Jill Reiter joins us for World Doula Week to discuss labor and birth doulas and the benefits of their use for new families.
Addiction Series: Leonard Kincaid, Houston Recovery Center
Addiction Series: Leonard Kincaid, Houston Recovery Center
Leonard Kincaid, co-founder and executive director, joins us to discuss services provided by the Houston Recovery Center.
Birdie Meyer, Postpartum Support International
Birdie Meyer, Postpartum Support International
Birdie Meyer, RN, joins us to discuss postpartum mental health and the services offered by Postpartum Support International.
Kristin J. Wilson, PhD, Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding rarely conforms to the idealized Madonna-and-baby image seen in old artwork, now recast in celebrity breastfeeding photo spreads and pro-breastfeeding ad campaigns. The personal accounts in Others’ Milk illustrate just how messy and challenging and unpredictable it can be—an uncomfortable reality in the contemporary context of high-stakes motherhood in which “successful” breastfeeding proves one’s maternal mettle.
Exceptional breastfeeders find creative ways to feed and care for their children—such as by inducing lactation, sharing milk, or exclusively pumping. They want to adhere to the societal ideal of giving them “the best” but sometimes have to face off with dogmatic authorities in order to do so. Kristin J. Wilson argues that while breastfeeding is never going to be the feasible choice for everyone, it should be accessible to anyone.
Kristin J. Wilson, PhD, is chair of the Anthropology Department at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. She received a doctorate in sociology at Georgia State University and an MA in anthropology at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on themes of reproductive justice. She is the author of Others’ Milk and Not Trying: Infertility, Childlessness, and Ambivalence.
Afua Hassan
Afua Hassan moved to Houston to pursue a career in midwifery. She graduated from The Houston School of Midwifery in 1984.
Afua is the founder, owner and licensed midwife of The Birthing Place. The Birthing Place is the only free standing birth center that is owned by and operated by a black midwife in the city of Houston.
She is a member of
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- International Center for Traditional Childbearing
- Association of Texas Midwives
- Greater Houston Midwives Alliance
- International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN)
Her business is located in the historically African American community in the third ward. The best services are the homegrown mom and pop businesses and she is proud of it. She believes the mother is the captain, the partner is the co-captain and Afua is the advisor. Being a midwife with over 30 years of experience, she has seen a lot and that is why the client will always choose their path/journey when you are a client of The Birthing Place.
Addiction Series: Michelle Hansford, Santa Maria Hostel
Addiction Series: Michelle Hansford, Santa Maria Hostel
Michelle Hansford is currently employed with Santa Maria Hostel as a Parent Coach Navigator. She was previously employed with One Voice Texas under the Hogg Foundation Peer Policy Fellow grant for one year. Before joining OVT, Michelle was formerly employed as a Recovery Coach/Certified Peer Specialist with Santa Maria Hostel. She is perfectly positioned to provide advocacy trainings and support to two groups – children and parents – that are marginalized in the policy discussions surrounding the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Michelle was also a Family Navigator with Harris County Child Protective Services, and she volunteers as a parent liaison with the State Wide Parent Collaboration Group of the Department of Family and Protective Services. Michelle constantly works to give back whatever experience, strength, and hope she has learned from her previous and current employers, as well as her faith-based community, Mercy Street at Chapelwood United Methodist. Michelle is a birth parent who has successfully advocated for herself and her children, as well as for parents in other cases where substance abuse, mental health, and trauma are involved.
Whitley Jagnanan, Chiropractic and Craniosacral Therapy for Newborns
Whitley Jagnanan, Chiropractic and Craniosacral Therapy for Newborns
Dr. Whitley Jagnanan, of Vital Family Chiropractic, joins us to discuss the benefits and applications of chiropractic care and craniosacral therapy for newborns.
Dr. Caroline Long, Fertility
Caroline Long, DC, is a pregnancy and pediatric-certified chiropractor and the founder of West University Wellness. She graduated from Spring Woods High School before pursuing her Bachelor of Arts at UCLA. She returned to Texas Chiropractic College where she graduated with top honors and then completed over 300 post-graduate certification hours with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. For the past 18 years she has built her reputation as a caring and compassionate chiropractor for patients as young as 1 day old all the way to a patient who was 106 years old. Dr. Long is the cofounder for the Texas Dragon Boat Association and previously served on the boards of the San Jacinto Girl Scouts and Buffalo Bayou Partnership. She is a proud native Houstonian and enjoys volunteering in her community. She and her husband Patrick have two daughters ages 10 and 12. West University Wellness has been a sponsor and supporter of BIRTH Fair for many years.
Heather Goodwin and Tracy Southwick
Heather Goodwin and Tracy Southwick
Heather Goodwin and Tracy Southwick will tell us about sugar and how to create a healthier relationship with sugar, curb some of our cravings, manage our intake, and help reduce the amount of sugar our children consume.
Heather Goodwin is the director of Heights of Health Holistic Behavior Division. She holds a master’s degree in Education and is a board-certified Holistic Health Practioner. She has expertise in mind/body connection, changing the stress response, managing anxiety level, and also works with children with ADHD and other neurological or behavioral challenges. She is the co-creator of a school-based mindfulness program called Present Time Kids and the cutting-edge holistic health program Wellbeing Simplified. She remains a national speaker and recognized behavior specialist who resides in the Houston Heights with her husband Mike and two children Sophia and Nicholas.
Tracy Southwick has been in the natural health field since she was diagnosed with a debilitating health condition 22 years ago. After her body healed through holistic means, she devoted her life’s work to helping educate others about the beauty of the body’s innate ability to heal itself when given the proper tools. Tracy is a traditional naturopath and the founder of Heights of Health Holistic Clinic here in her hometown of Houston.
Addiction Series: George Youngblood, Alternative Peer Groups
Addiction Series: George Youngblood, Alternative Peer Groups
George Youngblood, LCDC, ADCIII, CCS, of Teen and Family Services, presents to us information about Alternative Peer Groups for adolescents struggling with substance use disorder and their impact on families who are dealing with addiction in their children.