Monday, February 27, 2012

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS & WEBINARS FOR PARENTS

SEMI-PRIVATE WEBINARS: Gut Health and Healing for Breastfeeding Families

Next Session Has Been Requested for:
January 13, 2013 11am EST, 4pm GMT
the session is 2 1/2 hours.

ONGOING--NEW WORKSHOPS WILL BE SCHEDULED AS THEY FILL WITH TIME ZONES ACCOMMODATED AS BEST AS POSSIBLE

PRICE: $70US per person

Contact:
IParentLLC@aol.com
Payment through Paypal to iParent4@aol.com


Once you participate in a workshop, you have the option to be added to a closed FB group where attendees offer and receive ongoing support. Parents well on their way in this process will be member of the group as well.


THIS WORKSHOP IS HOSTED BY WIZIQ--HOWEVER CONTACT ME DIRECTLY FOR PAYMENT AND PLACEMENT IN A WORKSHOP
YOU NEED A COMPUTER WITH AUDIO TO PARTICIPATE--YOU DO NOT NEED SKYPE OR VIDEO --YOU DO NEED THE LATEST VERSION OF FLASH PLAYER AND A FREE WIZIQ STUDENT ACCOUNT

PRIVATE SKYPE CONSULTS MAY BE ARRANGED AS WELL


COURSE HIGHLIGHTS:
how and why the gut becomes compromised in mothers & children

nutritional approaches to gut healing in mother & child

additional strategies for supporting gut healing in mother & child

limited space so as to offer the opportunity to answer parent questions

follow-up support available


THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKSHOP is to help parents understand the significance of gut health and healing as the foundation of their child's well-being. Gut physiology and the basics of gut healing will be discussed. The course is designed to help parents of breastfeeding infants and toddlers take a more holistic approach to problems such as "colic', reflux, allergies, eczema, low milk supply, oversupply, etc.


Many parents find themselves confronted with the reality of infants and young children whose guts have been compromised during pregnancy or birth, infancy or early childhood as a result of the mother's leaky gut, birth interventions, exposure to artificial feeding, medications, allergens and/or environmental toxins. Indications or associated conditions in infancy include "colic", infrequent stooling, fussiness, "reflux" or GERD, high-need behaviours, tongue-tie, allergies, poor growth or failure to thrive, eczema and thrush and often include "behaviour problems" or "picky-eating" in older children. Maternal issues include: history of infertility, PCOS, over or undersupply, depression, chronic infection including plugged ducts or mastitis, allergy, asthma, chronic or frequent infections such as sinus or UTIs, digestive problems, migraines, fatigue, poor sleep, candida, skin conditions and other inflammatory conditions One semi-private 2 1/2 hour session held with 3-4 participants to address personalized strategies for your own families--your individual questions and answers will be addressed within the group Workshop is held once per week; once the worksop has reached a capacity of 4 attendees, the next one will be scheduled. Requests for dates and times that accommodate your time zone may be made.


Jennifer Tow, BFA, IBCLC practices Holistic Lactation. She has been in private practice for 17 years in Connecticut and most recently in Paris, prior to which she designed and coordinated a hospital-based breastfeeding peer counselor program in Hartford. Through her companies, Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC and Intuitive Health Network, Jennifer relies upon her 23 years of passionate information-gathering, education and training in holistic practices to provide holistic lactation consulting, parent education and mentoring to the families she works with. She also provides workshops for families, individuals and health care providers on topics related to birth, infant feeding, attachment and holistic practices.

Her areas of focus in infant feeding are healing infant trauma, the inter-dependent relationship between maternal gut health, hormones, milk supply and the well-being of the dyad, and the synergy of maternal-infant physiology, form and function, including tongue-tie. Having established a reputation for working with parents to resolve complex feeding problems, Jennifer now works with clients internationally, primarily through Skype. She integrates a myriad of holistic modalities, such as nutrition, herbs, home remedies and energy medicine in mentoring families who choose a deeper and more permanent approach to healing.

Jennifer is the mother of three children born at home in 1988, 1992 and 1998 and a granddaughter born at home in 2009.

