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Inside This Issue

Meet the Team

Back to School with brag, Ages 5-7

Getting Fit After Kids

Matt Hughes Schools You in Discipline

Puberty is Knocking

34 46

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124

...cont inued

Back to School with brag, Ages 8-10

A Raw Start

Back to School with brag, Ages 10-12

Changing Perceptions

Postpartum Changes

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108

Inside This Issue 136 99

Back to School with brag,, Teenagers

108

24 Hot Birthday Party Spots

123

Preparing for a New School Year

130

Midwives

136

Shots, Vaccines and Immunizations, Oh My!

138

Start Bragging!

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Greetings from bragBook Magazine! Thank you for picking up

the first issue of brag Book Magazine! This is the premier magazine for families in Oklahoma City and neighboring towns. In the last few years, Oklahoma City has grown by leaps and bounds. There are so many things that are coming to the city and that are a part of this city that you don’t even know about. With brag, we from Brag Book Magazine! hopeGreetings to introduce you to the many new, exciting products Thank you for picking up the first issue and opportunities for you and of Brag Book Magazine! This is the premier your entire family. magazine for families in Oklahoma City and neighboring towns. In the last few years,

As a mother, I City know has how grown by leaps and Oklahoma important bounds. every Theremilestone are so many things that are iscoming with your child. It seems to the city and that are a part of this cityminute that you even know about. With one they don’t are taking brag, westeps hope to the introduce their first and next you to the many new, exciting products is already their first day of and opportunities for you and your family. kindergarten. Weentire want you to As a mother, I know how important every have a memento to show your milestone is with your child. It seems one child on graduation day! minute they are taking their first steps and the next is already their first day of kinder-

Flip throughWe the want pages and garten. youlearn have a memento to more about what to expect show your child on graduation day! when expecting, findthe out vital Flip through pages and learn more health tipswhat and get on expecting, find about to information expect when out vital health tips and get information on the best pediatricians our state the our state has to offer. has tobest offer.pediatricians Instead of reading Instead of reading national magazines on national magazines on doctors doctors and healthcare professionals, find and healthcare professionals, find out what is happening right here in your out what is happening right here in your state!

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Here at brag Book Magazine, we can’t wait to grow with you and your family. Share all your highlights with us! We can’t wait to see them! We’re here for YOU and we want to be YOUR family magazine! I hope you enjoy the first issue and the many more to come. Thanks for bragging!

Lauren B rooks Publisher

(flip through our magazine online)

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(your family announcements)

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Meet the Team Publishing Info

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Back to School with brag

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Getting FIT After Kids one mother’s journey By Brian Attebury

otherhood is rough on the body. Ask most women and they will tell you, “My body has never gotten back to the way it was prior to babies.” Maybe you had kids very close together and had not lost all your weight between the first pregnancy and the second or even third pregnancy. Mothers feel that they never have time to devote to themselves to get back into shape. I know the times when I come home to watch our kids for my wife to go somewhere, my daughter and son who are 4 and 6 years old can be more difficult to handle than running my fitness center. We like to call that, “momma appreciation time.” Mothers usually become the sacrificial lambs for the family so many times. Having babies, working and running the household takes its toll on your mind and your body. Many women lose themselves and their self esteem when they lose their nice figures. Society places tremendous pressure on women to look amazing…always! Just look at supermodel Heidi Klum who hits the runway soon after having her children. I often hear about how difficult it is to get back into shape after having kids and that a woman’s body is never the same. It might not be able to be exactly the same again but it can be awesome in a slightly different way. It is difficult…but not impossible. Jackie Brenner is your All-American mom. She is going on her third year as a 39-yearold and holding. She runs an incredible business as an award winning national ice skating coach at the Arctic Edge Facility in

Oklahoma City. She is married to her pilot husband, Steve, and they are always striving to balance work and family with their three amazing kids. Jackie, like many women, had let herself go somewhat after having kids. She gained 30 pounds with the first pregnancy and 40 pounds with the last two. She was very active as a coach but was not actively working out in the gym. she suffered an incredible injury on the ice that resulted in a broken arm, and her elbow,

happen. This is not any different than her life as it was, planning and preparation to make everything happen for everyone. Fitness and nutrition plans come to a point when they cease to work. Jackie, like many women, made significant improvements. One thing I want you to re-read is that it took her about three years to lose those 22 pounds. For some it takes longer and for others it may take less time. I also want you to remember, just like Jackie’s injury, life can present obstacles that can put us off track. The key is that you get back on track when this happens and obstacles will happen. Remember, we need a lifestyle change that is a journey, not a destination. Jackie had done fantastic and then hit a wall where she felt things just were not changing any more. She had done all she knew to do. It was at this point that I was contacted by Jackie. She had been stuck for a while in her progress and still saw changes she wanted to make. I sat down with her and found some things that we could change with her exercise routine. I also manipulated her diet a little more and actually ADDED calories. Yes, I added calories. I then determined her actual percentage of body fat, which was 20%. FFor a woman, this is not bad at all, but Jackie wanted to see if she could take her body fat down to 12%, which is the body fat level of most of my Miss U.S.A. and Miss America contestants that compete in swimsuit rounds. She also wanted to fit into her size 4 jeans again. I told her that she

