilities
• learning disabilities

These lessons use a therapeutic approach in teaching the skills needed to play the piano and guitar, while increasing self discipline, increasing all motor domains, and improving self esteem through accomplishment.

Sessions are offered in your home, making it extremely convenient and comfortable for you and your child! For more information on how your child can benefit from music therapy, visit www.makingmelodiesmt.com For more info, contact Caitlin Whitaker, MT-BC, via email at makingmelodiesmt@gmail.com or call (912) 293-1161

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

The Zoe Foundation will host the second annual “Walk to Remember” Sat. Oct. 30 2010 @ Forsyth Park
Registration: 9 AM
Event Time: 10 AM to noon

This Family Event is FREE and open to the public. Pre-Registration is recommended: Call or e-mail: 912.508.1858 / kayla@zoe-foundation.org

This year’s event will feature: music – guest speakers; balloon release; memorial walk around Forsyth Park; special reading of the names of our honored babies. Please bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the park following the event.

The Zoe Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization that offers financial and emotional support to families who have endured the loss of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, chromosomal disorders, SIDS, accidents or other causes. The Zoe Foundation believes that even the smallest life is precious and deserves a proper memorial. Everyone who has experenced a similar loss or knows someone who has is invited to get connected with The Zoe Foundation.

Kids and teen yoga is now offered at The Yoga Room, 115 Charlotte Road,  on Whitemarsh Island.
Ages 4-8 Tuesdays 4-5 PM
Ages 9-12 Thursdays 4-5 PM
Teen yoga, 13 and up Saturdays 4-5 PM
For cost and more info, click here.
Register by calling 912-898-0361 or emailing svnnhyogaroom@aol.com

AGES 4-8: Children in this age group benefit greatly from the focus and gentleness that yoga brings in a time when kids mind’s tend to be over-stimulated by television, computer games, and today’s fast paced lifestyle. This class stimulates creativity, regulates adrenal glands to better control times of possible aggression or excitability, tones all internal organs and promotes health, builds coordination, strength, and agility, and equalizes energy.

AGES 9-12: This class strives to increase concentration for students, improving in all areas including schoolwork. Practicing yoga will aid in balancing out the pineal and pituitary glands to correct any sadness or gloominess that girls may experience at this age. Yoga also helps to create a healthy body image, improves posture, instills the ability to relax, and provides a healthy way to experiment and take risks. It cultivates a sense of gratitude; enables letting go of the tendency to be critical of one’s self and judgmental of others. Children will learn to calm themselves and better manage stress. The class will assist in building self-esteem and creating a connection with their own body, environment, and the food they eat. Kids who practice yoga also tend to choose better foods to eat and are able to engage in more physical activity than those who do not.

TEEN YOGA: Yoga improves performance in sporting activities like baseball, softball, soccer, football, cheerleading, ballet, tennis, etc. It improves circulation, digestion, and respiration to provide more energy. Yoga for teens increases flexibility and builds balance, promotes self-awareness, increases focus, and relieves stress. Teens that practice yoga learn to better regulate their own emotions. For girls, yoga will aid in establishing an easy and regular menstrual cycle. This class explores ways to honor yourself, others, and all living things. For teenagers, the intensity and duration of the asanas can be increased during practice, as well as focusing on breath control. Yoga for Teens is a great way to meet new people, socialize, and have a lot of fun.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking parents to inspect and secure TVs, furniture and appliances in child-proofing efforts. On average, one child dies every two weeks due to tipovers.

Between 2000 and 2008, CPSC staff received reports of nearly 200 tipover related deaths involving children 8 and younger. Nearly all of these fatalities (93%) involved children 5 and younger.

More than 16,000 children five years old and younger were treated in emergency rooms because of injuries associated with TVs, furniture, and appliance tipovers according to CPSC staff’s most recent estimates from 2006. To read more and to learn how to prevent tip-overs, click here.

This year, the CPSC is intensifying its outreach efforts by partnering with numerous organizations, including clinics and second-hand stores, to disseminate a two minute PSA including a powerful testimonial of a parent who lost her two-year-old in a TV tipover incident and a poster. In addition, consumers will be able to stream a 20 second version of the PSA through October 23, 2010 by texting TVFALL to 878787.