You may find Intuitive Parenting on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Intuitive-Parenting-Network-LLC/180214818659165

or at www.ibclc.blogspot.com
What's in the KIT?http://holisticibclc.blogspot.com/2011/08/so-whats-in-kit.html

Twitter: Iparent4

Some comments from prior attendees:
“The series was more helpful and informative than many of the ‘Holistic’ health books I’ve purchased over the years, and I do think what I learned was well-worth the time and expense. I recommend this series wholeheartedly, and feel anyone who is motivated to find alternative paths to wellness, or has many questions about the path they’ve already begun will find more than their money’s worth in this series." --– Liberty Liscomb, Families for Conscious Living, USA

“The classes were treasure troves of information. I went home absolutely exploding with information to share with my husband.”
– Liberty Liscomb, Families for Conscious Living, USA

“Buying the kit has made a huge difference in treating myself and my family. All the products are fantastic and we have the kit out all the time. I love being able to help teach my kids how to take responsibility for their own health.” – Sabrina Granniss, IBCLC, USA

http://www.facebook.com/events/334723453237939/







UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FOR IBCLCs/PRACTITIONERS!

TWO LOCATIONS in May 2012 for HOLISTIC PRACTICES IN LACTATION: 2-Day Workshop

Bennington, Vermont, USA: May 4, 5, 2012
Baltimore, Maryland, USA: May 10, 11, 2012 
Followed by a Workshop for Parents: Raising Children Holistically: Self-care and Home Remedies for Parents: May 12, 2012 ( http://www.facebook.com/events/334723453237939/)


Holistic Practices in Lactation: A 2-Day Workshop with Jennifer Tow, IBCLC

Program Schedule:
Day One:

8:30-9am Registration
9-9:45am Introduction: Holism, Self-Care and Empowerment
9:45-10:45am The Art of the Intake in a Holistic Approach
10:45-11am Break
11-12:30pm Nutrition in the Breastfeeding Dyad
12:30-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Heal the Mother/Heal the Baby: Nutrition, Gut Function & Healing
3-3:15pm Break
3:15-4:30pm Introduction to Holistic Modalities in Breastfeeding
Day Two:
8:30-10:30am Holistic Approaches to Common Breastfeeding Problems
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-11:30am Holistic Approaches to Common Breastfeeding Problems (cont)
11:30-12:30pm Working Collaboratively: Building a Support & Referral System
12:30-1:30 Lunch
1:30-3:30pm Holistic Approaches in Practice & Case Presentations
3:30-3:45 Break
3:45-4:30 Q&A

"The 2 day workshop was inspirational. I found Jennifer knowledgeable, motivating, challenging and interesting. Though much of the information was new to me, Jennifer captured and held my attention and things were explained in ways that were easy to understand and made sense. I have tried to make lifestyle changes myself as a result and when I counsel moms, I address broader lifestyle issues. Jennifer fielded many questions and answered many concerns without losing the flow of the conference. Because so much of the information was new and valuable it would help to have a copies of the text slides to make notes on. I didn't want to miss a thing!"....Silvia Neni Rojas Ochs, IBCLC, Jacksonville, FL

More and more mothers are interested in using non-pharmaceutical approaches for treating the most common physical and emotional concerns of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. Practitioners who recognize the normalcy of birth and breastfeeding are well-equipped to support mothers in accessing and utilizing holistic approaches to care. Practitioners can easily gain basic knowledge and skills in homeopathy, energy medicine such as Bach Flowers and EFT, herbs, home remedies and nutrition specific to the needs of pregnant and nursing mothers. In using these therapies, mothers are offered an alternative to more interventive care, while the practitioner also models a holistic approach that the mother can integrate into her own care and the raising of her family.

These holistic approaches are simple and practical and can often be integrated immediately. Some are both preventive and therapeutic such as the use of nutrition in pregnancy, while others are deeply supportive such as the use of Bach Flowers or EFT. Most have acutely therapeutic applications such as the use of home remedies, herbs or homeopathy for treating mastitis or plugged ducts, normalizing milk supply or healing birth trauma.

This workshop has been approved for 7.75LCERPs & 4.75RCERPS by the IBLCE.

