Baby and New Families

Baby & New Families

A Special Publication of the Addison Independent • March 13, 2017

PAGE 2 — Addison Independent, Monday, March 13, 2017

Mothers in the Floppy Friends group gathered in costume to celebrate the babies’ first Halloween together. The group formed initially from a parenting and childbirth class and expanded to include more than a dozen families all with babies born within a few months of each other.

Photo provided by Megan Osterhout Brakeley

Floppy Friends group helps make parenting easier

By CHRISTY LYNN MIDDLEBURY — It doesn’t get much more intimidating than the thought of bringing another human being into the world that is completely reliant upon you for keeping it alive.

For new parents, this thought — coupled with the enormous emotional and physical turbulence that comes with pregnancy — can be utterly destabilizing.

That’s one reason why parenting classes, books and clubs are so popular.

Megan Osterhout Brakeley first moved to Middlebury with her new husband, Gus Brakeley, in 2013. However, she promptly took off for graduate school out of state, returning to Middlebury infrequently and without the time to really form her own networks of friends and acquaintances. Upon graduation and her return to the community, Osterhout Brakeley was pregnant with their first child.

“I was new to the community and aside from my husband and his family, I didn’t have a lot of friends,” she recalled. In addition,

Osterhout Brakeley hadn’t spent a lot of time around infants or new parents observing the routines and hearing about the process.

It became clear to her that facing parenthood would be a lot easier with a network of peers with whom she could ask silly questions, casually observe, and call upon for advice.

Through her parents in-law (Peter and Johana Brakeley), as well as work colleagues and others in her local labor and delivery and breastfeeding classes, Osterhout Brakeley was able to form a group of six or so parents who

were due around the same time.

They called the group the Floppy Friends.

The Floppy Friends first gathered the first week of January 2016, less than a month after Osterhout Brakeley’s daughter, Hazel, was born.

“As a new parent just to have people in the same phase and right there in the thick of it with you was critical,” Osterhout Brakeley said.

“In the first few weeks of parenting, I (See Floopy Friends, Page 5)

Addison Independent, Monday, March 13, 2017 — PAGE 3

WE WELCOME

Cassidy Heisler, PA-C TO OUR PRACTICE

Cassidy grew up on a small farm in Starksboro, VT before she completed her undergraduate program at Skidmore College and PA school at the University of New England in Portland, Maine. She is excited to start seeing both adolescent & adult patients at our practice.

Smile!

It’s children’s dental health month Editor’s note: This is an opinion piece provided by the Vermont Department of Health’s Health Commissioner Harry Chen, MD. VERMONT — In my six years leading the Health Department, by far my favorite activity has been visiting school classrooms.

Nothing beats government meetings like being surrounded by a dozen or so bright-eyed, smiling children. What I have learned as a doctor and as health commissioner is that for our children and teens, healthy teeth matter more than you might think. Teeth are meant to last a lifetime, and a healthy smile is important to your child’s health, their self-esteem, and even their future as adults.

In our schools, it’s not surprising that oral

health is closely tied to academic achievement for every Vermont student. Kids who have a toothache or cavity are three times more likely to miss school. A student in pain simply is not able to concentrate in class. In fact, children who reported recent tooth pain were four times more likely to have a low grade-point average compared to those who had no dental pain.

For young adults as well, the challenges go beyond basic health. We live in a society where first impressions count. As we all remember from growing up, judgments can be instant and often long lasting. A healthy set of teeth is key to helping young adults have the self-confidence (See Smile!, Page 8)

To schedule an appointment with Cassidy call us at (802) 247-3755

Caring for those you love....

Our team of skilled pediatric nurses, speech and physical therapists will bring care to you and your child in your home.

• Pediatric Nursing

• Childbirth & Parenting Education

• Physical & Speech Therapy

• Prenatal & Post partum Support

• High Tech Nursing

• Breast Feeding Support

• Child Development

• Community Resource and Support

You’ll find us where you’re most comfortable - at home with you.

Rte 7 North, Middlebury, VT 05753

(802) 388-7259

www.achhh.org

PAGE 4 — Addison Independent, Monday, March 13, 2017

Begin your family United United Way of Addison County proudly supports local youth and family organizations, working to help build a healthy, productive and thriving community: Back to School Shop Everybody Wins!

Addison Central Teens & Friends Addison County Parent/Child Center Addison County Readers Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vergennes Bristol Family Center Foxcroft Farm Mary Johnson Children’s Center Starksboro Cooperative Preschool DREAM Otter Creek Child Center The HUB Teen Center & Skatepark

United Way of Addison County PO Box 555, 48 Court Street Middlebury, VT 05753 Ph: 802.388.7189

To support UWAC and these programs GIVE at UnitedWayAddisonCounty.org or TEXT Educ to 41444

Addison Independent, Monday, March 13, 2017 — PAGE 5

Parents in the Floppy Friends network frequently call each other to coordinate hikes and other outings. Pictured here from left to right on the top of Snake Mountain are Lisa and Luca Crowley, EJ and Makenna Bartlett, Claire Bove and Mateo Nelson, Jodi Brown and Liv Lunser.