Safe Kids Savannah, a local coalition of organizations and concerned individuals with the common goal of preventing accidental childhood injuries and deaths, holds child car seat safety inspections every Wednesday from 9 AM-4:30 PM by appointment only. Call 912-356-2160 to schedule and appointment. Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be available to help examine child safety seats for recalls and to insure correct installation.

Safe Kids Savannah FREE Car Seat Classes are on the last Tuesday of every month from 7-9 PM at The Midwife Group and Birth Center at 1692 Chatham Parkway in Savannah. Classes are taught by Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians and topics include choosing the right car seat, installing a car seat properly, and using a car seat properly. Call 912-629-6262 to register.

Get involved: Safe Kids Savannah holds meetings the second Tuesday of every month from 11:30 AM to 1 PM. Anyone interested in attending should visit www.safekidssavannah.org or call 912-353-3148 for more information and meeting locations.

As part of the City of Savannah’s Healthy Initiative, new restrictions of smoking are being proposed.

If the proposed Smoke Free Air Act passes, there are several places where smoking would be banned: within 20 feet of restaurants with outdoor seating and serving areas; within 20 feet of all public transportation platforms and shelters and playgrounds.

The proposed legislation would ban smoking 20 feet within the playground area. Designated smoking areas at work will also have to be at least 20 feet away from any entrances.

Voice your opinion at a town hall public meeting this Wed. July 28, 7-9 PM at the Savannah Civic Center where the City Council will take comments about this. Can’t make it to the meeting? Click here for a list of city council members and their contact info so you can make your voice heard. Learn more about the Smoke Free Savannah campaign by clicking here.

You’re invited to a CPR Class taught by the American Red Cross at Just for Baby & More, 10 AM-2 PM Sat. Aug. 7.

This class will cover CPR for infants and toddlers. Participants will receive certification cards the day of the class.

Cost: $35 per person or $60 per couple. Class fee will include manuals, supplies, certification card, and a light lunch

If you would like to join the class, please email casey@justforbaby.net to register. The first 20 registrants will receive a $15 Just for Baby & More Gift Card.

Just For Baby & More, 7701 Waters Ave., Savannah, 912-355-4455

We asked for local moms’ input on best OB/GYNS  in the Savannah area. And you answered -in much appreciated enthusiasm – on our SouthernMamas Facebook Fan Page. Here are your top OB/GYN doctors in the Savannah and Lowcountry.

TOP PICKS 

The Midwife Group & Birth Center, aka Family Health and Birth Center: (912) 629-6262 tied for top slot with
.
Dr. Elizabeth McIntosh of OB/GYN Associates of Savannah: 912-351-0768

Other most popular picks:

Dr. Melanie Helmken of OB/GYN Associates of Savannah: 912-355-9967
Dr. Joe Edwards of OB/GYN CENTER: (912)355-7766
Dr. Reginald Robinson: (912) 355-2800‎
Dr. Glen Scarbrough of OB/GYN Associates of Savannah: 912-352-7933
Dr. Melissa Cobbs of OB/GYN Associates of Savannah: 912-355-4427
Dr. Gregory Whitaker: (912) 352-7393
Dr. Michael Jackson of OB/GYN CENTER: (912)355-7766
Dr. Kimberly Crute of Provident Ob-Gyn: (912) 350-5937‎
Dr. Jules Toraya of OB/GYN Associates, Savannah: 912-352-7933
Dr. Andrew Tucker: (912) 354-2634‎
Dr. Barry Schlafstein: (912) 355-5755‎

Other highly-recommended picks:

Dr. Karen L. Fehr: (912) 692-1080‎
Dr. Alan Smith of Savannah Ob/Gyn: (912) 355-8136
Dr. Tania Morgan-Bowen: (912) 352-7902
Dr. Dina Linfoot of Provident Ob-Gyn: (912) 350-5937‎
Dr. Ilan Bornstein: (912) 356-9600‎
Dr. Anthony Royek and Dr. Harold Bivins at Savannah Perinatology Associates: (912) 350-5970‎

Bluffton/ Beaufort area

Dr. Lynn Norton of Beaufort Ob-Gyn Associates in Beaufort, SC: (843) 524-8151