“If you are a mother and you think you will never get back into shape, stop thInkIng that way. “ wrist and thumb having to be reconstructed. She now has 26 pieces of hardware in her left arm. This put her in the hospital for five days and months of rehab. She lost nearly a year of fitness due to this alone. Needless to say, she has plenty of excuses to not add working out and getting her body back to its best shape due to her busy schedule. Jackie was usedto having an athletic body prior to having kids. After her last child she decided she was ready to get her body back into top shape. She entered the gym as a size 12. She took it slow and gradually lost about 22 pounds over the course of about three years which included an unintentional break due to the injury. Her routine consisted of weight training, cardiovascular work and changing her nutrition habits. All of these things involved planning and preparation. She knew she had to schedule it to make it

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Photos By | Lindsey Brooks

would have to work really hard but we could do it. We spent the next year getting her to that goal and she did it. During this preparation time, she was asked to compete in the Mrs. Oklahoma Pageant and won awards for Career Achievement and Marriage Longevity. She did not win the pageant and I don’t think she really even cared. The significance of the pageant was that it gave her a goal and helped her to strive for something she could wrap her mind around. Everyone needs to have goals to achieve all that is possible. Either way, it takes time and consistency. We cannot expect to see miracles happen in just a few short weeks or month. We have to remember that having a baby is a lifeand body-changing experience. For some women, they have never had to lose weight before. They go back to their old habits and find that what worked before does not work with their post-baby body. Think about it. If you never had to lose weight before and now you need to lose 20-30 pounds or more, wouldn’t you need to do something more extreme to lose that extra weight? In other words, your habits before just maintained your pre-baby body and now you cannot

The second phase of the plan is to incorporate cardiovascular/ aerobic activity. You can simply walk fast to achieve this if you do not have a gym or equipment. Thirty minutes a day, 5-6 days a week is a moderately aggressive way to start this. The best time for most women is to get out of bed before everyone else and do your cardio before eating breakfast. You will burn fat much quicker and boost your metabolism for the rest of the day. If that does not work for you, perform cardio after your weights later in the day. 30 minutes is a good starting point but realistically, for a while, you might have to do extra to get the extra weight off. Once you achieve your goal then you can go back to thirty minutes again to maintain. Common forms of cardio exercises are the bikes, stair climbers, elliptical trainers and some group exercise classes. The last phase is the most important. Nutrition is 80% of your success. If you do the most incredible workout in the world for an hour and then eat poorly over the next 23 hours, you will not succeed. You have to realize that exercise stimulates your body to do certain things. Improve endurance, strength, flexibility, and fat burning if and

“We cannot expect to see miracles happen in just a few short weeks or months. We have to remember that having a baby is a life and body changing experience.”

expect to eat the same and lose 20-30 pounds. There are 3,500 calories stored in one pound of body fat. So 20 pounds of fat represent 70,000 calories to make up! Scary isn’t it? So how does anyone do it? Weight training and women do not go well together-or do they? If you want to lose significant long-term fat, then you absolutely need to lift weights. What you need to understand is the importance of a certain amount of muscle. Think of muscle as horsepower in your body. In a car, the greater horsepower vehicles burn fuel at a much faster rate. In our bodies, having more muscle helps us to burn calories/ fat at a much faster rate.. That is how a person can make up those 70,000 calories without having to literally burn 70,000 on the treadmill or aerobic classes alone! In addition to the metabolism boost muscle gives, you can appreciate muscle for giving you a tone, tight body. Think of it as “antigravity.” You understand.

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only if you feed it the proper nutrition. I must emphasize that you must eat enough, too. Previously I mentioned that I actually increased Jackie’s calories. She was stuck in a rut. Her body basically was saying, “I can’t afford to lose more fat because I am not getting enough food.” If your body senses a lack of calories relative to your activity level for a long enough time, then it resists losing more weight/fat. I believe in training the body so it feels like it can perform well. I would rather a person do more and eat more of the right foods. Dieting and starving are short term and you will have repercussions. Jackie learned to use protein supplements to help get her meals in frequently so that she kept her furnace burning. Supplements like protein bars and shakes can be a great way to be consistent in a fast-paced world. That being said, you must also eat real food and prepare your meals ahead so that you do not fall victim to the drive-thru. I also believe that you must live life. Jackie got to enjoy treats on the weekend in moderation. A fitness lifestyle is not about total deprivation. It is about making it the majority of what you do with the occasional splurge. Americans typically make fitness the occasional splurge January through March, and fast food and couch time their lifestyle. If you are a mother and you think you will never get back into shape, stop thinking that way. Your mind must first be wrapped around the possibilities that are yours to take. You must visualize success and then come up with a plan to realize success. Mothers must gain support from their spouses, family and friends, and ask for help in order to succeed and be consistent. The support

must be emotional, mental and spiritual. You might have to hire the occasional babysitter to help you out so you can prioritize. If you are married, I think it is important to ask your husband to help you on the nutrition aspect whether he wants to eat healthy

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himself. This might mean at dinner while you have chicken, vegetables and a salad, and the rest of the family might simply add some extra starches. Kids usually need more carbohydrates than adults, especially an adult trying to lose

Jackie’s Diet •

Breakfast - 4:45 AM whey protein shake with skim milk

Snack - 8 AM 2 egg whites a peice of fruit

Lunch - 11:30 AM huge salad with tuna or chicken, vegetables and a handful of almonds on top of the salad

