Vancouver(ish) Tribe: SPRINGing forward! - Page 9

[dawncayden]

WELCOME inhaleexhale and sjdragonfly 

inhaleexhale, there is an Attachment Parenting Group that meets at Creekside Community Centre on Main st. I'm not sure which one is their website though.

there is this in East Van http://www.meetup.com/east-vancouver-mamas

Depending on the neighbourhood you move into, most have a great community to enter into. Yahoo Groups is a good place to start for community. If you move into the Commercial Drive area Yahoo has a thriving community called Parents On the Drive http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ParentsOnTheDrive

Feel free to PM me if you want advice of neighbourhoods or have any questions about Vancouver 

sjdragonfly have you considered Bellydancing? I take it from a great teacher through Killarney CC and she has prenatal fitness background. Many pregnant ladies take bellydancing during their 3 trimesters. Classes start up in January.

Dawn, mama to 5 year old and 2 year old boys

[sjdragonfly]

Funny enough, I was just reading about bellydancing being good for pregnant women a week or so ago. I might look into that. I was thinking prenatal yoga would be good for me because I tend to be a bit high-stress and anything that will help relax me while I'm exercising can only be a good thing.

[sea island mama]

Hello & welcome to our Tribe .

It's been a long time since I was there, but I absolutely loved the pre-natal classes at Yoga West in Kits.  It is Kundalini yoga, which involves a lot of movement, not just holding poses.  There is also a relaxation portion near the end of the class which was wonderful, too.

It was my first yoga experience & it was such a powerful way to embrace pregnancy & birth.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by sjdragonfly  I'm wanting to start taking some prenatal yoga classes in the new year and I was wondering if any of you have any recommendations? I don't typically do yoga normally because I tend to fall over (coordinated, I am not) but I want to try it again now so I'm getting a bit more exercise. I know I can just do some googling, but maybe there someone really liked a particular yoga studio or instructor that you'd like to share?

[Caterina]

I really loved Lynette's classes www.sageyoga.ca in Hastings-Sunrise this last time around.

[sjdragonfly]

Thanks for the recommendations, ladies. I live near Commercial Drive, so I will probably try and check out the one closer to home. I'm really excited to start some prenatal exercise classes. It's so wonderful to skim through this thread and find so many great groups and resources in town, as well.

[PrenatalCoach]

I'm also pregnant with my 1st. Thanks for all the local resources! I'm also LOVING prenatal kundalini yoga but they aren't holding classes at Yoga West anymore. It's sad that there isn't enough interest :-( One of their teachers and instructors is offering them though: Ma Birth (January schedule should be up soon.) I just finished a 5 week private class because no one else signed up. I'm going to do my best to help get the word out so I can continue to take these classes through my pregnancy (she just needs 2-3 students to run a class.) It's been so incredibly healing for me.

I've heard great things about Lori's prenatal yoga classes at the Roundhouse CC and Teresa's at Sempreviva so I'm going to drop in to some of those classes as well!

I'd love to find a local bellydancing class that is suitable for pregnant women. What's the teachers name at Killarney CC?

[darthtunaqueen]

@Eper: Do you guys have any written information yet?  I work in a NICU and we are always on the lookout for good info for parents during discharge!  Plus, it's the advancement of nursing practice, which I am all over like a dirty shirt.  :)

@Crystal, there's an online prenatal/etc yoga site, it used to be an actual studio down on 41st and Dunbar, but they're gone.  You can get a whole package for $30, and it's all prenatal/post-partum/baby yoga.  Someone (one of our 5 different health practitioners) gave it to us... when I find it, I'll let you know.  DW knows, my brain is shot from night shift.

[dawncayden]

Her name is Leona and she's also starting up classes at Trout Lake CC. The first class (on January 18th is free) So you can try it out risk free. 

