Content warning: This article highlights maternal suicide awareness, resources and support.
AWARENESS MONTHS
National Yoga Month: Yoga month is the perfect opportunity to focus on your mental and physical health! It can be a time to enjoy a fun activity with your friends, family, or yourself by taking a yoga class or even watching a video online and doing yoga from your own home. It is a fantastic way to let go of any stress and spend some time dedicated to nurturing your mind and body.
Yoga is known to have many benefits. It can help release any physical tension/aches you may have, improve strength, balance, flexibility, benefit your heart health, manage stress, and brighten your overall mood! Most especially, if you are pregnant, yoga can help improve sleep, reduce anxiety, decrease nausea and headaches, and help increase your strength and flexibility for childbirth.
Check out the CCCN Fitness or click the links below find some wonderful yoga instructors in the central coast area!
Tawny Sterios- Certified Yoga Teacher
UNWIND STUDIO- Yoga, Pilates, and Wellness Studio
Jes Godsey- 200hr trained Yoga instructor and 85hr certified Prenatal Yoga instructor
Beyond the Bump, Brittany- Personal Training and Nutrition Services
Saunter Yoga and Wellness-Saunter Yoga and Wellness offers a wide range of wellness services to help heal the body, mind, and soul.
Empowered Yoga 805 - Offers FREE weekly class on Saturdays for first responders and caretakers in our Grover Beach community. Email Robyn for details, empoweryoga805@gmail.com
Use your imagination and creativity to come up with the perfect yoga poses! We invite you to share your favorite yoga poses with the CCCN by commenting or posting with the #YogaMonth. Feel free to tag the CCCN's Facebook or Instagram!
Sexual Health Month: September is also a month to bring awareness to sexual health. What is Sexual Health?
According to the World Health Organization Sexual Health is “…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.” (WHO, 2006a)
Who is talking about sexual health?
✅ Primary Care Providers
✅ Specialists
✅ Health Educators
✅ Pharmacists
✅ Mental Health Professionals
“Openness, acceptance, and evidence-based information about sexual health are keys to helping women [birthing person] feel safe with you [provider/educator], their bodies, their partners, and birth.” (Allen, L. & Fountain.L, 2007)
Finding ways to optimize sexual health is important before and after pregnancy. @nationalcoalitionsexualhealth on Instagram highlights 5 Action steps to good sexual health for everyone.
Make sexual health part of your healthcare routine
Treat your partners well and expect them to treat you well
Build positive relationships
Value you who you are and decide what is right for you
Get smart about your body and protect it
Check out our IG post for great resources to continue discussing sexual health before and after pregnancy.
Learn more at ncshguide.org.
Baby Safety Month: As fall and winter begin to approach, it is appropriate to start thinking about how this time of the year will influence your baby's safety. Whether it's in the home or on the go, be certain that gear and toys are appropriate for your little one. Visit our website now and easily find recalled baby products, and more!
Did you know? Safe Kids is dedicated to providing you with a comprehensive list of monthly child-related recalls collected from the major federal agencies: the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. We also bring you any news and consumer concerns about children's products . Remember that safety recalls don’t expire, so check our product recalls pages regularly, especially if you receive hand-me-downs or buy children’s products at a secondhand shop or yard sale. https://www.safekids.org/product-recalls
AWARENESS WEEK
September 4-10, is Maternal Suicide Awareness Week. According to 2020mom.org, " Suicide is a preventable public health problem and a leading cause of death in the United States. More investment in suicide prevention, education and research will help prevent the untimely deaths of thousands of Americans each year." Visit 2020mom.org to learn more about Maternal suicide awareness, support, advocacy and trainings. You are not alone! Locally, there are many resources that offer mental health support from Preconception through early parenting. To learn more about mental health and wellness support locally visit our Mental Health and Wellness Professionals CCCN Member page, past blog posts, web resources, low/free cost support. We recently hosted a May Coffee Connection with informative resources and support highlighting Mental Health and Support on the Central Coast. Check out the blog article here. Join Mom Mood Boost Group Weekly on Wednesdays with #CCCNMEMBER Megan Richert, LCSW. Learn more in our community calendar here. Reminder: CCCN does not give medical advice. Please contact your healthcare provider for medical diagnosis and assessment. Please dial 9-1-1 for an emergency.
AWARENESS DAYS
September 11th, International Grandparents Day: Sunday, September 11th, celebrates grandparents everywhere! It can be the perfect opportunity to share your love and appreciation for the all the joy and wonder that grandparents provide. Spend a lovely Sunday afternoon with the grandparents to celebrate this special day. Some fun ways to spend the day are going on an afternoon stroll, hiking, or watching their favorite movie.
If the grandparents in your family have been there to show extra support in caring for their grandkids, you can express your gratitude by writing them a letter, getting them a sweet gift, or even giving them a nice phone call to catch up.
Make sure to engage in International Grandparents Day this September 11th by sharing the picture that captures your love for grandparents everywhere! Tag us @centralcoastchildbirthnetwork on Instagram.
September 15th, Neonatal Nurses Day: In recognition of National Neonatal Nurses day, we would like to thank all of the NICU and nursery nurses in our local hospitals: Sierra Vista, French Hospital, Twin cities, Marian Regional Medical Center, Lompoc, and Cottage Hospital this September 15th. We greatly appreciate all that you do to help provide for us!
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nursing is a subspecialty of nursing that involves caring for newborn infants who need additional medical care and support after birth. Some babies who are born premature, with birth defects, infection, cardiac malformations, and surgical problems may need additional support and care in the NICU. Below are some resources for NICU, Post-NICU and Bereaved Families.
As a birth and wellness provider, it can be challenging to know the right way to support NICU parents. Ways you can show your support are by trying to include the parents as much as possible. This can include allowing skin-to-skin contact (as medically appropriate), involving parents in the plan of care, being communicative, and providing parents with access to medical records. Some NICU's have a camera to take pictures to give to parents. This can be so helpful for parents, especially postpartum parents who may not be able to visit right away for any reason.
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Authored in collaboration with:
Ashley Vu, CCCN 2021 Intern, and Zabrina Cox, Ctp Program Director
Updated September 2022