Jennifer Tow, BFA, IBCLC practices Holistic Lactation. She has been in private practice for 15 years in Connecticut and most recently in Paris, prior to which she designed and coordinated a hospital-based breastfeeding peer counselor program in Hartford. Through her companies, Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC and Intuitive Health Network, Jennifer relies upon her 23 years of passionate information-gathering, education and training in holistic practices to provide holistic lactation consulting, parent education and mentoring to the families she works with. She also provides workshops for families, individuals and health care providers on topics related to birth, infant feeding, attachment and holistic practices.

Her areas of focus in infant feeding are healing infant trauma, the inter-dependent relationship between maternal gut health, hormones, milk supply and the well-being of the dyad, and the synergy of maternal-infant physiology, form and function, including tongue-tie. Having established a reputation for working with parents to resolve complex feeding problems, Jennifer now works with clients internationally, primarily through Skype. She integrates a myriad of holistic modalities, such as nutrition, herbs, home remedies and energy medicine in mentoring families who choose a deeper and more permanent approach to healing.

Jennifer is the mother of three children born at home in 1988, 1992 and 1998 and a granddaughter born at home in 2009.




Registration information:
Please register through Paypal by making your payment to IParent4@aol.com and include your name, address, phone number and email address. If alternative payment arrangements need to be made, please contact Jennifer @IparentLLC@aol.com or 860-833-5343.




VERMONT LOCATION:
http://www.facebook.com/events/367630543263474/

Friday, May 4, 5, 2012 at 8:30am - 4:30pm
Pricing:
Register by February 27, $210 both days, includes lunch
Register by March 30, $235 both days, includes lunch
Register by April 30, $260 both days, includes lunch


125 Elm St.Bennington, VT 05201

MARYLAND LOCATION:
http://www.facebook.com/events/148011615320373/


Thursday-Friday
May 10, 11, 2012
8:30am - 4:30pm

Zoe Maternity
2000 Girard Ave
Baltimore, MD

Monday, February 20, 2012

WEBINAR: HEAL THE MOTHER/HEAL THE BABY

Heal the Mother, Heal the Baby: Nutrition, Gut Health, the Enteric Nervous System & Breastfeeding: A 2-part Webinar with Jennifer Tow, IBCLC

MAY 6--Part One 11am-2:15pm EST, Part Two 3:15pm-6:30pm EST
If there is enough interest, I will repeat Part Two for EU time zones on Monday May 7 from 11am-2:15 pm.

Pricing: $100 Registration

Program Schedule: 

PART ONE: (EST):
30 minutes-Introduction: Gut Health: The Foundation for Well-Being
75minutes- Gut Function & the Maternal/Infant Eco-system
15 minutes- Break
75 minutes- Indications for Gut Healing in the Breastfeeding Dyad


PART TWO: (EST)
90 minutes -Implications for Breastfeeding Success & Supportive Interventions
15 minutes-Break
90 minutes-Long-term Implications for Gut Healing and Case Presentations


This program has been approved for 6 LCERPs by the IBLCE

Objectives:
Address the implications that maternal and infant gut health may have for the breastfeeding dyad
Discuss how breastfeeding difficulties may be resolved through healing the maternal gut
Learn indications for evaluating the infant's gut function and protocols for restoring function
Consider the long-term implications of gut function for maternal and infant health
Explore the various theories and holistic healing modalities that address maternal and infant gut function

The internal terrain reflects itself in the external terrain in a myriad of ways that may well explain many breastfeeding problems. Gut health and integrity drives the nature of the enteric nervous system, thus the implications for well-being are significant. When the maternal body’s reaction to imbalance results in a pro-inflammatory response, a cascade of disease processes may result. Maternal health and well-being, post-partum depression, food allergies, milk supply, PCOS, tongue-tie, reflux, "high-need" infant behavior, slow growth, failure to thrive and numerous feeding difficulties may all find origins in the integrity and vitality of the mother’s internal terrain. In attending to the health of the maternal gut, while supporting the infant in his own healing, we may find that many breastfeeding problems are resolved both acutely and chronically. In a discussion of maternal gut health, the function of the enteric nervous system and the implications for infant gut integrity, we will come to a deeper understanding of why healing the mother's gut may well be integral to successfully addressing a wide array of breastfeeding difficulties.