Trout Lake Community Ctr, 3360 Victoria Drive, 604-257-6955 
www.troutlakecc.com
Beginner
Free Class Wednesday January 18, 6:15pm to 7:15pm

She has had many pregnant mama's take her classes as well as she bellydanced throughout both pregnancies with her two boys.

Here's a Facebook page she just started http://www.facebook.com/events/273456519376155

[lunagal]

Hi Friends!

In case you haven't seen it, @lunadiva and I are hosting an open house and fundraiser at Lunapads in support of our trip to Uganda.

The event is on Monday Jan 9th at 6:30pm and you are all welcome to stop by and mingle.  (We leave Jan 15th.)

Details are here on Eventbrite, on Facebook, and on our blog.

In addition to beverages and snacks, there will also be a great silent auction and door prizes.

Hope you can make it.

MDC has a post about our other fundraising efforts for Pad Kits and workshops for girls here.

@tiffani : it would be fabulous to hear your experiences of travel to Uganda. It's my first trip to Africa and it will be epic!

PS: your collective travel advice is more than welcome!

[AnnaNotherThing]

one of my friends (currently pregnant with her 4th boy) loves the friendly vibe at ISUS fitness on W Broadway near Alma

http://www.barefitandpregnant.com/

They specialise in pre and postnatal fitness and she says it's a really friendly group.

She absolutely loves it and can't imagine getting through a pregnancy without getting her twice weekly exercise 'fix'.

Don't know if they do prenatal yoga specifically.

[dawncayden]

Hi all,

Most of you know I have 2 boys aged 6 and almost 3. Hubby and I have decided to stop at 2 kids and maybe adopt in the near future if we want more. The only thing is every month, for two or three days I get this complete URGE to have another baby. I become obsessive about needing to birth another baby, but then it passes (like I've come to my senses or something)

I'm just wondering...is this me ovulating? Is this what happens to a lot of women when they are ovulating? It seems to happen between periods, so it might be my eggs talking ;)

thanks all

Dawn

[cattmom]

Hi everybody ... The Friends of Waldorf Education in Vancouver is hosting Growing Down, Waking Up: A Waldorf Approach to Understanding Child Development from 7 -9 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 28 at the Strathcona Community Centre, 601 Keefer Street. The speaker is Marjorie Thatcher, an early childhood educator for for 30 years at the Vancouver Waldorf School. Marjorie also taught in the Early Childhood Associate program at the Rudolf Steiner College in California, was a founding member of WECAN and helped develop the Early Childhood Teacher Training Program at the Westcoast Institute. We are giving copies of the terrific book "You Are Your Child's First Teacher" to families who sign up as members on Tuesday. Also, local artisan Anna Thompson will have a table featuring items for children and natural family living. If you are interesting in participating in a childcare co-op that night, please e-mail [e-mail]. https://www.facebook.com/WaldorfinVancouver

[Vancouvercat]

Hi all, new to this thread, happy to find it!  I'm sorry if this has been covered already but wondering if there are any mamas out there who are trying to decide where to send their child to Kindergarten in Sept?  I am seriously considering an independent, small (tiny!) school called Pacific Spirit School (Vancouver West, near Jericho) - I"m wondering if anyone has had their child go there and what they thought of it?  I would love to hear from anyone who knows anything about it!  I've gone to a few information sessions and it seems lovely, but very different than "traditional" school.  My son also got into his local French Immersion school and we also like the idea of early FI.  I don't have any concerns with him in more traditional school (he listens, sits still well, friendly and "plays well", very little anxiety, likes learning french though we don't speak it much), so it would have to be a real philosophical pull to choose to spend some $ every month to go to the independent school.  

Thanks so much!

[sjdragonfly]

Hi ladies, I'm just starting my search for a pediatrician for my little one who is coming in July and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. I'm looking for someone who is going to be okay with me being so crunchy, raising vegan children and either delayed or non-vaxxing. I know the vax thing is going to be the clincher, most likely. I usually just see a naturopath for myself, so something along those lines for a kid would be ideal if at all possible. I know I can't be the only one like this in this city! haha

[dawncayden]

I've found that in BC you just use a Family Doc for everyone including the child. You just get referred to a Ped if there is something wrong, ie. allergies, asthma, rash etc.

