Oregon Family Magazine

Community and Connection

BY PARENTING NOW

HUMANS ARE WIRED FOR connection, particularly during times of stress or change. Becoming a parent is enough to rock even the most well-prepared boat. New parents are learning right alongside their babies, discovering new things about themselves as they get to know this little person. For many of us, the reality of the first year doesn’t match up to how we envisioned parenthood, even when it comes to meeting our baby’s basic feeding needs and meeting our own needs that allow us to care for our babies. Feeding support for those who are breast/chest feeding, using formula, or both, and opportunities to socialize in a setting that is welcoming of babies in all their noisy, fussy, messy glory can serve as vital parts of a new family’s life. Baby Connection, offered virtually and in-person by Parenting Now, based in Eugene, OR, provides one of these opportunities.

Unfortunately, society is not always friendly towards babies and young children, and the added stress of worrying about the baby crying or fussing in public places where others may not respond well can add to the feelings of isolation. The United States, more than those that provide greater community support to new parents, sees high rates of perinatal mood disorders, statistics cite up to 20% of women and up to 18% of men

experience significant anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues after the birth of a child. Parents who adopt must also grapple with changes and challenges that can come with the big adjustments a baby can bring. These statistics highlight the value of free, accessible, and welcoming support for all.

Baby Connection, and similar programs throughout the state, give parents a space to ask questions and get support from parenting experts, retired nurses, feeding specialists, and lactation consultants. These conversations and moments of connection form a community of caring and can serve as the “village” we turn to during these moments of profound change. For those families in rural areas, those with transportation issues, or if it’s one of those days where it’s just hard to get out of the house, the option to connect with feeding specialists and other parents on Zoom can give them a chance to socialize and get support.

In person or online, everyone mingles together and provides information, emotional support and most importantly they listen to parental concerns. On any given day the questions could be about feeding, sleep, safety, calming a baby, integrating the baby into the family milieu, siblings, pets, toys, clothes, car seats, etc. “Baby Connection was a lifesaver for me when I first moved to Eugene,” says one parent. “Baby Connection was a very welcoming place that eased a lot of my worries, and made me feel more comfortable breastfeeding.”

Baby Connection is free to attend on Wednesdays from 11 am to 12 pm, followed by WellMama’s New Parent Support Group. Join in-person at 86 Centennial loop in Eugene, or join virtually over Zoom by emailing enroll@parentingnow.org ✦

Our Contributors

1. LEXIE BRIGGS

Lexie Briggs is the marketing and communications specialist at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History on the campus of the University of Oregon. She enjoys dancing Lindy hop, reading Shakespeare with her friends, and hanging out with the giant ground sloth skeleton on display in the museum. She lives with a sweet but timorous cat named Emma.

2. BRANDY BROWNE

Brandy Browne is the shelter manager for a family crisis center in the United States, as well as a counseling student and blogger for various nonprofits – her area of passion is helping families develop positive habits and breaking the cycle of generational trauma and poverty. Brandy is currently in the final leg of obtaining her counseling license as a marriage and family therapist. Brandy is a wife to her high school sweetheart of seventeen years, and together they share three children, aged twelve, nine, and seven. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening, writing, walking in nature, and biking.

3. RICK EPSTEIN

A Dad’s Eye View contributor, also awardwinning columnist, and journalist. Author of Rookie Dad (Hyperion) and The Right Number of Kids (McKenna Publishing Group). His wife and three daughters run a living laboratory in which he is constantly tested, analyzed, and experimented upon. It’s as if a guinea pig could write.

4. BONNIE HARRIS

Bonnie is Oregon Family Magazine’s resident Movie Review Master Extraordinaire. She

enjoys watching movies of all kinds, and has been doing movie reviews for over 9 years and counting. She lives in Eugene with her family, enjoys gardening and cooking.

5. JANEEN LEWIS

Janeen Lewis is a writer, teacher and mom to Andrew and Gracie. She has degrees in journalism and elementary education as well as a Master’s Degree in Education. A nationally published writer, her work has been featured in several parenting magazines and Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies.

6-8. PARENTING NOW

The Parenting Now article was written by: MEREDITH TUFTS, First Three Years Program Manager at Parenting Now; DEBBIE JENSEN , IBCLC credentialed lactation and feeding consultant; and KALLEN KORIN, retired RN IBCLC.