Snack - 3:00 PM protein bar

Dinner - 6:00 PM a protein (chicken or fish) and vegetables

Snack - 7:30 PM weight. This is an opportunity for you to introduce healthy options. This will help with the dilemma of how to “diet” while preparing food for the whole family. You actually will be doing your entire family a favor by making better food choices. Childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years! Good habits start at home…and so do bad ones. Jackie Brenner is an All-American woman who feels and looks more confident since she walked into my fitness center. Her journey has lead to the equivalent of 35 pounds of fat loss, plus she has gained a lot of muscle, too. She lost all the fat she could lose on her body while maintaining good health. She has not only improved her physical health but also she is ready to conquer the world. She is a better mother, wife and woman who is ultimately better for herself. She was not any more capable

than any other mother. Her body might not be exactly the same as it was prior to having babies, but it is better in other areas. She is strong and healthy. She sought guidance and support, and made it happen. You can make it happen, too. Be a little selfish and start taking care of yourself.

“You will be so glad you did.”

celery with peanut butter

Brian Attleberry

Brian Attebery

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Degreed/CertifiedTrainer owns and operates Results Fitness & Nutrition Center Edmond, OK www.resultsfitnessusa.com

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Health & Discipline ‘Matt’ers

How sports can instill healthy lifestyle choices. 44

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eaching your child good habits is vital in the early years. Making the best disciplined choices can be difficult, which is why getting your child involved in extracurricular activities can make things easier. Family man and nine-time UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champion) World Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes suggests wrestling. Some might think the sport is aggressive but Hughes believes wrestling instills important lifelong lessons that can set the foundation for a healthy lifestyle. Growing up on a farm and having a twin brother made Hughes have a competitive work ethic. Once he reached high school, Hughes combined his competitive nature and work ethic into wrestling. He wrestled throughout high school and college, and went on to coach collegiate-level wrestling. In 1996, he won his first small show at a Chicago area high school which set the path for his career in the UFC. Wrestling isn’t just a sport to Hughes. He attributes wrestling to the reason why he lives a healthy lifestyle. “Wrestling is very good for me in the fact that it taught me discipline,” he says. “There are times where you can eat and there are times you shouldn’t; everything should be proportioned in between.” Hughes believes a lot of healthy living has to do with timing. After he works out, he makes sure to eat healthy food options full of nutrients and avoids fattening foods before meals and before bed. He attributes these routine choices to wrestling. “Timing is a big thing,” he says. “It all comes from my weight class in high school and college.” In addition to teaching him to live a healthy lifestyle, wrestling also provided a solid foundation on which to raise his children, Joey and Hanna Grace. “As an athlete I learned there’s three things to being healthy – exercise, diet and rest,” he explains. “I make sure my kids get those three things. My 3½-year-old daughter still takes a nap in the afternoon because kids grow when they’re sleeping.” To help other parents instill the same healthy living into their children, Hughes developed the Matt Hughes Training Program. “Anybody using

“It’s good to set goals and to make sure you keep those goals”

this program can take this home and use it with their kids,” he says. “You can use the techniques or the discipline and the regimen. It’s five five-minute rounds, which is a great concept.” With Hughes’ program, you get a half hour workout, which he finds more stimulating than working out on a treadmill, bike or elliptical machine. “It’s great to do the program and not have to sit on a bike or treadmill, and tell yourself ‘I’m going to do 30 minutes.’ Once you get on the treadmill, you might only last 1015 minutes because mentally, you have exhausted yourself where in my program you have to go 30 minutes,” he says.

Another important step is to set goals for yourself. “It’s good to set goals and to make sure you keep those goals,” Hughes said. “This will help discipline yourself.” On top of being one of the world’s top UFC fighters, Hughes is a family man first. “My wife has instilled a lot of family values in me,” Hughes says. “There’s no doubt about it, when I’m not occupied with the UFC or doing some other occupation that puts food on the table or clothes on my kids’ backs, I’m at home spending my time with my family. I get a lot of satisfaction out of life with being with my family.”

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When it comes to finding a doctor, we’ve got you covered. If you are looking for an OB/GYN who will be your partner in health, meet Elsa Vadakekut, D.O., an Oklahoma native. A skilled and experienced physician, Dr. Vadakekut’s goal is to provide quality care for her patients, with individualized attention and education to help them make informed health decisions. Dr. Vadakekut is accepting new patients at Women’s Health Care Associates.

Women’s Health Care Associates 3366 NW Expressway Suite 600 • Oklahoma City (405) 942-5593 www.whcaokc.com Independent Member of the Medical Staff at Deaconess Hospital

Elsa Vadakekut, D.O. OB/GYN

48582_DEAC_Vadakekut_8x4_75.indd 1

4/30/10 12:56

Puberty As you raise your children into young adults, there is one enormous obstacle that every parent and child must cross – puberty. The age that puberty occurs in children varies; for girls, the normal age range is from 9 to 11 years old, while boys mature at 10 to 11 years old. It is abnormal if there are no signs of puberty by age 12 for a girl and age 16 for a boy. Dr. Donna Jackson of Norman Pediatric Associates says the first signs of puberty are physical. “Besides the physical changes, the emotional changes pop up,” she says. “Children start to care more about what their friends think than what their parents think, so parents need to be aware of that.” For girls, the first physical signs of the onset of puberty will be her first breast bud. Dr. Jackson says it is normal for the bud to appear only on one side at the beginning. For boys, they will experience their testicles enlarge a bit. Girls tend to have their growth spurt at the beginning

of puberty, while boys have their growth spurt at the end. It will take both girls and boys roughly four to five years to go through the entire process. To help children, parents need to be prepared with answers. “Kids are going to have questions about their bodies,” Dr. Jackson says. “You want to be able to give them answers to the questions they ask.” While answering their questions can help tremendously, another thing to keep in mind is to not give them information on things they are not asking about. “We have a lot of grown-up information about puberty and about sexual development,” she said. “At age 9, children are not ready for all of that, but they are ready to hear about what’s going to happen to their body now. It’s good to meet them on their level and answer the questions they ask.” Dr. Jackson says an important thing to keep in mind is to keep the lines of communication open between you and your child. Having that stable, trusting relation-

