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| Heather Erickson announces door prize winners |
To all you who stayed home with sick kiddos this morning, we send much love and blessings. We pray you will have supernatural amounts of patience through lack of sleep, grumbling little ones and all those tough I-don't-know-how-to-soothe-you-and-I-feel-terrible-you're-so-uncomfortable moments. If you are sick, too, remember you have MOPS friends who are just a phone call away. We understand these particular difficulties and we're happy to chat or offer a helping hand. Really. Sometimes we just need to know your need.
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| Wendy Gale is surprised; winning a door prize!!! |
Our medical panel was wonderful. We received great information, had a fun time hearing our questions answered and enjoyed a bit of wholesome discussion with each other afterward. Thank you to our healthcare experts: Dr. Suzanne Oss, Dr. Melissa Watt and Georgia Bouley, RD! Your time and expertise were much appreciated!
Dr. Melissa Watt, dentist, shared regarding the timing and type of check-ups our little ones should ideally receive. She reminded us all we should make our kiddo's first appointment when they are 1, and then every 6 months after that. This way, children get comfortable with the atmosphere of a dental office, grow to know the staff and get positive experiences with gentle cleaning and check-ups. Dr. Watt reminded us to begin brushing those precious pearls as soon as they erupt (finger toothbrushes are helpful here) and don't neglect the flossing. Kids are ready to have you floss as soon as their 2nd-year molars have come in.
Another important reminder she stressed was the importance of training your children to drink a lot of water. In bottles or sippy cups that are available all the time, only serve water. Limit all other beverages to meal times. Cutting down on sugary drinks helps cut down on cavities.
Registered Dietician, Georgia Bouley, who works out of Journeys Center of Wellbeing on Main Street in downtown Sheridan, began with reminding us that our habits translate into our children's habits and (like everything else in life) what we model regarding nutrition and exercise is powerful. She shared several great tips, including: 1. sit down and eat with your kids (even breakfast and lunch) it will make a difference in the eating habits of both you and them. 2. choose organic fruits and vegetables for those foods your children eat the most - but, remember - always feel good about feeding your kids fruits and veggies whether they are organic or not! 3. if you are concerned with washing your fruits and vegetables, wash/rinse them in a solution of vinegar and water or hydrogen peroxide and water. 4. don't force your kids to eat their whole plate, but allow them to tell you when they are full.
Ms. Bouley also shared a few good links:
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Reducing the Risk of Food Allergies
Tailored Nutrition
Healthy Kids Snacks
Help Get Kids to Eat Veggies
And, she recommended this book: I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato. Check it out!
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| Dr. Melissa Watt, Georgia Bouley, RD and Dr. Suzanne Oss |
Dr. Suzanne Oss jumped in often to add valuable tidbits to all conversations. She explained the difference between the flu shot and the flu mist (dead vs. live virus). She reminded us how important it is to have our families vaccinated and why. Remember, babies under 6 months cannot be vaccinated, so it is very important that those around them be vaccinated - for their protection. For everyone else, the greater the exposure our bodies have to the influenza virus, the more chances it has to build up it's resources to fight off the disease, and the less likely we are to get a severe case of influenza. Always, remember to wash your hands!
Dr. Oss also spoke to the presence of preservatives in some vaccines. She said, in order to avoid them, either choose to be vaccinated at your doctor's office or through public health, or be sure to ask whether the pharmacy where you're being vaccinated uses single or multiple dose vaccines. Single does vaccines do not have the preservatives.
There was also a lot of conversation regarding food allergies, gluten intolerance & celiac disease. If you have additional questions regarding these topics, please talk with a dietician or your personal health care provider.
The other topic that seemed to surface several times throughout the meeting was eczema. Dr. Oss shared that it can be set off by food allergies, but also by other factors. She recommended getting a scratch test done to find out the correlations between symptoms decreasing when certain foods are avoided and actual signs of an allergy. She also recommended Vanicream as the least stinging moisturizer available for eczema symptoms.
We have a great group of women in MOPS this year! Looking around the room, it was a blessing to see so many smiling faces. Some of these were your precious babies - there are many! Thank you for coming & taking time to fellowship with us. We love you and look forward to our next meeting. In the meantime, we pray blessings upon you and your families. May you find wonderful ways to play, connect and grow in relationship with one another.
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