9. MEREDITH THERRIEN

Meredith Therrien is a certified pre- and post-natal specialist and a fitness instructor for OneFirelight, a newly introduced inspirational wellness platform that promotes unity, strength and a sense of balance through a diverse catalog of hundreds of unique streaming fitness classes.

10. RODDY SCHEER

Journalist and photographer specializing in environmental issues, the outdoors and travel. When he is not out in the field taking pictures, Roddy runs EarthTalk, the non-profit Publisher of the syndicated EarthTalk Q&A column and the EarthTalk.org and Emagazine.

Oregon Family Magazine is distributed monthly, year-round via direct mail in the greater Lane County area, and at over 150 high-traffic commercial locations. For information regarding Every Door Direct Mail, please visit www.dmachoice.org or www.optoutprescreen.com.

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A Wish for Nine

BY BONNIE L. HARRIS

IT’S BEEN A LONG time coming, but Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, has finally arrived and hits a bull’s-eye with its swashbuckling action, hilarious characters, and an old-fashioned treasure hunt full of unexpected mayhem. Taking its cue from the Shrek franchise, Puss in Boots pokes fun at many of our favorite fairy tale characters

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

Universal Pictures, Rated: PG

In theatres & streaming on Amazon

while giving them new voices and attitudes within a makebelieve land. Puss himself remains the loveable rogue from the original 2011 film, but he hasn’t grown wiser, and he accidentally loses his eighth life after angering the Sleeping Giant of Del Mar. When Puss wakes up alive, the town doctor warns him about squandering his last life, but he stubbornly refuses to retire. That is, until he meets a mysterious wolf who poses as a bounty hunter and defeats him in a sword fight. Retirement quickly becomes too much to endure so when

Good Morning, Mars!

GOOD NIGHT OPPY

Amazon Studios, Rated: PG

Streaming on Amazon

Puss hears of a magical map that leads to the Last Wish, he’s instantly on the hunt to get back his nine lives. But Puss isn’t alone because Goldilocks & the Three Bears and Big Jack Horner also know about the wish and will stop at nothing to find the map. Puss in Boots finds helpful friends along the way in a scraggly dog named Perrito and another feline criminal, Kitty Softpaws. But the wolf stays close and his haunting whistle

FOR the PARENTS

YOU DON’T HAVE to be a rocket scientist to be wowed at Amazon’s completely wonderful documentary feature, Good Night Oppy. It’s a story of man and machine, and how that machine became a personality who captured the world’s imagination. Actually, they were twin girls, Spirit and Opportunity, born in Pasadena at Cal Tech’s Jet Propulsion Lab in 2003 and sent to the far ends of Mars to find evidence of ancient water. The scientists, engineers, rover drivers, technicians, and student interns share their versions of the adventure as the rover nicknamed “Oppy,” overcomes horrific weather conditions, sand traps, and sub-zero winters to continue her mission. With a geeky great soundtrack of morning wake-up songs and digital landscape recreations helped by detailed graphics, we learn how the twin machines arrived on the red planet and how they survived not only their 90-day mission, but also the

sends Puss into frenzies of fear until their final confrontation. When Puss eventually realizes that the wolf is Death, he must choose to live his last life to the fullest or not at all. Defeating the wolf still leaves the wish up for grabs and Puss jumps into the free-for-all battle with Kitty & Perrito as his trusted allies. It’s a surprise ending with plenty of fireworks and strong hints of new adventures with “old friends.” ✦

next 8-15 years of exploration. Two generations of NASA support staff nurture, repair, and literally pray for Oppy’s survival after her sister, Spirit, goes dark in 2011. Finally in 2016, Oppy finds her evidence in the massive Endeavor crater, but arthritis, graying wires, and memory loss slow her down. We might say good night, but never good-bye to Oppy’s extraordinary glimpse of another world.

Making plans to steal a map.

Opportunity gets to work.

Just Love Yourself

BY BRANDY BROWNE

“Just Love Yourself”

is a phrase that has gained quite a lot of traction in recent years among influencers and advertising campaigns on social media. However, isn’t it ironic that these very same social media channels also promote content and products that may not have you feeling so in love with your body? This is especially true with summer looming, as the pressure to look a certain way gets even worse as hemlines rise with the temperatures.