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ship before your child is developing into a teenager can make your child feel more comfortable about asking the parent about what is going to happen to their body. Girls will most likely have many questions about menstruation. Dr. Jackson says most girls will start their period when they have about half the amount of their pubic hair. This timeframe will vary for all girls. If a girl does not develop a breast bud until age 12, she might not start her period until age 14. In addition to the physical change, another factor to look at is when the mother started her period. Acne is another sign of the physical side effects of puberty. Dr. Jackson says you need to make sure your child knows they are not odd for experiencing acne. “You need to make sure you let them know it’s OK,” she said. “Kids want to hear what’s happening to their body is OK, and at the same time, give them a little space. It’s OK to take some privacy; that is normal.” Dr. Jackson says if your child does have

acne, you must be careful about how you approach the situation. “You don’t want to come off as saying ‘your face looks bad’, but more of ‘let’s work on this together.’” She says you have to be careful of how you talk to your child about their appearance. You want to make sure they hear positive things about how they look so their self-image will be confident. On the other end of things, parents must expect the onslaught of emotional changes. Children will grow to want more privacy, and care less about what their parents think and more about the opinions of peers. Dr. Jackson says parents need to understand that these emotional changes are inevitable and to not take it personal. “They still need you,” she says. “They need you a lot more and you need to have their back. Parents become more of a helper than a constant caregiver.” The best time to discuss puberty with your child is when you have opportunities when you are side by side, Dr. Jackson says. “You want to take cues from them but don’t expect any heart-to-heart talks,” she said. “They won’t respond to that. They will respond more when there are opportunities for them. They might ask ‘what would you do in this situation’ questions.” Parents need to help children make good choices during the puberty stages. “This is an age when kids are seeking approval from others,” Dr. Jackson said. “You want to make sure you help them make good choices with their friends because they will start to think more of what other people think than what their parents think, and that’s a struggle for some parents to get through.” Setting family rules will also help your child as trends begin to catch on at school. “Make a decision on what you think is acceptable and set that rule with your child,” she said. “It just means you care about them. Rule setting is all about how you care for them.” At the same time, children still need to have some independence and responsibility. They need to feel successful at making decisions, so learning how to make those decisions is vital. If parents are having trouble with their children going through puberty, Dr. Jackson says one of your best options is to make an appointment with your pediatrician. “Schedule regular visits because knowing what they’re going through

Alternate Reading Birds and the Bees Talk Tips

•

The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls from the American Girl Library. Dr. Jackson says this is a great book for girls to reference. Depending on what age your girl is, she might not want to read the whole thing because there is a lot of information. It would be a good idea for parents to scan through the book first before giving to younger girls.

Listen to your kids and realize what stage of development they’re in before discussing sex

•

Important for parents to tell kids your own personal values

•

Help your child decide what is OK and what is not (Example: This is how we feel about sex; we hope you feel the same way, too.)

•

Sex is OK to talk about; bring up the subject in a matter-of-fact way

•

Make sure they know sex isn’t just “sex”; it’s about sharing something intimate with someone special

really helps,” she says. “It can be a fun age. They become their own thinkers and have their own opinions about things.” Dr. Jackson has one big piece of advice for all parents – don’t take it personal. “Mothers and daughters will butt heads,” she said. “Your daughter is trying to separate from you and get her own life; that’s part of puberty. Be a parent not a friend. Your child needs a parent, needs the structure and needs to know you care.”

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Back to School with brag

Photography by: Shannon Ho Photography Prop Styling: Taylor Harwell

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Sizes 8-10 51

Left to Right:

Catie is wearing Rachel Weissman black headband $26.00; T2 Love butterfly shirt $50.00, Ooh La La Couture black leggings $26.00; Juicy Couture silver Gladiators $68.00 from Funky Monkey Isabela is wearing Flowers by Zoe dress $110.00; Michael Kors black flats $44.00; Tarina Tarantino Jewelry $58.00; Rachel Weissman black headband $26.00 from Funky Monkey

Marissa is wearing Kitty Kat dress $62.00 from Marissaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Room Carson is wearing T2 Love white tank with necklace attached $58.00; Jbrand tye dye jeans $112.00 from Funky Monkey

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Bottom Photo Left to Right:

Harrison is wearing Alphabet Creation polo shirt $28.50 from Ladybugs and Lizards Jackson is wearing Weekend Ala Mer polo shirt $39.50 from Ladybugs and Lizards

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Opposite Page Bottom Photo Left to Right:

Marissa is wearing Hannah Banana dress $62.00; brown leggings $22.00 from Marissaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Room Catie is wearing Ooh La La Couture peace tutu $110.00 from Funky Monkey

