You can treat yourself and help save a baby’s life… all in one purchase. Submit your sealed bid for one of these wonderful items donated by local businesses and artists.

Don’t delay…. bidding closes May 18!

Lot A

“HEROINE”

by E.W. Ringstaff

A quality-framed limited edition print of the $6000 original artwork “Heroine” by E.W. Ringstaff, an award-winning artist.

Inspired by the extraordinary achievements of his wife, the 20” x 31 ½” original is one of 16 paintings in a series called Symbols That Carry the Human Heart.

The Heroine is featured in the prestigious juried art book known as Art Buzz.

Value $600  Minimum bid $300

OUR THANKS TO: Wes Ringstaff

Lot B

SANIBEL THEATER SEASON TICKETS

For Two

Tickets for two, to your choice of 5 Shows in the 2012-2013 Season at  Big Arts Herb Strauss Theater

Value $330  Minimum Bid $165

OUR THANKS TO: Big Arts Herb Strauss Theater, Sanibel

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Heroine Season Tickets Graphite Portrait

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Do you know an outstanding medical or social services professional who is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of pregnant women or babies? If so, please help us to make sure they get the recognition they deserve.
Criteria for individuals who may be nominated for this award:

• Is a Doctor, Nurse, Mid-wife, Social Worker or other Health Care/Social Service Provider involved in the direct care of mothers and babies;
• Has made a positive impact on improving the health of mothers and babies;
• Demonstrated an enthusiasm and dedication for their work;
• Well respected by colleagues and clients; and
• Provides or provided services in Lee, Collier, Glades, or Hendry County Florida.

Submission deadline is May 31, 2012. Visit www.GoldenBabyShoe.org for a nomination form.
A committee will review nominees, and the finalists will be notified by July 1. Both the awardees and the finalists will be honored at the Golden Baby Shoe Awards Dinner on Saturday, August 25 which will be held at The Club at Grandezza in Estero, FL.

Last year’s Golden Baby Shoe Awards went to Diane Yasko, RN, NCH North Naples Hospital; William Liu, MD, Pediatrix Medical Group of Florida; David Mackoul, MD, Mackoul Pediatrics, Cape Coral; Kathy Miller, Lifeline Family Center, Cape Coral; Marcia Carter, Marcia’s Helping Hands, LaBelle.
About Healthy Start: Since 1992, Healthy Start a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization has been serving Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties. The organization’s mission is to reduce infant deaths and increase healthy births in Southwest Florida. It does this by providing access to prenatal care, in-home nurse visits for women and babies with higher health risks, connection to resources, and education.

Dearth of prenatal care feared as cause;
SW Fla. numbers near national rate.

One in every eight babies in the U.S. is born prematurely, a number higher than in Canada, Australia or Japan, and worse even than rates in a number of less developed countries.

About 15 million premature babies are born every year — more than 1 in 10 of the world’s births and a bigger problem than previously believed, according to the first country-by-country estimates of this obstetric epidemic.

Most of the world’s preemies are born in Africa and Asia, said the report, released Wednesday.

The U.S. preterm birth rate is about the same as estimates in Thailand, Turkey and Somalia. In contrast, just 5.9 percent of births in Japan and Sweden are premature.

In Lee County, 837 of 6,449 recorded births in 2011 were premature, or about 13 percent, according to Florida Department of Health estimates. That’s slightly higher than the national rate.

In Collier, the number was 388 of 3,197 total births, or about 12 percent, the Department of Health data show.

The March of Dimes recently gave Florida a grade of “D” for its 13.5 percent rate of premature births. Roughly a third of the mothers had no health insurance, according to that report.

Experts can’t fully explain why the U.S. preemie rate is so much worse than similar high-income countries. But part of the reason must be poorer access to prenatal care for uninsured U.S. women, especially minority mothers-to-be, said March of Dimes epidemiologist Christopher Howson. African-American women are almost twice as likely as white women to receive late or no prenatal care, and they have higher rates of preterm birth as well, he said.

More disturbing for the Americans, the report ranks the U.S. with a worse preterm birth rate than 58 of the 65 countries that best track the problem, including much of Latin America. Add dozens of poor countries where the counts are less certain, and the report estimates that 127 other nations may have lower rates.

One key: not just early prenatal care but more preconception care, he said. Given that in the U.S. alone, almost half of pregnancies are unplanned, health providers should use any encounter with a woman of childbearing age to check for factors that could imperil a pregnancy.

According to the international report, the starkest difference between rich and poorer countries, however, is survival.

