MOMSQUAD NAPA VALLEY
RESOURCES
In addition to the online info above, you can Call or Text Postpartum Support International HelpLine or contact Crystal@2020mom.org for local resources
Call 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD) (English and Spanish)
Text 503-894-9453
Available 24 hours a day, you will be asked to leave a confidential message and a trained and caring volunteer will return your call or text. They will listen, answer questions, offer encouragement and connect you with local resources as needed. Here are some of the local wellness resources in Napa that may help you.
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The Federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau developed Depression During and After Pregnancy: A Resource for Women, Their Families, and Friends. This colorful booklet describes the essentials about depression during and after pregnancy. The booklet is available online in English and Spanish:
English: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/ pregnancyandbeyond/depression/ perinataldepression.pdf
Spanish: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/ pregnancyandbeyond/depression/ ladepresion.pdf
The Federal Office of Women’s Health developed two fact sheets that provide answers to frequently asked questions about depression:
Depression During and After Pregnancy: http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/depression-pregnancy.pdf Depression: http://www.womenshealth. gov/publications/our-publications/factsheet/depression.pdf
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The MacArthur Foundation developed the Depression Management Toolkit, a resource designed to help community agencies implement the PHQ-2 and -9 screening tools: http://prevention.mt.gov/suicideprevention/13macarthurtoolkit.pdf
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Other tools are available in English and Spanish to screen pregnant and postpartum women for depression: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale: „„
English: http://www2.aap.org/sections/scan/practicingsafety/Toolkit_ Resources/Module2/EPDS.pdf
Spanish: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/ programs/mcah/Documents/MO-CHVPEPDS-Spanish.pdf
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The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Tool: English: http://medschool2.ucsf.edu/ latino/pdf/CESD/CESDEN.pdf Spanish: http://medschool2.ucsf.edu/ latino/pdf/CESD/CESDSP.pdf c-1
I AM STRUGGLING WITH INFERTILITY, MAKING DIFFICULT PREGNANCY DECISIONS, LOSS OR PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS
Contact MomSquad directly for local support
- Screenings and assessments to determine family's needs
- Routine screening for child development and maternal depression
- Supporting parents in setting and reaching personal goals, such as furthering their education, gaining employment or improving their mental or physical health
- Referrals to additional resources to help address the family's specific needs
This program will
- Ensure that pregnant women get into prenatal care, stay in prenatal care, get needed resources while pregnant and for the first year after the baby is born
- Assist clients with access to basic resources like WIC and Medi-Cal; helping to fill out forms and work their way through a relatively complex system
- Assist with Obstetrician and Certified Nurse Midwife compliance by ensuring clients understand the importance of, and advantages to, keeping appointments
- Accompany clients while providing instruction on using public transportation
- Screen for health related risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use and substance abuse while providing information about community based educational and supportive resources
- Provide on-going support and information throughout pregnancy by guiding clients to educational resources and classes appropriate to their situation
- Interface with community agencies based on each clients individual educational needs
- Participate in continuing education offerings to ensure that they are current in the perinatal needs of our community
- Attend community, interagency, and other meetings to provide advocacy and support for perinatal issues, clients, and services
- Provide culturally appropriate and sensitive care (Is fluent in reading, writing and speaking Spanish)
"We all know that having a new baby presents unique challenges, and research shows that couples are more likely to feel dissatisfied with their relationship after a child is born. As much as expecting parents plan and prepare, there is still so much to learn about raising a child while keeping their relationship with their partner intact."Read more, here.
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Feeling like you need to talk to someone about how pregnancy, postpartum or parenting experience is affecting you? Resources are available to help. Discuss how you can prepare for the possibility of PPD with your doctor, and know that you are not alone. Read more, here.
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Additional Resources
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Child Mind Institute - If you have a child struggling with mental health or learning challenges, getting sound, clear information is the first step to getting good care. The Child Mind Institute aims to empower you with the resources you need to make good decisions for your child. Whether you're investigating your concerns or researching a particular diagnosis, we offer the most current thinking from experts and the experience of families who've been through it.