Isabela is wearing Ooh La La Couture leopard tutu $82.00; Michael Kors ballet flats $44.00; Tarina Tarantino pink heart necklace $82.00; J&L watch $22.00; Rachel Weissman pink headband $26.00; Juicy Couture black leggings $48.00 from Funky Monkey

Carson is wearing Ooh La La Couture lace tutu $82.00; Michael Kors Gladiators $38.00 from Funky Monkey

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Left to Right:

Harrison is wearing Tea Collection plaid shirt $45.95 from Ladybugs and Lizards; Tea Collection roll up jeans $34.50 from Ladybugs and Lizards

Carson is wearing Mimi & Maggie patchwork dress $63.95 from Ladybugs and Lizards

Jackson is wearing Fore vintage shirt $30.00 from Ladybugs and Lizards; Little Joule cargo shorts $52.00 from Ladybugs and Lizards

Marissa is wearing Hannah Banana capris $72.00, Hannah Banana tank top $12.00; Catie Pink tangerine top $31.95 from Ladybugs and Lizards; Mimi & Maggie floral skirt $38.95 from Ladybugs and Lizards

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Carson is wearing Hannah Banana dress $42.00; black leggings $22.00 from Marissa’s Room

Marissa is wearing Mis-Tee-V-Us dress with leggings $68.00 from Marissa’s Room

Funky Monkey 14101 N May Ave, Ste 104 • OKC, OK 405.748.7066 www.shopfunkymonkeyclothes.com

Ladybugs and Lizards 1389 E 15th St • Edmond, OK 405.348.2121 www.ladybugslizards.com

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To A Brand New Beginning By Kandace Dodson Photos by Lauren Downs

105degreesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Chef Matthew Kenney SHAReS THe BeNeFITS OF MAKING

your own raw baby food 64

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Impressing healthy eating habits is vital in your baby’s formative years. baby food that comes packaged in bottles and jars is a popular choice among new mothers,

but is it always the best choice?

bragBook Magazine stopped by

105degrees, Oklahoma’s premiere and only raw and living food destination, to talk with Culinary Arts & Operations Director Matthew Kenney. Kenney has been training in organic cuisine preparation for the past seven years and understands it is a very specialized style of food that is

currently blossoming across the country. The benefits that come from feeding your baby fresh, custom-made food is the knowledge that you are creating meals full of important nutrients and enzymes not found in commercial options. Making organic baby food at home can be simple, Kenney says. “You’re using one ingredient with

a little bit of seasoning, there’s no cooking involved.” One important item that is necessary is a food processor. Food processors are better than blenders as they make food less gummy and more airy. Other than a processor, the main ingredient will be fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, preferably when they are ripe and in-season.

Mango-Citrus

2 ripe mangos, peeled flesh removed and chopped 1 tsp. orange juice Â˝ tsp. lime juice Â˝ tsp. lemon juice In a food processor, puree all ingredients until perfectly smooth. Add subtle drops of lemon and orange to the mango, and the meal is prepared. All of these meals are quick, easy and will provide your baby with necessary nutrients.

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Banana-Avocado-Lemongrass 4 bananas, chopped and frozen ½ ripe avocado Few drops of lemongrass juice (optional) In a food processor, puree the banana until perfectly smooth. Add the avocado until wellblended into the banana. If desired, add a few drops of lemongrass juice, extracted by running lemongrass stalks through a vegetable juicer.

“Lemongrass has a bit of a floral taste and can be found in a lot of Asian soups”

Pear-Cinnamon 3 ripe seckel pears, peeled, seeded and rubbed with a touch of lemon juice 1/2 tsp. cinnamon powder In a food processor, puree the pear until perfectly smooth. Add cinnamon to taste. First peel the pear, chop it and toss the pieces with a bit of lemon juice. Adding lemon juice helps retain the color. Once these steps are completed, puree and the meal is complete.

“All of these meals are quick, easy and will provide your baby with necessary nutrients”

If you want to make several meals at once, storing the organic food is an option. While the foods might change color, it is best to store the meals for only a maximum of 48 hours. Kenney says it is best to have the ingredients prepared and blended right before serving, if possible, which will deliver the best results. Several ingredients can be frozen. Bananas are one of the better fruits to freeze as it allows them to become more creamy after pureeing. “You can also have them all the way to the point of being the most ripe and then freeze the bananas until you’re ready to make the food,” Kenney said. Mangoes also freeze well, while pears and apples don’t freeze as easily. Even though freezing is an option, it is advised to prepare the meals when they are the most fresh.

To find out more about these recipes and to discover other healthy baby food options right here in the metro, visit 105degrees. The unique facility was created in 2008 and features a café, an academy and a boutique retail shop. Kenney is pleased to be planted in Oklahoma City saying the area “allows us to not only serve the guests but also to prepare the food in an educational way. It utilizes my skills as both a teacher and a chef. We’re at a perfect location and audience – a city that’s changing and developing more toward health.” 105degrees is located at 5820 N. Classen Blvd., Suite 1 in Oklahoma City For more information and for hours of operation, call (405) 842-1050, e-mail Contact@105degrees.com or visit www.105degrees.com.