Photo provided by EJ Bartlett

Floppy Friends (Continued from Page 2) small being alive.” remember Googling things like, ‘What do you EJ and Steve Bartlett joined the Floppy do with a baby all day?’ — the kind of thing Friends group about three months after it first you wouldn’t necessarily ask your doctor, but gathered. They had just adopted an infant, if you have a group of other parents asking Makenna, and brought her home to Cornwall. these same gross and mundane questions, it’s “At first I was a little hesitant to join the the perfect place to turn.” group,” EJ recalled. “I wasn’t sure Osterhout Brakeley remembers I wanted to be surrounded by a the early gatherings as mostly “As a new bunch of women telling their birth support sessions for mothers parent just to stories. But I went, and I am so recovering from childbirth and have people in glad I did.” the emotional swings spurring the same phase Makenna is among the youngest from sleeplessness, hormonal of the Floppy Friends and for EJ imbalances and breastfeeding and right there there’s been tremendous value in the thick of in being able to observe other woes.

At the beginning, most members it with you was parenting moves and learn what of the group were on paternal works and what doesn’t. critical.” leaves, so there was a standing “You watch other parents do — Megan something you’ve never done weekly gathering at different members’ homes, and members Osterhout Brakeley with your child and you think to came if they could make it. yourself ‘Oh, you can do that?’

The ease of going to someone else’s house and it opens a new door,” she said. for the gatherings was key for Osterhout The Floppy Friends mostly communicate Brakeley. “Post-partum is uncomfortable and through a Facebook group and via email and unpredictable,” Osterhout Brakeley said, “but text. being in homes made that process much easier.

“If someone wants to go out on a hike or “If I had had to prepare myself to go into an adventure of some kind with their baby, public with my infant, it would have been a it’s a great resource to tap,” EJ said. “I might whole other story,” she said, “But as it was, I have been hesitant to go out on a hike with was just shifting from my house to someone just Makenna, but if there’s someone else else’s house. No one cared if you showed up in also along with an infant, it’s much more sweats without your hair brushed and needed comfortable.” to change a diaper as soon as you walked into Over the last year, the group has ballooned the door. There was no judgment.” in size and smaller sub-groups have started Like Osterhout Brakeley, Jodi Brown moved to form. They gathered in February for a to Addison County when she was in her second collective “First Birthdays” party and had trimester with her daughter, Liv. Brown works about 16 families at the get-together. as a women’s health doctor at Porter Women’s “It’s so fun to watch as they all form their Health, but despite her clinical knowledge own personalities and develop new skills,” still wanted to connect with peers as a first- Osterhout Brakeley says, adding that because time parent embarking on something new and they’re all within a span of three to four intimidating. months apart in age the parents can really help She was connected to the group through her each other predict what’s coming and how to midwife, whom she asked to pass along her prepare. number to any other expecting parents looking And while the babies are still too young to for connections. have overly developed language skills, it does “Being in a group with other mothers gave seem like they too find value in their Floppy us license to be out in the world with our babies Friendships. with confidence and without reservations,” As Osterhout Brakeley, Bartlett and I Brown wrote in a comment about the Floppy talked at an outdoor picnic table in downtown Friends group.

Middlebury, Hazel and Makenna exercised “After we graduated from just hanging their new walking skills and showed off their out in each other’s living rooms we met out newly forming teeth as they munched snacks. at restaurant and breweries, eating food, They stared at each other and followed each sampling beers and breastfeeding in mass in other around, each clearly looking to the other (gasp) public spaces. We felt free to continue for signs and lessons. to be women out in the world, living and At our parting, they even gave each other a enjoying life, even though we were now hug goodbye. The two could truly be life-long mothers and responsible for keeping another friends.

Now accepting new patients! middleburypediatricdentistry.com • (802) 388-0909

132 SOUTH VILLAGE GREEN, COURT STREET • MIDDLEBURY, VT 05753

PAGE 6 — Addison Independent, Monday, March 13, 2017

Porter’s Women’s Health A Division of Porter Medical Group Delivering excellence. Exceeding expectations.

We’re committed to new beginnings, from head to toe.

Anna Benvenuto, MD

Katherine Wagner, MD FACOG

Jodi Brown, DO

Heather Kidde, CNM

Maggie Gardner, CNM

Molly Brown, WHNP

The providers at Porter Women’s Health are focused on helping you to welcome your baby in a nurturing environment with individualized, compassionate care and supporting you to achieve the birth experience you envision.