Jennifer Tow, BFA, IBCLC practices Holistic Lactation. She has been in private practice for 15 years in Connecticut and most recently in Paris, prior to which she designed and coordinated a hospital-based breastfeeding peer counselor program in Hartford. Through her companies, Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC and Intuitive Health Network, Jennifer relies upon her 23 years of passionate information-gathering, education and training in holistic practices to provide holistic lactation consulting, parent education and mentoring to the families she works with. She also provides workshops for families, individuals and health care providers on topics related to birth, infant feeding, attachment and holistic practices.

Her areas of focus in infant feeding are healing infant trauma, the inter-dependent relationship between maternal gut health, hormones, milk supply and the well-being of the dyad, and the synergy of maternal-infant physiology, form and function, including tongue-tie. Having established a reputation for working with parents to resolve complex feeding problems, Jennifer now works with clients internationally, primarily through Skype. She integrates a myriad of holistic modalities, such as nutrition, herbs, home remedies and energy medicine in mentoring families who choose a deeper and more permanent approach to healing.

Jennifer is the mother of three children born at home in 1988, 1992 and 1998 and a granddaughter born at home in 2009.

Registration information:
Please register through Paypal by making your payment to IParent4@aol.com and include your name, address, phone number and email address. If alternative payment arrangements need to be made, please contact Jennifer @IparentLLC@aol.com or 860-833-5343.

You will be emailed the link to join the webinar, so please indicate the email address you wish the link mailed to.



Please let me know if you are interested in hosting this workshop at a conference in your area. 

Monday, February 6, 2012

In Response to Facebook's Harassement of Nursing Moms

Dear Facebook Management,
I have gone round and round in my head trying to compose a letter to you that will address, in some meaningful way, the confounding behavior of your staff towards women on Facebook. What eludes me is any rational motivation for your actions that I might intelligently address or debate. The contradictory actions of your staff, when addressing issues that are of significance to the women who use your site have an almost arbitrary, adolescent tone to them. 
Given that 58% of your users are women and that women use social media far more actively than men, one might think you would have an interest in treating women with respect and dignity. Yet, based upon the actions of your staff, there appears to be an unwritten guideline that it is perfectly acceptable for images to be posted on FB that display womens’ bodies as objects of male sexual desire, commentary and misogynistic denigration. Images of women whose bodies are displayed solely for the pleasure of men can be found effortlessly on FB simply by typing in keywords that are commonly used by prepubescent boys to describe women’s breasts. 

By contrast, your staff appears to have taken quite the opposite attitude when women share images of themselves nursing their children. Pages that are designed to support and educate nursing mothers, allowing them to gain confidence, reflect their pride and even communicate their pleasure in the wondrous physiologic purpose of their own breasts are hassled, harassed and shut down. Even on personal pages, mothers are harassed for posting images of their children at breast. 

An obvious conclusion one might draw from the actions of your staff, actions which appear to contradict your own policies, is that the eight-member all-male Board of FB is uncomfortable with images of women taking pleasure in the nature of our bodies, our babies and our selves as mothers. A pleasure that does not include you. A pleasure that reflects our sexuality but is in no way sexual. Perhaps the idea that women truly delight in feeding and nurturing our babies at our breasts is disconcerting to you in some way. 

Whatever might be going on in your own minds about this, I would like to suggest that you…for lack of a better way to say it…grow up. Having stewardship over one of the most significant social tools used in the world today is not a role for adolescents or condescending bureaucrats. It is a role that ought to reflect intelligence, leadership and the forward-thinking creativity that put FB on the map to begin with. Like it or not, you are in the position to effect great change or inflict ongoing harm. 

The normalization of breastfeeding is surely one of the most significant public health issues of this century and you are uniquely positioned to catalyze a shift in the right direction by doing what all of us should do, and ignore images of nursing mothers, unless they are personally meaningful to us, just as we do with the millions of other ordinary images we see every day. The posting of a nursing photo is no different from the posting of an image of a child being fed or nurtured in any other way. It is no more significant to FB than a child at a birthday party, at the beach, in a swing. It is just life, the normal, everyday life of millions of women and children. By instructing your staff to simply react in no greater way to images of nursing children than they do to any other ordinary photo, a very important shift will occur. And the staff of FB will have grown into their stewardship in a responsible and meaningful way. 

Best Regards,
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, USA & France
Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC
holisticibclc.blogspot.com
IParentLLC@aol.com