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Too perfect for this Earth

Photographers Area Coordinators

Carrie LaFollette Phone: 405-844-9845 Phone 2: 405-406-6078 Email: ibcaree@lafollettephotography.com

Andrea Akin Mobile: 405-226-3750 Phone: 405-912-4635 Email: andreaakinphotography@yahoo.com

Terri Bailey Phone: 405-203-4668 Email:terri@flashgirlphotography.com

Debbie Malone Phone: 405-306-1220 Email: debbie.malone@mac.com

Megan Tate Phone: 405-201-3247 Email: tatewalk722@sbcglobal.net

Lora Renshaw Phone : 405-399-3180 Mobile: 405-503-5215 Email: Sidney1979@aol.com

Affiliated Photographers Christan Templeton Phone: 405-535-2430 Email: artoflivingstudios@hotmail.com

Sara Wilson Phone: 405-310-2662 Mobile: 405-990-0275 Email: edenwilsonphoto@gmail.com

Lyndsey Phillips Phone: 405-255-9794 Email: lyndseyphillips25@hotmail.com

Fortunato Mercado Phone: 405-641-3888 Email: former44@hotmail.com Languages: English, Spanish

Heath Shelton Phone: 405-282-2660 Mobile: 405-326-6409 Email: sheltonphotography@sbcglobal.net www. brag BOOK Magazine.com

Elise Breeding Phone : 405-392-3929 Mobile: 405-208-3942 Email: elisebreeding@gmail.com

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Changing P erceptions by Kandace Dodson

Dr. Stephen Gillaspy at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center has a deep rooted interest in providing care for those who need it. Dr. Gillaspy has studied mothers suffering from postpartum symptoms for several years. “One of the things that interest me is that we put a lot of focus in healthcare on the identified patient, which is the child,” he says. “But really, you have to think about medicine and healthcare from a family perspective.” In 2008, he collaborated with Mary Anne McCaffree, M.D. to study postpartum symptoms. What set their study apart is that they looked at the effects of postpartum symptoms on the entire family rather than only on the mother. His main concern is how to provide more services for those families dealing with postpartum. As a starting point, they developed a research project to assess some of the maternal, psychosocial variables with moms that have infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). With those results in hand, the doctors were able to take their research one step further with appropriate funding through a state grant. The grant made it possible for them to routinely screen mothers in the NICU for postpartum issues. Dr. Gillaspy says that according to the national average, 10-15% of mothers suffer from postpartum symptoms. In their case study, they collected data on 111 mothers of NICU infants. Out of those 111, an astounding 50% of the mothers tested positive for postpartum symptoms, while 30% tested at-risk for adjustment difficulties. “The one thing that jumped out at us

was that our findings were far above the national average for postpartum issues,” Dr. Gillaspy says. “It is important to point out, our screenings are not only looking for postpartum depression; depression is definitely there but there are many other factors such as anxiety, stress related to the NICU environment as well as social support issues.” Another surprising factor is the project’s inclusion and exclusion factors – the doctors only screened mothers of healthy babies. Dr. Gillaspy says “this was surprising considering the higher average compared to the national average. The families we screened might even be under less stress compared to the ones we didn’t screen.” Based on this data and a survey published in an Oklahoma Pram survey that shows one in four mothers indicated symptoms of postpartum depression, Dr. Gillaspy says these results reveal the postpartum depression rate could be higher in the state of Oklahoma. Since that research project, Dr. Gillaspy has focused his attention on bringing to light the fact that there is an overwhelming need to screen all mothers for postpartum symptoms. “It sounds simple, but it’s a matter of how do you routinely screen, how do you share that information and how do you make appropriate referrals after that,” he said. “That’s what the effort is right now – trying to develop the best process for that.” Once a mother is diagnosed with postpartum symptoms, it is difficult to follow up with the patient, which is a key factor. According to Dr. Gillaspy, maternal depression and anxiety affects how you

interact with your child. In addition to being harmful to the mother, postpartum issues can be linked to both short- and long-term developmental and behavioral issues. “Our efforts are trying to make the routine screenings the standard of care; not just for the mom’s care but also for the child’s care,” Dr. Gillaspy said. “Bottom line is the mothers can be a risk factor for a whole host of things within the family system.” Currently, the screening test Dr. Gillaspy created uses a postpartum depression screening scale. The beneficial factor about the measure is it not only assesses for levels of depression but also screens for other issues including anxiety and stress. This allows each mother to receive accurate results for a variety of symptoms. Dr. Gillaspy’s screens are implemented at two weeks postpartum to every mother of an NICU infant. The two-week mark is important to the screens as it gives each mother time to recover from normal reactions such as the “maternity blues.” All screenings are on a voluntary basis now, but Dr. Gillaspy would like to eventually move to implementing the screenings to all mothers, including those that are not in the NICU. He also looks forward to opening people’s eyes to the topic of postpartum depression. “When we first started the project, there wasn’t an established routine to screen mothers and there was a lot of stigma and stereotype surrounding the issues at hand,” he said. “One of the things we’re really working on is changing the culture. It would be nice to implement routine screens – no matter if