Let’s be honest, trying to “love the skin you are in” can be so hard when we are constantly bombarded with messages about how we should look, how we should feel, and what we should purchase. Not only that, but it’s all too common to receive feedback from others on our appearance – which is more often than not unhelpful and even hurtful…

“You look so thin!”

“Geez – you’ve gotten fat!”

“You don’t look like a size six to me”

“You are so skinny, why don’t you eat?”

IfYOU HAVE EXPERIENCED UNWANTED comments about your appearance from others, know that you are not alone. I reached out to readers to see what types of comments they have received regarding their bodies – here are just a few examples.

“You are so skinny, why don’t you eat?” to a young female in her twenties

“You look so thin!” and “how did you lose so much weight?” as a compliment to three female readers who had lost a significant amount of weight due to serious illness.

“Don’t you think you’re not really the right body type for that dress?” to a woman who had gained weight due to depression medication but still wanted to wear a more fitted style.

“Geez – you’ve gotten fat!” to a male in his thirties who had gained weight after a knee injury made it difficult for him to be as active for quite a while.

“You don’t look like a size six to me” to a woman who wears different sizes depending on the brand.

“You can’t wear black – you’ll look even skinnier” or “you should wear black – it will make you look smaller” to young women with different body shapes.

Unfortunately, people of all shapes and sizes have probably heard similar comments at some point in their life. That doesn’t make it okay, but it does mean that you are not alone in your journey.

MAINTAINING A POSITIVE BODY IMAGE: 4 PRACTICAL TIPS

So, how do we maintain a healthy body image when we are constantly bombarded with information, tips, and comments on how we “should” look? Here are a few practical tips to consider.

1FIND A STRATEGY FOR DEALING WITH COMMENTS

FROM OTHERS. Whether the comment is positive or negative, hearing the thoughts of others about our appearance can feel uncomfortable and even jarring. This is especially true if you have an eating disorder, or, if you are trying to gain/lose weight for health purposes.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to eliminate these comments altogether. However, we can proactively find a strategy to deal with them when they arise. For example, you can choose to simply ignore the comment and change the subject. Alternatively, you can try a more direct approach by politely letting the person know that comments about your appearance make you feel uncomfortable, and that you’d prefer not to receive comments like that in the future.

2UNFOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES OR PEOPLE THAT ARE TRIGGERING NEGATIVE FEELINGS FOR YOU. If someone is consistently posting images or content that makes you feel bad about yourself, consider putting some distance between yourself and them, at least for a while.

Author Tyler Henry wrote on Twitter in 2018, “you can’t heal in the same environment that made you sick.” Sometimes, it takes distancing yourself from those things that have been creating anxiety in you to truly heal.

3REACH OUT TO YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM. Regularly check in with your family and friends, and ask them to hold you accountable for checking in regarding how you are feeling about body image pressures.

There are also a variety of resources online that can offer support as well. This includes:

• National Eating Disorders Association

• Anxiety and Depression Association of America

• Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation 4

ENJOY A NEW ACTIVITY. Step away from the electronics to do something you enjoy…go for a walk, take an art class, get dinner with a friend. Focus on what your body CAN do, not what it cannot do. Focus on activities that excite you and interest you, regardless of whether it will bring about a body change or not. ✦

How Inflation is Impacting the Tooth Fairy

BY RIJA ALI

There’s no question prices have been going up the last couple of years. Thanks to a study done by Wisevoter, a bipartisan educational platform, it seems even the tooth fairy isn’t immune to inflation! Wisevoter,

gathered data from 2022 and 2020, noticing patterns for tooth fairy payouts across the US. They noticed an interesting trend when it comes to parents’ payouts to their children from the tooth fairy.

KEY INSIGHTS:

• The Northeast region saw an increase of parents rewarding by 28% since 2020

• The West saw an increase of rewards by 26% since 2020

• The South saw a decrease in parents rewarding as a tooth fairy by 13.4%

• The Mid-West saw a decrease also by 4% since 2020

• The study includes a list of states where the tooth fairy is more generous than others, despite the increase and decreases since 2020.