“Being born too soon is an unrecognized killer,” said Dr. Joy Lawn of Save the Children, who co-authored the report with the March of Dimes, World Health Organization and a coalition of international health experts. “And it’s unrecognized in the countries where you could have a massive effect in reducing these deaths.”

In the world, 1.1 million of these fragile newborns die as a result, and even those who survive can suffer lifelong disabilities.

Sophisticated and expensive intensive care saves the majority of preterm babies in the U.S. and other developed nations, even the tiniest, most premature ones. The risk of death from prematurity is at least 12 times higher for an African newborn than for a European baby, the report found.

Criteria

• Is a Doctor, Nurse, Mid-Wife, Social Worker or other health care/ social service provider involved in the direct care of mothers and babies
• Has made a positive impact on improving the health of mothers and babies
• Has demonstrated an enthusiasm and dedication for their work
• Is well respected by colleagues and clients; and
• Has provided services in Lee, Collier, Glades or Hendry County, Florida

See winners of past years.

Safe Kids Worldwide released a new research report that found while the death rate among children from poisoning has been cut in half since the late 1970s, the percentage of all child poisoning deaths due to medications has nearly doubled, from 36 percent to 64 percent.

Safe Storage, Safe Dosing, Safe Kids: A Report to the Nation on Safe Medication examines trends in morbidity and mortality of medication poisoning among children ages 14 and under. The report underscores the challenge of medication-related poisoning among children and offers solutions that will reverse the trends. Safe Kids also proposes specific roles that parents and other caregivers, industry, governments, and the medical community can play in improving medication safety through safe storage and safe dosing.

The report launches an effort by Safe Kids to help prevent unintentional medication exposures, injuries and deaths in children. At both the national level and through its powerful U.S. network of 600 coalitions and chapters, Safe Kids will educate parents, grandparents and caregivers about the behavioral changes they need to make related to safe medication storage and dosing. This public education will be accomplished through a strategy involving community events, traditional and social media outreach, and full partnership in the Up and Away and Out of Sight educational program led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What if someone told you a perfect food existed?  This food would help maintain a healthy weight, improve oral health, increase strength, improve vision, reduce susceptibility to common colds and viruses, improve mental health, increase IQ, reduce the risk of heart disease, breast and ovarian cancer as well as increase bone density among many other benefits.  Would you eat the food? Would you believe that a mother can produce such a food for her baby? Breast milk is truly the world’s most perfect food. It has qualities that change as the baby grows!  What other food on earth has the ability to do that? Not one!

Let’s take a brief look at how breast milk enhances your child’s overall health and development.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding your child for a minimum of one year. The reason for this, as stated previously, breast milk is the perfect food. It quenches thirst, supplies antibodies and of course, adds to those gorgeous baby fat rolls that make baby cheeks so kissable! Breast milk is also loaded with essential fatty acids which are imperative to baby’s developing brain and vision.  Studies have shown that babies who breastfeed exclusively have higher visual acuity. Depth perception improves dramatically by breastfeeding.  When a child is first born, they can only see about 8 to 10 inches away. That’s the perfect distance for them to gaze at their mothers while eating on the breast in those critical first weeks of development outside of the uterus!  Also related to sensory development; breastfeeding an infant for a minimum of four (4) months, can help protect them from ear infections for up to three years.

It is truly amazing what the act of breastfeeding can do for your child. By breastfeeding the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) reduces exponentially: Statistics reveal that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breastfed! Breastfeeding reduces childhood obesity rates as well as occurrences of respiratory infections and digestive issues. Let’s not avoid the elephant in the room:  Formula is very expensive: it costs around $1500 to formula feed during the first year of an infant’s life! Breastfeeding is much more cost efficient; not to mention eco-friendly!

Currently, only 7.9% of United States babies are still exclusively breastfed by 6 months of age. Often, parents give up from sheer frustration, sleep deprivation and societal pressures from supportive sources such as nurses, doctors and families.  It is important to note that even if breastfeeding the first child was unsuccessful, it does not mean that it will fail for subsequent children. There are many resources available in the Greater Fort Myers region for helping to succeed with breastfeeding. Support is available from other breastfeeding mothers (i.e.: MOMS Club), the La Leche League International and International Board Certified Lactation Consultants. It is important to note, that the decision to breastfeed is a very personal one. The more education and support that is provided to the family and sought out by them as well, the more likely a successful breastfeeding relationship will evolve.