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HealthyChildren.org - Powered by pediatricians of the American Academy of Pediatrics
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KidsHealth - Doctor-reviewed advice on hundreds of physical, emotional, and behavioral topics — from before birth through the teen years. Separate sections for parents, kids, and teens, each created with your questions in mind. Easy-to-follow articles, slideshows, videos, and health tools designed to help families learn, grow, and be their best. Free lesson plans and programs for teachers and early childhood educators. Learn the Signs, Act Early
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Text4Baby - There are a lot of things to remember when you're pregnant or a new mom. Text4baby makes it easy to get important information, and it's free. Women who text BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411 receive free text messages three times per week, timed to their due date or their baby's birth date, through pregnancy and up until the baby's first birthday. Text4baby sends personalized messages directly to you, and the texts have information you can trust because they are developed by experts from all over the country. There is also an app that provides additional information about baby's development, pregnancy, childcare tips, and more.
Text4baby is a free service provided by Wellpass.
Vroom - https://www.vroom.org/ This tool gives parents/caregivers tips to enrich the experience with their children and better support their development. The tips care calibrated to the child’s age.
Footsteps2Brilliance - https://www.footsteps2brilliance.com/ This is a bilingual literacy tool. Best practice is for a parent/caregiver to sit with her/his child and go through the material/activities.
Learn the Signs. Act Early – This is a program of the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/index.html The program has an app but can also be used from a regular computer. Great tool to track milestones from birth to 5 years old. This is the specific site for families: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/index.html
Zero to Three – If you want to learn more about the research and best practices for early learning (birth to three years old), Zero to Three has some great materials. Some of it is available by subscription only.
Ages and Stages – Universal Screening Tool. Community Resources for Children provides ASQs free of charge by appointment. Contact (707) 253-0376 and ask for Paula.
https://agesandstages.com/about-asq/how-asq-works/
Understood https://www.understood.org/en A great site for learning and attention issues. It is not specific to early learning. Starts in preschool and goes through the school-age years.
Community Outreach offers a wide range of classes designed to help expecting moms, dads and families make informed, healthy choices about their pregnancy, birth, and early child-rearing. From planning a pregnancy to learning how to care for a newborn, our classes cover a continuum of related health care topics to improve the health and quality of life for growing families.
Our Maternity & Family Centered Education team is composed of registered nurses, marriage family therapists and other health care educators and professionals. We offer the following services for you and your family:
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Support and health information as you and your family prepare for the birth of your child
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Guidance about resources available in the community
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Education about nutrition and diet
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Health promotion so you will achieve the best outcome for your family
Class topics include
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Lamaze (Childbirth Preparation)
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Breastfeeding
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Infant Massage
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Car Seat Safety
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Newborn Care
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Pre-Admission Tour
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Sibling Preparation
.... and more
You may register for Maternity & Family Centered Classes by calling 1-877-449-3627.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is a national nutrition education program that promotes healthy eating, encourages and supports breastfeeding, and provides referrals to health and community resources. WIC Participants receive checks to purchase healthy foods, tips for healthy eating and active living, support and help with breastfeeding, and referrals to other community programs. WIC is here to help your family with convenient hours and locations in the cities of Napa, American Canyon, Calistoga, and St. Helena.
Classes for 2019-2020
Classes for 2019-2020
Classes for 2019-2020
Full Frontal Fatherhood - DIY Videos for Empowered Dads, Rockin' Moms, Fabulously Functional Families
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Daddy Bootcamp - A Dad's-only class to take during pregnancy. Learn to be confident about becoming a father. A "Best Practice" trademarked curriculum.
Community resources on a variety of topics
CalFire Foundation
Learn from experienced leaders about supporting pregnant and postpartum moms, dads, and families. You'll hear about successful telephone support, groups, community networks, recruiting and training volunteers, fundraising, and more. Network with others, share your questions, and find ways to develop your group or community network. All sessions are recorded and available for registered participants. You can purchase this series or individual classes. We will send you the recordings and handouts, and a certificate of completion after you watch the complete series.