TOOTH FAIRY PAYOUT INDEX

(Ranked by highest amount in dollars, paid by state on average)

• Delaware    $8.91

• Hawaii    $8.39

• Florida    $7.42

• Mississippi    $6.17

• Rhode Island   $ 6.12

• Texas    $6.00

• Wisconsin    $5.89

• New York   $ 5.88

• Georgia   $5.81

• New Jersey    $5.61

• Alabama    $5.57

• Michigan    $5.48

• Pennsylvania    $5.44

• New Mexico    $5.29

• Nevada    $5.21

For the complete list of state rankings — or additional details about Tooth Fairy trends in your state vist  https://wisevoter. com/state-rankings/tooth-fairypayout-by-state/

PEACEHEALTH OFFERS A GROWING RANGE OF

Specialty Medical Services Just for Kids

BY DR. KIMBERLY RUSCHER

My son was born with a genetic condition and has a lot of medical needs. It seems like every few months we’re driving to Portland to see different specialists. We would love to be able to see specialists closer to home. What pediatric specialty services does PeaceHealth offer in the Eugene area?

The pediatric specialties team at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend offers a wide range of services, in our hospital and outpatient clinics, for kids in the Eugene-Springfield area.

Over the past decade, our team has grown from just one pediatric surgeon to multiple surgeons, cardiologists and child life specialists. Our child life specialists help patients and their families navigate their hospital stay, and cope with trauma, loss and illness.

Our team works in tandem with the hospital-based pediatric specialists who were already supporting patients and families at RiverBend, including neonatologists (newborn specialists), pediatric hospitalists and pediatric anesthesiologists.

Our team includes pediatric trained nurses, surgical technologists, respiratory therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, radiology technicians and occupational and physical therapists – all who help take care of our patients.

Each year, we see thousands of children in our outpatient clinics, our pediatric

cardiologists see about 3,000 new patients, and our pediatric surgeons perform about 1,000 surgeries.

We care for newborns to adolescents. We have operated on patients immediately after birth to correct abnormalities of the lungs, GI tract, ovaries or testes. After surgery, these patients stay in RiverBend’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

RiverBend is the only hospital in the region offering minimally invasive surgery for newborns, children and adolescents through adulthood, pediatric cancer surgery, emergency pediatric surgery and a Pectus Center. Our Pectus Center is Oregon’s leading medical center for children and adults with pectus excavatum (a depression of the sternum or breastbone) conditions or other abnormalities of the chest wall. Without treatment, these conditions may cause serious health problems later in life.

Understanding that kids feel more comfortable and do better when the hospital offers resources just for them, community donors financed the child life team, a group of highly trained specialists who work to reduce fear and anxiety, pain and suffering for children at the hospital. In addition,

our community has funded the Heartfelt House, a patient family guesthouse on the RiverBend campus, and kid-friendly makeovers of our radiology department and operating rooms

In addition to the services we provide in Eugene-Springfield, our specialists also have outreach clinics in Florence, Coos Bay, Corvallis, Bend and Roseburg.

More information about our services is available online at www.peacehealth.org/ services/pediatric-primary-and-specialtycare or call 541-222-6135.

Kimberly Ruscher, MD is a pediatric surgeon at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.

The Endangered Species Act has been around for five decades.

THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA)

has been successful in preventing the extinction of hundreds of wildlife species and in promoting the recovery of thousands more since its inception in 1973. Some of the species that have been successfully recovered and removed from the list of threatened and endangered species include American alligators, bald eagles, peregrine falcons and humpback whales.

According to the Center of Biological Diversity, a leading U.S.-based non-profit with the simple mission of “saving life on Earth,” the ESA has protected more than 1,600 species in the U.S., preventing the extinction of 99 percent of the species listed under it. Without the ESA, at least 227 species would likely have gone extinct by now since the law’s passage in 1973. In addition, 110 species have seen tremendous recovery since being protected by the act.

The ESA also supports conservation outside the U.S., as the federal government uses the law to enforce the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), a global agreement

between nations to regulate trade on species under threat. Examples of the ESA’s reach beyond U.S. borders is in helping save giant pandas as well as several species of tiger. However, it’s important to

disease and human activities. But researchers from Columbia and Princeton concluded that one threat looms even larger: lack of adequate funding for conservation efforts.

Their October 2022 study

a species receives protection, it may have already reached extremely low population levels to the point where the ESA may be ineffective.