Our Birthing Center is a relaxed and intimate environment. You can expect to labor, deliver and recover in a private, home-like room in a state-of-the-art facility, staffed with a highly-skilled, team devoted to guiding women through all stages of their birth process.

Our nurse midwives and physicians work together to provide seamless care. We are committed to high-quality, low-intervention birth and have one of the lowest C-Section rates in Vermont.

We would be honored to celebrate this new beginning with you.

Porter Medical Group • a Department of Porter Hospital Addison Family Medicine | Neshobe Family Medicine | Porter Cardiology | Middlebury Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine | Bristol Internal Medicine Little City Family Practice | Middlebury Foot Care | Porter Women’s Health | Porter Ear, Nose, & Throat | Champlain Valley Orthopedics Providing comprehensive primary and specialty care close to home

Birthing Room

For more information please call our office at 802-388-6326

Preparing for Birth and Your Baby • Expectant Parents Class: 6+1 This six-week series covers pregnancy, labor, birth, breathing/relaxation skills, care of the newborn, and family changes. Includes a 7th class, after babies are born, for parents and new babies together. Meets weekday evenings, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

• Condensed Weekend Expectant Parents’ Class A weekend version of our 6 week course which meets two mornings in one weekend.

Highlights pregnancy, labor, birth, breathing/relaxation skills. Meets 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday of one weekend. See on-line schedule for dates.

• Breastfeeding Class A two-hour evening class for new or expectant mothers to discuss the benefits of breastfeeding to mother and baby, deciding whether or not to breastfeed, returning to work, and more. Meets 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Pre-registration required.

You can register on-line or by calling:

Call 382-4720 For a complete schedule and to register on-line, please visit: www.portermedical.org/outreachparents.html * Fees for these classes are paid in full by Dr. Dynasaur or Vermont Medicaid.

Promoting a safe, healthy and family-centered pregnancy and birth.

Addison Independent, Monday, March 13, 2017 — PAGE 7

“There were countless times I could recall sending or getting group texts about specific baby related problems I or any one of the moms might be facing,” said Jodi Brown, a mother in the Floppy Friends group. “Whether it be introduction of solids, sleep issues, teething or illness, it gave us all an extra resource to see what other parents had already come up against and what worked, or didn’t work for them. It helped to have a group of amazing parents to meet up with on days off from work for socializing for both adults and babies, doing things that were baby friendly.” Pictured left to right are Floppy Friends Lucas, Liv, Mateo, Graham, Hazel, Luca, and Dahlia.

Photo provided by Megan Osterhout Brakeley

When I’m old enough, I’ll be drinking Monument Farms Milk — It’s Local, rBST Free and Fresh Daily!

Is Proud to Announce the Addition of & Welcome

Meredith W. Hanson, FNP-BC & Ariel GallantBernstein, MD, FAAP

Left to right: Meredith W. Hanson, FNP-BC; Francisco Corbalan, MD, FAAP; Monica Benjamin FNP-BC; Michael Seaton, MD, FAAP; Ariel GallantBernstein, MD, FAAP

Middlebury Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine is accepting new patients.

Weybridge, Vermont 545-2119

1330 Exchange St., Suite 201 Middlebury, VT 05753

388-7959

middleburypediatric.org

PAGE 8 — Addison Independent, Monday, March 13, 2017

Vt. ranked high for women and children’s care BURLINGTON — A report released in the fall of 2016 ranks Vermont second overall in the nation for women and children’s health.

United Health Foundation’s 2016 America’s Health Rankings Health of Women and Children Report provides an in-depth look at state successes and challenges in promoting the health of women, infants and children.

The report evaluates and ranks the 50 states based on more than 60 measures of health and well-being from 18 individual sources of data.

Vermont is joined at the top with its neighboring Northeast states, Massachusetts (#1) and New Hampshire (#3).

“This is another in a long series of national indicators that show Vermont’s approach to promoting positive health outcomes is making a real difference in people’s lives,” said Breena Holmes, MD, director of maternal and child health, Vermont Department of Health.

In addition to overall scoring, states are ranked relative to each other in three categories, Women, Infants and Children, as well as by individual measures. Vermont ranked third in the nation for women’s health, third for infants, and fourth for children.

Notable successes for Vermont: • 81.9 percent of children have adequate health insurance (Rank: 1).

• 97.8 percent of women had prenatal care before the third trimester (Rank: 1).

• 96.4 percent of babies age zero to 2 years received a well-baby checkup in the past 12 months (Rank: 2).

• 85.6 percent of women age 18 to 44 have a

dedicated health care provider (Rank: 3).

• 29.6 percent of infants are breastfed exclusively at 6 months of age (Rank: 1).

Notable challenges for Vermont: • 20.8 percent of pregnant women age 18 to 44 smoke (Rank 47).

• 15.8 percent of pregnant women age 18 to 44 consumed alcohol (Rank: 49).