the mother seemed depressed or not, the screens would become a standard of care and everyone expects it.” Dr. Gillaspy says one of the things he has been working on at the OU Health Sciences Center is educating the entire staff on postpartum issues. In addition, they have created a flier to give new mothers so they can anticipate someone in the facility to ask them to complete a screen. Postpartum issues are becoming the norm, according to Dr. Gillaspy. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” In reality, having an infant can be hard on young mothers. “What happens is, a lot of mothers won’t ask questions and then they start to attribute ‘something not going right’ with ‘I’m doing something wrong’, which provokes anxiety or depression.” To combat these postpartum symptoms, Dr. Gillaspy says there are effective treatment methods out there. However, in the state of Oklahoma, there are many access issues hampering young mothers. “Eighty percent of the mothers from our research project are on Medicaid, and two months after delivering, Medicaid runs out, which is a problem.” Even though these postpartum-suffering mothers cannot receive hospital care, Dr. Gillaspy says the best and basic treatment for postpartum suffering mothers is social support. “Sometimes once the mothers get back home to their social support, they get a lot better, he says. “Another common situation in our NICU screenings is that the mothers are separated from all their social support. We always help tie them into community resources.” In addition to social support, basic building blocks for a healthy mother is sleeping well, dieting right and getting proper nutrition. For the future, Dr. Gillaspy hopes to find a way to provide effective services to all mothers. Do you have a question for Dr. Gillaspy? Contact him at (405) 271-4407.

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In the past

postpartum depression was presumed to begin immediately after delivering. Now there is state-of-the-art science that shows symptoms can arise anywhere during pregnancy and up until a year after delivering. Keep in mind, postpartum depression symptoms are very similar to depression symptoms; just be focused on the timeline of frequencies throughout your pregnancy. It is also important for family members and caregivers to be on the lookout for any change in the mother’s behavior.

Symptoms of Postpartum Depression: • Continual drop in energy level • Depressed mood • Frequent crying • Lack of interest • Not feeling like yourself Keep in mind, postpartum depression does not have one specific cause. In addition to symptoms, there are several risk factors including family history and lack of social support that can affect the presence or severity of postpartum depression.

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Postpartum Changes by: Erin Alward, M.D.

Congrats on your new baby!! This will be the most amazing time of your life. There should be snuggling, lullabies, cute baby smiles; exactly like you see in all the pictures. Unfortunately, we all know that not everything is that simple. There are many changes that happen to a woman’s body after delivery. Some of these changes can be very disturbing, especially if you had no warning. Here are some of the more common complaints that new mothers have and what to do about them. The biggest complaint most new mothers have is fatigue and exhaustion. We have all heard about new parents getting up in the middle of the night for feedings, changings, etc. These sleep deficits do add up. Chronic interruptions in normal sleep habits can cause difficulty concentrating, impaired driving, and trouble remembering. Try sleeping when the baby sleeps. Let others help, for example, sleep while the grandparents are playing with the baby. Don’t try to be supermom, the housework can wait. Exercising, eating a healthy diet, and getting adequate water intake also help. If these suggestions are not helping your fatigue, there may be something else going on and it’s time to go see your doctor. About 10% of women have thyroid problems within a year after childbirth that can cause significant fatigue. Anemia is another common medical condition that can cause fatigue. Blood loss is common with deliveries, so new moms are at more risk for anemia. Prenatal vitamins and iron supplementations may help. Postpartum depression can also be associated with fatigue. If you feel fatigue, with loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, and feelings of sadness or irritability most every day, you could have postpartum

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depression. This is a serious illness that does need to be treated both for your health and the health of your baby. Postpartum or baby blues are big concern that up to 80% of women have. This differs from postpartum depression in that the symptoms are generally milder and tend to resolve within a couple of weeks. It doesn’t matter if this is your first baby or your fifth, hormones change dramatically from the pregnant to the non-pregnant state. These hormone shifts, along with lack of sleep and worries about being a good mother, all contribute to baby blues. Generally women feel rapid mood swings and have crying spells. Some women have feelings of inadequacy. First and foremost, remember that you are not alone-most women feel this way starting about 3-4 days after delivery. Also remember that it generally goes away within a couple of weeks. You may find that many people, even ones you don’t know, may offer you suggestions or their opinions on how you can do things better. Try to remember that these people are well-meaning and they are not criticizing you. Support from your family and adequate sleep do help. If these feelings are persisting for more than

2 weeks, you need to be evaluated by your physician for postpartum depression. If mood changes and lack of sleep weren’t enough to cause a new mom to have selfesteem issues, then we can talk about some of the body changes that happen after delivery, like hair loss, weight issues, and difficulties with sex. Hair loss frequently occurs. Generally about 85% of your hair follicles are in the growing stage and only 15% in the resting stage. After the resting stage, the hair falls out. The estrogen of pregnancy makes more of the hair stay in the growing stage. When estrogen levels fall after delivery, the more of the hair follicles enter the resting stage then fall out. Not to worry though, because normal pre-pregnancy hair patterns return in about 6 to 12 months. Weight loss is not as quick or as much as everyone would like. Remember that it took you months to gain the weight and it will probably take months to lose it. Breastfeeding does burn extra calories that bottle feeding does not. Unfortunately, breastfeeding does not give you license to eat everything you can get your hands on. Healthy diet and exercise do help though.

With patience and persistence, the weight will come off. Sorry to be the one to tell you, but many women have difficulties with sex after childbirth. It starts off with your doctor telling you to avoid sex for about six weeks. This is reasonable as you will probably want to avoid re-injuring any area where you may have needed stitches. Not to mention, there is the possibility of up to six weeks of bleeding. So you get the goahead, but there is no desire. It’s hard to find energy for a little fun when you are so tired all the time. And on top of that, if you are breastfeeding, vaginal dryness may be an issue that makes sex uncomfortable. This is due to the decreased estrogen in the body during breastfeeding. Again, remember that you are not alone. With water-based lubricants, adequate sleep, and time; these common sexual complaints also resolve. So again, congratulations on your new baby. Your life is changing in so many ways. Many of these changes may be frightening at first, but are very common. I hope that knowing what to expect helps you through this transition.