Diane “DC” Colburn, MS, CVRT

DC is an Early Intervention Specialist at the Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida Inc. She works with children and families under the age of 5. She is the mother of a breastfed baby girl, age 8 months. You can reach her at dcolburn@vipcenter.org.

Publications:

• Murkoff, Heidi; What to Expect The First Year: Chapter 2 Facts Favoring Breastfeeding 2003

• Li R, Zhao Z, Mokdad A, Barker L, Grummer-Strawn L. Prevalence of breastfeeding in the United States: the 2001 National Immunization Survey. Pediatrics 2003 May;111(5 Part 2):1198-201.

• La Leche League International:  What Makes Human Milk Special? NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 23 No. 2, March-April 2006, pp. 82-83.

Healthy Start of Southwest Florida is proposing to develop an infant & toddler resource center in the Naples area zip code 34113 (or 34114) Naples Manor area. The target population would be families with young children up through pre-school.

The resource center will follow the Family Support and Resource Center model in the Tampa area. It has shown great outcomes and successful community collaboration with family driven services. According to the Hillsborough County center, “Family Support and Resource Centers are warm and welcoming places right in your neighborhood where any family is welcome.  All programs and services are at no cost to participants.  Child care is available for parents participating in the center’s activities.” “The philosophy of family support is part of a national movement which seeks to strengthen and empower families and communities so they can foster the best possible development of children, youth and adults. Broad community partnerships are at the heart of service and program delivery with an emphasis on child development, self- sufficiency, and health and safety”.

“The infant and toddler resource center will be a place where multiple programs and agencies can provide services for families.  These collaborative partnerships are what make this model so successful.  We envision the center to be a ‘one stop shop’ for parents with young children”, says Cathy Timuta, Healthy Start’s Executive Director.

The need for the infant and toddler resource center was identified by Healthy Start almost two years ago.  Due to lack of funding, not all families that needed Healthy Start services were able to receive help, and there was no place to refer these families.  Healthy Start began researching potential solutions that had proven outcomes, and they found the family resource center models in Vermont, New Hampshire, and then closer to home in the Tampa area.

Some of the great outcomes from the Hillsborough County centers include:

1. 96% of adults who received educational services increased their knowledge about car seats, first aid, or CPR.
2. 99% of children had access to immunizations and well child care based on their caregiver’s knowledge of preventive health care.
3. 60% of children were developmentally on track or were linked with additional developmental services.
4. 81% of caregivers demonstrated increased understanding of child development.
5. 99% of children were developmentally on track or were linked with additional developmental services.
6. 83% of participants improved their skill development in self sufficiency services as indicated by the G.A.S. tool.
7. 93% of participants reported positive attitudes about the support and connections they received from participation.

The feasibility study will be completed in April and the business plan is scheduled to be completed by July 2012.

The backbone of Collier 211 consists of multi-lingual phone operators, who also serve as trained crisis counselors. They connect callers in need of services 24 hours/day, 365 days/year, to available community programs.

Information and Referral Services (I&R Services) help individuals, families and communities identify, understand and effectively use programs offered by community nonprofits, government and for-profit service providers. All calls are confidential.

When fully operational, Collier 211 will provide callers in need with information such as:

• Basic Human Needs Resources: food banks, clothing, shelters, rent assistance, utility assistance; Physical and Mental Health Resources: health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health, Children’s Health Insurance Program, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation;
• Work Support: financial assistance, employment training and placement, transportation assistance, education programs;
• Support for Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities: adult day care, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, home health care, transportation, homemaker services;
• Children, Youth and Family Support: child care, after school programs, Head Start, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, protective services.

In turn, 211 will allow for important benefits for citizens:

• Eliminating confusion about who to call for help;
• Reducing inappropriate calls to 9-1-1;
• Helping non-English speaking citizens easily access services to meet their needs.

As part of the Community Foundation’s mission to build the capacity of nonprofits and the communities they serve, the data gained from 211 caller feedback will:

• Provide information to donors looking to support current community needs;
• Support community leaders needing extensive information and statistics for community planning;
• and Help community organizations become a better resource for their clients by tracking requests from callers and identifying gaps and/or duplications in services.

The Community Foundation led the effort to raise the needed dollars to operate a 211 Information & Referral (I&R) System for the citizens of Collier County. Founding Funding Partners in addition to the Community Foundation include United Way of Collier County, Wasmer & Schroeder, the Kapnick Family Fund, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, CHS Healthcare, Youth Haven of Collier County, the Martin Foundation, Lea Family Fund, Richard M. & Maureen G. Schulze Donor Advised Fund, and the Sheila Smith Davis. In-kind contributions from the Arlington of Naples, MarkIT Company, Naples Daily News, and the Naples Harbor Yacht Club helped in providing a successful fundraising campaign.