What area are you in?

Dr. Helen Ting is pretty relaxed about vax, she's near Broadway and Oak.

[sjdragonfly]

I live just off Commercial, near Trout Lake. I have a family doctor who I have only been to once. I usually just see a naturopath, but my midwives wanted me to have a family doctor for "just in case". I liked her well enough, but when I told her I was pregnant, her first thing to say was "Once you have the baby, care will be transferred to me and we'll do all of the vaccinations." Ugh. So I already know I can't bring the baby to her.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll see if I can get an appointment with Dr. Ting. Maybe I'll be lucky and she's taking new patients. I had a heck of a time even finding someone who was accepting new people when I made the appointment with the one doctor I already saw.

[carmen358]

I'm hoping for some recommendations for a pediatric dentist in Vancouver. Unfortunately our 2.25 year old DD is facing some  severe decay in her top, front teeth and first molars. The dentist we saw was nice enough but wants to do GA and pull the four top front teeth because she said she can't save them :( This is devastating to us and we're wondering if we should get a second opinion. Even though DD did not have sugar until she was a year, EBF until 7 months, no gluten, no bottle or juice, etc. etc. the dentist is blaming it on night nursing her. I'm sick of hearing that and I just don't believe it. DD nursed until 25 months and I wouldn't have it any other way! So, I'm looking for a good dentist who is willing to try alternatives if there are any. Oh, and we do cell salts, xylitol, and high vitamin cod liver oil as well.

Any and all suggestions for a dentist welcome......please!!

[carmen358]

Originally Posted by sjdragonfly 

I live just off Commercial, near Trout Lake. I have a family doctor who I have only been to once. I usually just see a naturopath, but my midwives wanted me to have a family doctor for "just in case". I liked her well enough, but when I told her I was pregnant, her first thing to say was "Once you have the baby, care will be transferred to me and we'll do all of the vaccinations." Ugh. So I already know I can't bring the baby to her.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll see if I can get an appointment with Dr. Ting. Maybe I'll be lucky and she's taking new patients. I had a heck of a time even finding someone who was accepting new people when I made the appointment with the one doctor I already saw.

We did selective, delayed vaccinations and our doctor was great about it. We are also vegetarian, extended breastfeeding, etc and she is very supportive. I'm not sure that she is accepting new patients but you could try....her name is Dr. Kathryn Atkinson on Burrard @ Davie downtown. She's not a pediatrician..just a family doctor. She's also notoriously late for appointments but an amazing doctor.

[carmen358]

Originally Posted by Vancouvercat 

Hi all, new to this thread, happy to find it!  I'm sorry if this has been covered already but wondering if there are any mamas out there who are trying to decide where to send their child to Kindergarten in Sept?  I am seriously considering an independent, small (tiny!) school called Pacific Spirit School (Vancouver West, near Jericho) - I"m wondering if anyone has had their child go there and what they thought of it?  I would love to hear from anyone who knows anything about it!  I've gone to a few information sessions and it seems lovely, but very different than "traditional" school.  My son also got into his local French Immersion school and we also like the idea of early FI.  I don't have any concerns with him in more traditional school (he listens, sits still well, friendly and "plays well", very little anxiety, likes learning french though we don't speak it much), so it would have to be a real philosophical pull to choose to spend some $ every month to go to the independent school.  

Thanks so much!

Our DD started a small family daycare (4-5 kids) in January and 2 of the families have put their older kids in Pacific Spirit after they finished the daycare. Both families love it. Focus on the whole child, etc. I don't have any detailed information though other than their comments about "loving it" - which isn't very helpful I know. We've been looking at different options too and that's on our list to research.