Overall, the ESA has played a crucial role in the conservation of threatened and endangered species in the U.S., and it continues to be a key tool for protecting and recovering these species. This groundbreaking piece of legislation, now in its 50th year, has done incredible things for American wildlife. It has protected species of plants and animals and brought them back to sustainable population numbers. However, a few success stories don’t make the act perfect. There is still work to be done to improve the ESA’s effectiveness and ensure that it can preserve the species that we all love and know today. ✦

note that the ESA has not been successful in all cases, and some species have not recovered as expected or have even gone extinct despite being protected under the Act, especially in more recent years. There are many factors that can affect the success or failure of species recovery efforts, including habitat loss, climate change,

found that, since 1985, ESA funding has decreased by almost 50 percent when measured on a per species basis. Furthermore, they uncovered that the average wait time for a species to be listed has almost doubled over the decades from 5.9 years during the 1990s to some 9.1 years more recently. The upshot is that by the time

CONTACTS: ESA, https://www.fws. gov/law/endangered-species-act; Center for Biological Diversity, https://www. biologicaldiversity.org/; U.S. Endangered Species Act undermined by inaction and inadequate funding, https://journals.plos. org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal. pone.0275322

EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine. com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

How successful has it been in protecting and restoring threatened and endangered species?

– A.J. MUNSON, BERN, NC

PHOTO: TETERIN OLEG.  PEXELS.COM

These peregrine falcon chicks might not have been born if their ancestors hadn’t been protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Amazing Animal Adaptations!

BY LEXIE BRIGGS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY

AVE YOU EVER WONDERED why animals look the way they do? Why do beavers have such large buck teeth? Why do salmon have pale bellies?

Through a process called evolution, animals change over time to be better adapted to their environments. Charles Darwin, a very influential scientist who studied how animals evolve, noticed that there were several species of birds in the Galápagos Islands that were very similar, but had different shaped beaks. The birds’ beaks were all adaptations that helped them eat specific kinds of bugs and fruit. The large ground finch, the largest of “Darwin’s finches,” has a big beak that can act as a nutcracker. The small tree finch, one of the smaller finches on the Galápagos, has a small beak that is good for grasping insects in bark.

Adaptations help animals to get very good at what they do. Oregon’s state animal, the beaver, has evolved enormous buck teeth that allow them to chop down trees very efficiently. Then beavers use those trees to

create safe and cozy dams to live in.

Another animal found in Oregon is the duck! (Ducks are found especially often near the Museum of Natural and Cultural History on the campus of the University of Oregon.) Ducks and other waterfowl have a special oil gland near their tails called a preen gland. Ducks use their bills to rub the oil all over their bodies, which keeps the water from soaking their feathers.

Salmon have pale bellies and green and brown speckled backs to better hide from predators. Many marine animals have a kind of two-toned camouflage called countershading. Predators looking at them from below think their pale bellies look a lot like the sky, and predators looking at them from the sky think their green and brown speckled backs look like the ground!

Discover more about how animals hear, smell, and move at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History this month! On Saturday, February 18, the museum is hosting

an Amazing Animals Family Day. Between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. the building will be filled with hands-on activity stations exploring the wonderful world of animals. You will be able to get up close to examine animal skulls, teeth, and fossils or engage in activities to discover how animals hear, smell, and move. Get crafty by creating an animal DNA code bracelet or skeleton artwork or learn about the importance of diversity in the Animal Kingdom by playing the Biodiversity Kerplunk game. ✦

Family Day Amazing Animals

Saturday, February 18 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Activities are bilingual Spanish/English.

1680 East 15th Avenue | 541-346-3024

mnch.uoregon.edu

Good thing our ER is so close.

Spring Break Day Camp!

March 27th - 30th, 2023

Camp Wilani in Veneta

Archery, low ropes, canoeing, crafts and more!

Easy online registration: wilanicouncil.org

Accidents happen. And so do heart attacks, and strokes, and any number of unexpected situations nobody wants to think about. But isn’t it good to know we’re close by and ready to care for you when you need us. And because every minute matters in an emergency, we work diligently to have you initially seen by a medical professional within 30 minutes of your arrival in the ER.

Find out more at McKWeb.com/ER

1460 G Street, Springfield, OR 97477

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is owned in part by physicians.

A Valentine FROM A BOY WHO MEANS IT

BY RICK EPSTEIN

“DAD , TELL ME ABOUT THE

first time you ever kissed a girl.”

I had just turned out the lights for bedtime when my 11-yearold daughter’s question whisked me back 30 years.