For more information, please contact Mary George by email at mgeorge@cfcollier.org

The Community Foundation of Collier County provides strategic philanthropy for donors and nonprofits to strengthen our community – forever. We invite you to learn more about your Community Foundation – visit our website www.cfcollier.org; call us at 239-649-5000.

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, February 9, 2012- Join Healthy Start for this elegant, yet exciting evening to help ensure the health of babies in our area will not be a gamble! The Winning Big for Babies event will take place on Saturday March 31, 2012 at the beautiful Club at Grandezza in Estero.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. and will feature casino games including Poker, Roulette, Craps, Blackjack, along with many fun ways for the non-gamblers to win prizes.

Your ticket to this fun night will include a wonderful dinner, drinks, “funny money” for the games, and live music by Daniel Melvin. The evening will also include silent and live auctions.

Tickets are $85 or $150 for two. To purchase tickets call Rita at (239) 425-6920 or pay online at www.HealthyStartBaby.org.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information call Kay at 239-425-6920 or email kay@healthystartbaby.org.

About Healthy Start:
Healthy Start is a not for profit 501(c) (3) organization, serving Lee, Collier, Glades, and Hendry counties, since 1992. The organization provides services that help to reduce infant deaths and increase healthy births in Southwest Florida. Last year more than 17,000 pregnant women and babies were served. For more information, visit www.healthystartbaby.org.

Change. Some people thrive on it. Many of us are wary of it. But, if a new baby is coming into your life, it’s certain that change is coming. How you deal with change is the real challenge.

Change causes stress, and stress can be fatiguing. The questions before and just after your baby arrives are unrelenting – Will you be able to afford daycare? How do you juggle your already busy life and the new responsibilities of being a parent? Shouldn’t I be happier now?

In his book “Spark,” John J. Ratey, MD tells how stressful thinking can build and build, causing depression-like symptoms.

“Like most psychiatric issues, chronic stress results from the brain getting locked into the same pattern, typically one marked by pessimism, fear and retreat,” Ratey says in the book.¹

This applies to all kinds of stress, including the emotional time of becoming a new mother.

Are “Baby Blues” the same as Postpartum Depression?
The Mayo Clinic defines “baby blues”² as a short period of days or weeks when new mothers feel sadness and slight mood swings as their hormones readjust after the birth of a baby. Postpartum depression lasts longer³ – more than two weeks, typically – and new mothers may have severe mood swings, a lack of joy in life or feelings of shame for not being able to bond as they hoped with their babies.

How Being Active Can Help Depression

Your physician or obstetrician should be the first person you call if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from depression. With their help a patient may be prescribed therapy or medication. What you can do yourself in addition to that medical care is get moving.

Dr. Ratey’s research shows that consistent physical activity helps people take care of their emotional healthy by helping relieve the feelings of anxiety, fear and depression.

“Exercise controls the emotional and physical feelings of stress,” Ratey said. “It gets us moving, naturally, which stimulates the brain stem and gives us more energy, passion, interest, and motivation.”⁴

He goes on to say that the worst advice for new mothers who are feeling down is to take it easy. “Rest is important, certainly, but not as important as activity,” Ratey said.⁵

Where to Find Help

The Fort Myers YMCA (1360 Royal Palm Square Blvd., 239.275.9622) has numerous classes and activities to help you get moving, including Zumba and yoga.  The Y offers free child watch for members from 8 a.m. – Noon and 5 -8 p.m. weekdays and from 8 – 11 a.m. on Saturdays. Also, as part of our non-profit mission, we don’t turn anyone away because of inability to pay. Financial assistance is available. www.leecountyymca.org.

OR

Healthy Start of Southwest Florida helps ensure moms and babies have access to medical care and other community services to give babies a Healthy Start in life. Since 1992, our programs have been making a significant impact on reducing the number of infant deaths, and increasing the number of healthy births in Southwest Florida If you or someone you know needs help, call us at 239.425-6920. www.healthystartbaby.org.

NOTES:

1. “Spark,” p. 60

2. Mayo Clinic – http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-depression/DS00546/DSECTION=symptoms

3. Mayo Clinic – http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-depression/DS00546/DSECTION=symptoms

4. “Spark,” p. 135

5. “Spark,” p. 208