Please join us in protesting the BC government's proposed cuts to newborn health visits.

“All mothers and newborns should receive a visit from a public health nurse, if they want or need one."

These visits are a godsend to new moms when they are at their most vulnerable. They help detect post-partum depression, jaundice, breast feeding issues and much more. These problems ...cut across socio-economic lines. Funding for this decades old program should not be cut!

On Friday November 25 at 11:30am, Parents for BC Babies will gather outside Premier Christy Clark's Vancouver office at 3615 W. 4th Ave to protest her government's decision to cut public health nurse visits to women who have just given birth.

Hope to see you there! Bring your stories of why/how much a nurses home visit mattered to you and your newborn and new family.

Here is the BC Nurses Union petition for you to share and sign.

It's PTSD Awareness Day.

Chances are extremely high that you know someone with PTSD. It is common among Veterans as we know, but it's not only Veterans who get it. I happen to know a lot about this disorder and one day when I have the time I'll do a longer post about it. (It's getting late and I only just realized that its PTSD Awareness day)! Folks with PTSD basically have a faulty fight or flight response which can be very debilitating for those with the disorder (and tough on their loved ones and families as well.) People with PTSD often suffer from flashbacks, nightmares/sleep disturbances, anxiety attacks, depression and dissociation, and they sadly sometimes wind up making their world very small due to the avoidance of triggers. It is a very debilitating disorder, and one that people need to work at on a daily basis. Therapy helps (cognitive behavioral therapy in particular ,whether one on one or in a group setting.) Yoga is very helpful for PTSD on many levels providing many tools for coping and helping to self regulate the nervous system (therefore counterracting the fight or fight response etc.) The practice of mindfulness meditation and breathwork (pranayama) are a godsend for people with PTSD (as all anxiety disorders).

Really happy to see that there is a PTSD Awareness Day! Its a start :)