I sat down on Marie’s bed and told her about my 15th summer, the season I spent haunting Peggy Johnson’s house under the vigilant supervision of Mrs. Johnson and her able lieutenant, Eddie, age 10. Whatever Eddie had been doing with his time before I came along, he put it on hold so he could give me his full attention. My interest in his sister made me as interesting to Eddie as a bearded lady or a dog-faced boy. Mrs. Johnson was religious and strict and practically kept Peggy under house arrest, but I was allowed to hang around there day after day, holding her hand, drinking iced tea and playing game after game of Risk.

Mrs. Johnson was a religious woman who would not permit her daughter to play cards or go to dances or movies. Eventually, on a made-up errand, Peggy and I went down into the cool darkness of her cellar, and my first kiss was applied to the side of her lovely face. She kissed me back. Bliss. Those were the days. MY days, anyway. Marie’s days are impending.

This will be the first Valentine’s Day likely to bring a valentine to Marie from a guy who means it. Brian is a

fifth-grade boy who treats girls with gentleness and respect. But he seems normal otherwise.

A couple of weeks ago, he and Marie had a rendezvous at the roller rink. It was a near-dating experience at a place where several times each Saturday afternoon only couples are allowed to skate. The lights go dim, a spotlight hits the mirrorball, and for a few minutes the world is made hospitable to young love.

When I went to retrieve her at 5 o’clock, she and a girlfriend were sitting on a bench, chattily

unlacing their skates. Brian was about 4 feet away from Marie, leaning against the cinder-block wall with the exaggerated innocence of an arsonist at the scene of his latest six-alarm blaze. “Hi, Brian,” I said.

He tried to melt into the cinder blocks like a ghost. When that failed, he gave me a shy nod. I’m sure his parent-handling will improve.

Some months ago, when a poster appeared on Marie’s ceiling of a teen heart-throb whose name I don’t know and I was getting the first favorable reports on Brian, I made Marie a promise. “I’m not going to tease you about boys,” I said. “That’s because I want you to be able to talk to me about them. I used to be one, and I can tell you things about them that you’d never guess.” I know I’m seeking an unnatural, foredoomed alliance, but I’ll see how far I can go with it.

Since I won’t let the kids have cell phones yet, we still have a landline and answering machine for them. One day Marie checked it and found an accidentally recorded conversation between our babysitter Heather and her boyfriend. Her cell-phone battery must’ve gone dead.

Him: “Hello?”

Her: “Hi, it’s me.”

Him: “I got soaked waiting for you in the

Her: “I didn’t ask you to wait for me.”

Him: “If I got pneumonia, you wouldn’t even care, would

I didn’t want to hear any more; this was painful stuff. But I had to find out if any messages had come in for me, so I let the machine run as I changed my clothes.

Him: “I saw you talking to Troy today in the lunch line; you LIKE him, don’t you.”

Her: “He was borrowing a dollar.”

Him: “Do you always laugh that much when you lend somebody a dollar? ...”

When she played it for me, I said, “Marie! It’s wrong to eavesdrop, but I think your education is more important than Heather’s privacy. Listen carefully to her boyfriend. He’s not interested in Heather. He’s interested in his own power. He’s doing everything he possibly can to make Heather feel guilty and sorry. Avoid this kind of guy. Look for a boy who is on your side and wants to make you feel good, not bad.” She nodded, and we replayed it.

A week later, my wife and I attended a school concert. Marie’s class was on stage, having just finished singing, when the principal announced Marie’s name, crediting her for the artwork on the program cover. Brian, sitting behind Marie, leaned forward, patted her on the back, and whispered something. She smiled.

I like that boy. I’d like him better if he and Marie were 21, but no one has asked me my preference yet. ✦

THE BENEFITS OF Pre and Post Natal Fitness Training

BY MEREDITH THERRIEN

PRENATAL EXERCISE HAS BEEN shown to have many benefits including preventing excess weight gain, reducing backaches, lowering the risk for gestational diabetes, and easing the labor process. Continuing a fitness routine after you have your baby can be helpful in improving your mood, boosting your energy levels and restoring your body and core muscles.

During the first trimester, there is not much that needs to change in your fitness routine. The most important thing is to listen to your body when it needs rest. This period of time comes with a huge increase in blood volume which can lead to you feeling out of breath more than usual. Take the time to replenish your body with plenty of water and give yourself grace if an exercise that usually feels easy feels a little more challenging.

