What's the crunch factor in Brookings, SD? Advise please

[rainytown]

My DH is considering a job in Brookings... Can anyone advise me about the town? Are there any crunchies there? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

[123]

I'm from the Sioux Falls area, which is about 60 miles south of Brookings, and the closest bigger town.  I know there is some crunchiness there.  They have a La Leche League and I seem to recall that some of the leaders of the SD Safe Childbirth movement are from Brookings.  I used to work at the Hy-Vee there about 5 years ago and at that time it seemed similar to or a little behind Sioux Falls as far as crunchiness goes.  Of course, in this part of the country there isn't much crunchiness anywhere. 

Actually, you should ask Shelley at Elegant Mommy (a maternity and cloth diaper store in Sioux Falls).  She might be able to tell you more.  Her customers come from all over the eastern part of the state.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elegant-Mommy/43919788876

[Caitlin0919]

The Brookings Hospital has been having forums with the public to find out more about what they want in terms of a birth experience. Starting October 1st, they will be implementing a volunteer doula program. When a woman comes into the hospital in labor, they will ask her if she would like a doula and if she says yes, they will call whoever is on call that day and mom gets a free doula! They've also had a few breastfeeding workshops educating nurses and the public about the importance of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact. Elegant Mommy just recently opened a 2nd store in Watertown, which is about the same distance from Brookings as Sioux Falls, it's just north instead of south. I'm actually the store manager here in Watertown. You'll find a lot more crunchy people in Sioux Falls, however. Watertown has a small community of "crunchy" families, but they're not nearly as active and outspoken as the community in Sioux Falls. Elegant Mommy sells cloth diapers and cloth diaper accessories, detergents, breast pumps and pump parts(we're an authorized Medela retailer), nursing bras, baby carriers of all kinds and a lot of WAHM items. We're also a maternity consignment store so we buy and sell used maternity clothes. Shelly also just recently started a non-profit organization called Educated Mommy which will offer classes, workshops and breastfeeding help. She's hoping to have an LC on staff plus doulas and childbirth educators so local families will have a lot of resources in one spot. Educated Mommy will be located in Sioux Falls as well. You can PM me if you want more info about the area or about Elegant Mommy or even the Brookings Hospital. I'll be participating in the volunteer doula program as a doula. I'm also planning a homebirth in December with a CNM who lives near Sioux Falls so if that's something you'd be interested in, I can certainly pass along her info.

[rainytown]

Thank you so much for your SD insights!

Edited by rainytown - 11/21/11 at 4:48am