“These are complex issues, and we have been working for years in Vermont to bend the curve,” said Holmes. “This report is only a snapshot, but when I see that nearly all women are getting prenatal care, and that Vermont kids can get the care they need because they have health insurance, I know we are on the right path.”

Holmes acknowledged that the report also makes clear there is still significant work to do.

“The challenges of behavior change drive many of the steep hurdles we face,” Holmes said. “We are making slow but steady headway in reducing the number of pregnant women who smoke, and we’re seeing positive results in our efforts to address drinking while pregnant, such as with our 049 – Zero alcohol for nine months outreach to health care providers.”

“We have to stay focused and not be afraid to innovate. I can trace our success with health insurance coverage for kids and the resulting access to care back to the vision that created Dr. Dynasaur. Working together with health care providers and our community partners, we will continue to improve health outcomes.”

For health news, alerts and information, visit healthvermont.gov.

Smile!

(Continued from Page 3) they will need when meeting new friends at school and college and, importantly, when they walk in the door for that job interview.

Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, but there are many things parents and caregivers can do to help kids have a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums: • Limit sugary snacks – instead, choose fresh fruit, raw vegetables, cheese and nuts.

• Brush with toothpaste that has fluoride and floss each day, especially before bedtime.

• Have regular dental check-ups – ask your dentist about dental sealants to protect your children’s back teeth from decay.

• Choose fresh tap water over sugary drinks, especially if your water has fluoride in it.

Drinking fluoridated water is one of the best ways to prevent tooth decay. Fluoride is a mineral that is naturally found in most water supplies. Community water fluoridation is about making sure there is the right amount of fluoride to prevent tooth decay.

Many Vermont cities and towns have had

community water fluoridation for more than 60 years. It’s safe and effective. We know this from seven decades of evidence-based science.

In 2010, a study demonstrated that drinking fluoridated water as a child meant they were less likely to lose teeth due to decay as an adult 40-50 years later. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention called community water fluoridation “one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century.”

Protecting children’s dental health means better health outcomes. It also saves money as a community and as individuals. Family budgets can be squeezed by the unexpected cost of an expensive dental treatment, crown or procedure.

As taxpayers, we all share in the cost of treatment when we don’t adequately invest in far less costly efforts to ensure access to prevention services regardless of income.

So let’s celebrate Children’s Dental Health Month by recommitting ourselves to teaching our kids how to brush, floss and to take care of those adorable, shiny smiles for the rest of their lives.

A Partnership Approach to Care

388-1338 Walk-ins everyday from 8:00-8:45am for our patients.

L-R: Monica Benjamin, FNP-BC; Jack Mayer, MD; Kate McIntosh, MD; Lauren Young, FNP-BC; Tawnya Kiernan, MD

Evening hours available We accept new patients & most insurances

44 Collins Drive, Middlebury (Next to Porter Hospital) • www.rainbowvt.com

Trusted, Comfortable, & Caring Dentistry for over 34 Years

Middlebury Dental Group Cares for Smiles of All Ages

Dr. Hopper & Dr. Fasoli Treat Kids & Adults in Middlebury MIDDLEBURY, VT—The best way to guarantee a lifetime of healthy smiles is to provide kids with a “dental home” where they can develop good habits.

This is one of the guiding philosophies at Middlebury Dental Group. By treating children from their first tooth onward, the practice provides a foundation of great dental health for the youngest patients in Addison County.

“We love kids and we know how to care for them,” says Dr. Adam Fasoli.

“Visits to the dentist are a learning experience for kids, so it’s important that we make them feel comfortable and respected.”

Both Dr. Fasoli and Dr. Peter J. Hopper have been caring for children in the local community for years, as well as their parents and grandparents.

The concepts of long-term preventive care and patient education guide their treatment of patients of all ages. While children may be learning to brush, floss, or avoid sugary foods for the first time, the team at Middlebury Dental Group knows that their grown-up patients sometimes need tips to keep their smile healthy, too.

The dentists at Middlebury Dental Group are concerned that lack of convenience is one of the things that keeps busy families from staying up to date with their preventive dental care appointments. They have taken a novel approach to this problem by offering extended hours, with dental appointments after school as late as 4:30pm, so parents don’t have to pull their kids out of class for teeth cleaning appointments.

Whenever possible, the practice offers what they call “family style” appointments, where kids and parents have their cleanings scheduled at the same time, so the whole family can be in-and-out quickly and easily.

Middlebury Dental Group is located in Suite 170 at 1330 Exchange Street, located off Route 7, across from the Bridge School & next to Champlain Valley Orthopedics. For more information about the dental care they offer, please call 802-388-3553.

Middlebury Dental Group 1330 Exchange Street, Suite 170, Middlebury, Vt. (802) 388-3553 • middleburydentalvt.com