The second trimester will most likely bring more energy, but it is an important time to start to be more mindful of your workouts. Here are a few tips to implement during this time and maintain throughout your pregnancy: 1

AVOID EXERCISES LAYING ON YOUR BACK. In about 1/3 pregnancies, this can cause supine hypotension syndrome. The weight of the fetus can cause pressure and constrict the blood vessels affecting the blood flow. 2

AVOID TWISTING FROM YOUR ABDOMINAL WALL. This can cause extra pressure on your abdominal wall that is already facing more pressure than usual. Instead twist from your shoulders and without compression.

3

AVOID CRUNCHES OR SIT UPS. These exercises cause a large amount of pressure on the outer abdominal wall and can contribute to diastasis recti, a separation of the abdominal wall through the midline. Instead, focus on exercises like planks and bird dogs that activate the transverse abdominis (the inner core muscles).

4

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Drink plenty of water and take breaks as needed. Walking can also be a great form of exercise during this time.

AEROBIC EXERCISE IS SAFE. The rule of thumb is to make sure you are able to talk throughout the exercise and not get to the point where you are so out of breath you are unable to say full sentences. This is a great time to work out with friends so you can carry a conversation throughout for both fun and function. 5

After the baby is born, it is important to take time for your body to heal. Always get clearance from your doctor before returning to exercise, but in general most can return to workouts after about 6 weeks. It’s crucial to take it slow in the beginning

The workouts you were doing at the end of your pregnancy should look like the workouts you start with post baby. While there can be a lot of pressure to “lose the baby weight” it is most important that you do it properly. Focusing on rebuilding strength in your body and your core will allow your body to function properly. Start with shorter workouts and build up to more intense, longer workouts as your body feels ready.

Fitness can be an excellent tool throughout your pregnancy journey and beyond. Listen to your body, take it at your pace and always get clearance from your medical professional before starting any exercise routine. ✦

CHEAP DATES

Romance REKINDLE THE

• Pretend the electricity is out. Turn out the lights, light candles, build a fire and make a comfy pillow fort. Use a charged device to watch a show or listen to music.

• Stargaze. Find a spot away from city lights and look at the Milky Way, Orion’s Belt or possibly a shooting star.

• Go to a local wine-tasting or coffee-tasting.

STAY-AT-HOME DATES

• Make popcorn and enjoy a romantic movie like Casablanca, The Notebook, or La La Land.

• Play a board game like Carcassonne, Pandemic Legacy or Patchwork.

• Build a roaring fire in an outdoor fire pit, make s’mores, and snuggle.

• Have trivia night at home. Try a trivia app or Trivial Pursuit based on the show “Friends” is a fun option.

BY JANEEN LEWIS

AARE YOU SKIPPING

date night with your spouse or significant other? If so, you may want to rethink the amount of time you rendezvous with the one you love. Research shows that couples who spend time together every week have higher quality relationships. What better way to have one-onone time than date night? No matter what your interests, personality or financial status, there are date night ideas to suit everyone. In recent years, dating has been difficult due to social distancing, closures and even financial concerns. Don’t let the challenges stop you! With a little creativity, couples can still find ways to spend quality time together. Hire a sitter or trade child care with another couple and try one of these 52 plus creative ways to date your mate – more than one for every week of the year!

• Rent bikes and ride around town. If you feel really adventurous, try a tandem bike.

• Visit a local pool hall. Shoot pool and play darts.

• Treat each other to an at-home spa night with bubble bath, foot rubs and massages.

• Watch a sunrise, sunset or both.

FANCY DATES

• Take a cruise on a dinner yacht.

• Dine at a restaurant that has live entertainment like jazz, blues or theater.

• Ride on a dinner train. Visit dinnertrains. com to find one near you.

• Take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city at night.

• Go out to a progressive dinner. Have drinks at one place, dinner at another and dessert at another.

• Enjoy a fondue night at home. Dip your favorite fruits, veggies, bread, crackers, chocolate and cake in cheese or chocolate.

THRILL-SEEKING DATES

• Take a hot-air balloon ride.

• Visit an amusement park and ride all the roller coasters.

• Race go-karts.

• Take a helicopter or airplane ride together. If you really want a thrill, sky dive out of the plane.

