OCEA November Newsletter

Nov. 23, 2022, 3:06 p.m.

Just in time for the holidays, OCEA brings you a special workshop to make the season even brighter.... and a lot less messy:

WAIT!! Don't throw the Mashed Potatoes: A Communication Workshop for the Holidays

Family visits and holiday events are coming up fast. Even though you’re excited about your family gathering to share in the joy of the new little one, there may also be a little bit of trepidation. After all, even with all the delights of the holidays, they can also bring a little extra “gift” of tension or misunderstanding.

Whether this new baby is your child, grandchild, niece or nephew, this workshop is for you. You’ll learn strategies and solutions for good communication around parenting choices, Covid, and setting healthy boundaries. We’ll show you how to help some of those old and outdated family patterns become more positive and harmonious.

After all, mashed potatoes look so much tastier on your plate than in your hair.

So come join us! It may be the best gift you give yourself this year – aside from that gorgeous baby, of course.

Register here For our one evening event on December 12th from 7-9:30 pm. Registration includes one participant + Plus-One (partner, aunty, sister, uncle, grandfather, grandmother)

Local Resource Spotlight

This month we would like to share the services of the Ottawa Milk Bank

A team of very dedicated volunteers is working hard, behind the scenes to create a Human Milk Bank right here in Ottawa. Their goals for 2022 include

Increase the community's knowledge of the important role that pasteurized human donor milk has in improving outcomes for preterm and medically fragile newborns, and that it is recommended as the next best thing for infants whose own mothers' milk is unavailable.
Increase patient awareness of the option to donate excess supply and the process by which to do so.
Significantly increase the donations from our region to Rogers Hixon Ontario Human Milk Bank, part of Sinai Health in Toronto.
Track the volume of milk being donated from the region.
Collaborate and partner with community leaders to support families donating after a loss.
Facilitate research opportunities using human donor milk

As of November 21, the Ottawa Milk Bank has been incorporated! You can follow them on social media for updates here:

It's time for a winter give-a-away!

We have an incredible team of instructors who love to create. We know you do as well! We would like to invite you to share one of your creations (which can include absolutely anything, including woodworking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, baking etc!) on social media and tag @Ottawacea. We will be giving away a $50 gift certificate for Fabrications for you to use on some beautiful wool, material, or anything in the store.

The deadline is Friday, December 2nd, 2022. Projects can be in any state of completion because we know that having a baby and being creative work in different time zones!

Julia has been sewing, felting, quilting and creating since before she joined the team! This is the incredible dollhouse she made for her daughter's sixth birthday in November.

Erin temporarily put down her knitting during the early days of the Pandemic and was influenced by Julia's love of quilting.

Misty's magic moved beyond needles and glue this year to writing a manuscript! We can't WAIT to read her finished book on mental health in the very near future!

Michelle has four new baby nieces that she has knit little gnome hats for! Awwwww ??

Lilly always has a project on her lap
when in front of a zoom screen!
(with her knitting assistant!)

Brandie continues to surprise us with creative expressions! She will be hosting French lessons for children aged 5-12 through BEEZ farm

Register NOW for our Winter Parenting Classes!

Baby at the Table is a class for parents whose babies are getting ready to start solids. Join us to create new family traditions around the table, understand the changing recommendations around solids, and feel confident offering your favourite meals to your baby. Classes start January 4th, 2023.

Infant Massage is a hidden gem of a class. The routine has been shown to reduce crying, help with gassy bellies, encourage sleep, and support parents in learning how to read their baby’s body language. Join Brandie and the other families starting January 9th, 2023

CPR Classes continue to refresh old skills and learn new ones. Join us on November 23, Dec 19, January 4 or 25.

It Takes A Village

This class is designed to support Grandparents, friends, and other helpers to create the Village that every new parent deserves.
The last 30 years have offered families more information than ever before on Infant emotional development, skin to skin and strategies to support attachment, which has resulted in changes in our day-to-day parenting techniques.
The next class is on January 28 and 29, 2023 from 9 am-12.

Infant Sleep Class Starting on January 2nd, 2023. We will be creating a space for parents to follow their instincts when it comes to their new baby. We want to share the other side of the sleep story! We will address identifying individual and family needs, creating support systems and providing a safe place for parents to share stories that support evidence-based sleep patterns.

Sending you all our best wishes,

OCEA