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Mothers and Babies is an evidence-based program that has been highlighted as one of the most effective interventions for the prevention of postpartum depression and has a proven record of success. It is guided by cognitive behavioral therapy and attachment theory, and is being scaled throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Become a 2020 Mom Ambassador and join the closed community of do-gooders on Facebook to inspire and support each other in completing projects. Together we can improve Maternal Mental Health awareness and outcomes.
NEWS is dedicated to providing safety, hope, healing and empowerment for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. Equally, NEWS is committed to promoting safe communities and social change through prevention, intervention, education, and advocacy. (Spanish and English)
Teens Connect Programs
Teen Tools - We offer wellness tools that help teens find personal meaning as individuals, as well as connection with others. Art classes, empowerment groups, meditation, mindfulness, journaling, nutrition, yoga and time in nature are ways we help teens connect to themselves.
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Teens Speak - We give teens a voice in our community, through writing and speaking opportunities. Teens write monthly articles, hold interviews and discussions, ask for advice, publish stories, and make in-person presentations to local service groups, school boards and councils in order to educate our community on the issues facing our teens today.
Teens Support - In collaboration with the NVUSD and Mentis, we offer support through Teens Connect events, therapy groups and empowerment groups. Our goal is to have many layers of support for students on campus.
Teens Give - Together with the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership, we connect students to community service opportunities. Our comprehensive database includes volunteer opportunities specifically for teens in Napa County. The goal is to make volunteering as accessible as possible.
Here at MOPS, we gather and support moms. We believe in the simple but revolutionary idea that remarkable things happen when moms come together, face to face. That’s why we rally women to come together in their own neighborhoods and help each other through this thing called motherhood, one gathering at a time.
The Shades of Blue Project is dedicated to helping minority women who are suffering from postpartum depression and/or anxiety. We are dedicated to helping women before, during and after child-birth with mental health advocacy, treatment and support. Our goal is to reach women globally helping to restore them mentally, physically and spiritually. More resources added frequently to this page.
Websites, Books, Groups and Classes in the Bay Area and Midwifery Practices specializing in LGBTQ Services.
Rainbow Play Dates in Napa County are regular play dates for LGBTQ families, families of color, families with diverse family structures and allies to connect. Rainbow Play Dates happen on a regular basis at a local park on Sunday mornings and include LGBTQ inclusive story time, a craft, and snacks. All families are welcome.
More resources and articles will be added to this page.
"What would have to change in your definition of motherhood in order for you to choose it? What would have to change in order for you to choose a childfree life? If you could step outside your comfort zone and redefine motherhood, how would you want motherhood defined today? Or what would you like it to look like? Take some time to answer this question for yourself. You may want to begin a personal journal of self-discovery and write about this question. Or you may just prefer to notice the feelings that surface with the question itself.
Your new definition of motherhood may be very different from what you witnessed growing up. Or it may vary from the parenting you see today. How do you think your mother would have defined motherhood when you were young? Just thinking about your definition of motherhood will help you touch what’s true for you and will definitely contribute to knowing yourself that much better." Consider an online clarity course like the one, here.
Does it seem like everyone else “just knows” whether they want to be a mother and you don’t? End the cycle of "I don't know" so you can get on with your life and feel at peace.
The California Association of Adoption Agencies (CAAA) is a nonprofit, professional organization of over 70 licensed public and private adoption agencies. Our members:
- Are committed to placing waiting children with safe, permanent, loving adoptive families.
- Establish ethical standards for adoption policy in California
- Advocate for legislation that protects children and families.
Lilliput Adoption: A private, non-profit agency licensed by the State of California. We offer foster, adoption and kinship care services in multiple counties.
Expressions of Hope: Serving foster/adopted children and the families that love them
Napa County Family & Foster Parent Association: A 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that advocates for Napa County foster children and their dedicated foster parents. We serve 100 foster parents and kin care providers and over 200 foster/relative children.
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Organizations/Agencies that offer support groups:
Find additional parent support groups, here.