• Take SCUBA diving certification classes together. Plan a trip to an exotic place to scuba dive.

• Go Skydiving.

• Try your hand at axe throwing.

• Outdoor Dates

• Canoe, kayak or river raft.

• Go spelunking. Find out if where cave camping is allowed. Pack your gear and spend the night in a cave.

• Hunt for treasure by geocaching. Using a GPS, treasure seekers enter a specific set of coordinates and then attempt to find a hidden container at the location. Check out geocaching.com to find out more.

• Go fishing.

• Take a boat tour of a city.

• Go glamping. This is perfect if one of you loves camping but the other likes the comforts of home.

• Hit golf balls at a driving range.

• Visit a farmer’s market. Buy flowers and all the ingredients for dinner and make a delicious meal at home.

AROUND TOWN DATES

• Visit your local planetarium. There is something romantic about viewing constellations in the night sky, even if it is indoors.

• Visit your local aquarium.

• Audition for a part in a community theatre production together.

• Attend a gallery hop, an event where several art galleries open their doors for free viewings on the same night.

• Rent a convertible and explore the town you live in.

• Pack a picnic and attend a live concert on your town’s green.

SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS DATES

• Volunteer at a community garden. Grow your relationship along with some vegetables and donate your harvest to a soup kitchen.

• Love animals? Volunteer at your local humane society.

• Serve together at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.

• Volunteer as a docent, greeter, or server at one of your favorite charity events.

• Complete a charity run together. You could also walk it together if running isn’t your thing.

• Buy tickets to a charity gala. Dress up in a tuxedo and evening gown, have a glamorous night and help others.

DATES FOR HOPELESS ROMANTICS

• Create a playlist together of your favorite love songs, or go retro and make a mixed tape.

• Recreate your first date.

• Write each other a love letter.

• Read romantic poetry by a fire. Some poets to try: Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Burns, Christina Rossetti, and of course, the bard himself, William Shakespeare.

DATES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN

• Go to a carnival, fair or festival. Ride the rides, visit booths and eat food on a stick.

• Go putt-putting

• Visit your local roller rink and skate.

• Visit a farm and take a hay ride.

• Go to the zoo.

PHYSICALLY FIT DATES

• Take a dance lesson together. Whether you pick a steamy salsa, intimate tango or flirty cha cha, it will be good for your heart both physically and romantically.

• Run a marathon. Cross the finish line together.

• Take aerobics, yoga or Pilates together.

• Lift weights together.

• Take karate together.

• Hit together at the batting cages.

VIRTUAL DATES

• Share your screen on a Zoom call and take turns watching your favorite movies or binge watch favorite shows.

• Take a virtual class together. Udemy and Masterclass have an assortment of classes like cooking, drawing, painting, writing and more, or follow a YouTube tutorial.

• Paint on canvases while you share a screen. The next time you see each other in person, give each other the paintings. ✦

Rescue Spotlight

Meet FLIPPER , the most handsome, loyal dog around! He is a 9-year-old large mixed breed with a beautiful black and white coat. Don’t let his age fool you, he is young at heart and is still an active pup. He is easy going and up for anything. He can be little handling sensitive but once he warms up, he is a friendly gentleman. We’ve noticed what a smart guy Flipper is and how much he loves stuffy toys. A volunteer said, “I love his floppy ears and his enthusiasm for everything. He’s an enjoyable, smart companion.”

Flipper should meet any canine friends at the shelter prior to going home and would need a slow introduction period with any kitty roommates. He would make a great family dog to take on neighborhood walks and then curl up on the couch to nap with. He weighs between 45-50 lbs., is neutered, microchipped, and up to date on vaccines. His new family will need to help him gain weight and keep him healthy as can be. Flipper is a wonderful dog that has so much joy and love to give.

The Cat Rescue & Adoption Network presents DESTRY , a young male golden brown tabby about 1 ½ years old. He’s a super sweet and friendly boy who is playful, energetic, and a total lover. He gets along great with other highenergy cats, and he’ll make a great companion for an active family! He’s neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, negative for FIV & FeLV, and in excellent health. To meet Destry, please call 541-225-4955 option 1, or visit our website at CatRescues.org

Greenhill Humane Society is open seven days a week, 11 am – 6 pm at 88530 Green Hill Rd in Eugene. For more information call (541) 689.1503 or visit  www.green-hill.org.