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Books for Adoptive parents/Prospective Adoptive parents:
Real Parents, Real Children: Parenting the Adopted Child Holly Van Gulden, Lisa M. Bartels-Rabb
When Friends Ask About Adoption: Question & Answer Guide for Non-Adoptive Parents and Other Caring Adults Bothun, Linda
In On It: What Adoptive Parents Would Like You To Know About Adoption. A Guide for Relatives and Friends. (Mom's Choice Award Winner) Elisabeth O'Toole
Talking with Young Children about Adoption Watkins, Mary, Fisher M.D., Dr. Susan Fisher, M.D.
SLEEP, YOUR GUIDE TO GETTING SOME
Understanding the ins and outs of sleep in pregnancy and parenthood can enable you to wake at least slightly more well-rested every day. This sleep guide for moms and dads starts with information for pregnant moms and then covers information for parents of newborns. We’ll also provide links to resources that can help you read more, connect with others, and find products that may contribute to your sleep.
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One contributing factor to sleep problems is stress. Relaxation activities can help you feel better and manage stressful times. Try each of these at least once to determine which ones work best for you.
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1.Some people find that taking three or four deep breaths—inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth—can help to ease the pace of stressful situations. Some people call this “dragon breathing” or compare it to blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.
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2. Some people prefer to close their eyes and imagine themselves in a special place. Recalling the sounds and smells that are associated with this place—for example, the waves breaking on the beach or the smell of the ocean breeze—can help to refocus your mind on more positive times.
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3. Some people like to focus on tensing and then relaxing different parts of their bodies as a way to relax. Starting with your feet, squeeze your toes together really tight and then relax them. Next, do the same thing with your calves, and then move all the way up your body.
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Several websites discuss these different activities:
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Relaxation Exercises (http://www. ecmhc.org/relaxation_exercises.html): These exercises are designed to help reduce stress of families and staff involved with the Early Head Start and Head Start programs. This series of exercises is available in English and Spanish.
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Free Guided Meditations (http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22): The Mindfulness Center at the University of California–Los Angeles offers an extensive series of relaxation activities that are available free, either by listening online or downloading from iTunes.
Health Care in California
The healthcare landscape in California can be confusing. Consumers have questions about the types of health plans available, how to find the best plan and how to get the best care. Once insured, consumers might have questions about their health care rights and what to do if they have an issue with their plan.
To answer these questions and more, the DMHC has conveniently compiled information and resources to assist California’s health care consumers.
SAFE SURRENDER BABY LAWS
California’s Safe Surrender for Newborns Law
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Senate Bill 1368, The Safe Arms / Safe Haven for Newborns Law Explained
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The ‘Safe Arms ~ Safe Haven for Newborns’ law allows a parent to “safely surrender” their unwanted newborn within 3 days of birth to an employee at any hospital emergency department, most fire stations or other designated “safe havens” in California, without the fear of arrest or prosecution, as long as the baby has not been abused or neglected.
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This is a NO NAME REQUIRED law when the baby is surrendered. A bracelet will be placed on the baby for identification and a matching bracelet will be given to the parent. The bracelet will help connect the parent to the baby if they wish to reclaim the baby within the 14-day “cooling off” period. The baby will be given medical treatment and placed in a foster or foster-adopt home. This is a lifesaving law, but only if people know that it exists.
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https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/OCAP/PDFs/PUBs/PUB400.pdf?ver=2017-09-25-115318-133
(Spanish) https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/OCAP/PDFs/PUBs/PUB400_Spanish.pdf?ver=2017-05-10-155854-330
http://safehaven.tv/states/california/California_Safe_Haven_Law.pdf?sfns=mo
https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Safely-Surrendered-Baby
ONLINE MATERNAL MENTAL SUPPORT
Can’t find someone close to home? More comfortable using online resources? Here are some good places to start:
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Online PPD Support Group offers online moderated discussion forums about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
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Partners to Parents offers practical tips on how couples can strengthen their relationship when they are pregnant or have recently had a baby. Topics include staying connected, parenting as a team, managing conflict, and seeking professional help.
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Postpartum Support International offers several great resources:
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Chat With An Expert offers weekly phone-in sessions with mental health professionals.
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A closed Facebook page with over 8,000 PMAD survivors and professionals.
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Online support groups in both English and Spanish, as well as a support group just for military moms.
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