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Baylee (on left) is wearing BB Dakota jacket $74.00; BB Dakota shirt $54.00; Juicy Couture black shorts $98.00; all from Funky Monkey Cody (middle boy) is wearing Black Lacoste shirt $45.00; 7 For All Mankind jeans $102.00; all from Funky Monkey Carly (far right) is wearing Ella Moss top $120.00; J Brand jeans grey $142.00; Juicy Couture black sandals $174.00; all from Funky Monkey

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Baylee is wearing Jack white top with chain $30.00; Jack skirt with red zipper $42.00; Juicy Couture flower sandals $72.00; Tarina Tarantino bracelet $58.00; Juicy Couture sandals black- $174.00; all from Funky Monkey

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Calendar of Events

July 8th-31st Selman Bat Watch Alabaster Caverns State Park in Freedom allows 75 visitors per night to watch over one million bats fly into the nighttime sky at the only public viewing of Mexican freetailed bats in Oklahoma. Registration is required. For more information call 405-424-0099 or visit Watchbats.com

9th-10th 32nd Annual Midsummer Nights Fair A celebration of the visual arts is held in Lions park in Norman with over 45 booths. and featuring kids art wall, live music, demonstrations and food. 6-11PM daily. For more information call 405-329-4253 or visit Normanfirehouse.com

9th-10th Christmas in July at Foss Lake Includes live entertainment, motorcycle run, food, arts and crafts, fireworks and flea market. For more information call 580-592-4433 or visit fosslake.com.

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12th-17th

19th-25th

International Finals Youth Rodeo

Eskimo Joe’s Anniversary Celebration

The heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee features ten events, eleven performances and contestants from across the US competing in barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping and bareback riding. For more information call 505-275-7020 or visit shawneeexpo.org.

This celebration, held in Stillwater, is a week filled with great food and drink specials, costume contests, special events, concerts, and fun for the entire family. For more information call 405-377-0799 or visit Eskimojoes.com.

14th-18th Woody Guthrie Folk Festival A FREE event, the festival is in Okemah and celebrates the life and musical legacy of one of America’s greatest folk music songwriters with indoor and outdoor concerts, panel discussions, activities for children, open mics, poetry readings, spontaneous hootenannies and community outreach activities. For more information call 918-623-2440 or visit Woodyguthrie.com.

15th-17th Porter Peach Festival A FREE event in downtown Porter featuring arts, crafts, games, a parade, car show, 5K run, peach auction, music, food, tractor pull and golf tournament. For more information call 918-483-4205 or visit Porterpeachfestival..com

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August 2nd-7th American Indian Exposition A FREE event held at the Anadarko Fairgrounds celebrating the culture, arts and crafts and native languages of the southern plains tribes, including one of the largest American Indian parades in Oklahoma. For more information call 405-933-0171 or visit Americanindianexposition.org.

6th-8th Gatesway Balloon Festival Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Down features over 30 hot air balloons from across the country, balloon glows, family activities, children’s area, live entertainment, motorcycle show and food. For more information call 918-258-3900 or visit Gatesway.org.

14th

27th-28th

Rush Springs Watermelon Festival

Annual Range Round-Up

A FREE event in Rush Springs celebrates the watermelon harvest with a tiny tots contest, seed spitting contest, arts & crafts, carnival rides, live entertainment, and free watermelon after 4pm. For more information call 580-476-2338 9am-7pm.

Held in the Oklahoma State Fair Arena and features six events including saddle bronc riding, wild cow milking, team branding, and wild horse race. Tickets $9 and up 7:30PM. For more information call 405-235-4391 or visit Okcattlemen.org.

20th-21st

28th

Illinois River Balloon Fest

World’s Largest Calf Fry Festival and Cook-Off

A FREE event at the Tahlequah Municipal Airport. This event Includes children’s activities, live music and entertainment, a car show, tractor pull, rock crawling exhibition, and river balloon chase challenge. For more information call 918-453-9958 or visit Oklaballoonfest.com

25th-29th 103rd Annual Stephens County FREE Fair Stephens County Fair and Expo Center in Duncan is the host for the Annual Stephens County Free Fair and features a carnival, livestock, show, rodeo, food, and entertainment. For more information call 580-255-3231 or visit Stcofair.com

Hosted in Vinita, this event includes samples of the “local delicacy” as well as crafts, kids games, volleyball tournament, baseball tournament, a fun run, horseshoes, cowboy games and inflatables. For more information call 918256-7133 or visit Vinita.com.

September 4th-6th Arts Festival Oklahoma Oklahoma City Community College is the host for this FREE event. It’s a 3-day event highlighting a wide variety of fine art, crafts, children’s activities, culinary specialties, and live entertainment. Held

Saturday & Sunday from 10am-9pm, and Monday 10am-5pm. For more information call 405-682-7576 or visit www.occc.edu/afo.

8th-11th Oktoberfest at Choctaw’s Creek Park Oktoberfest features homemade German food, genuine German beers and wine, continuous live entertainment, German dance groups, and crafts and activities for children. For more information call 405-390-8647 or visit www.Choctawfestival.org.

9th-11th 31st Annual Bluegrass and Chili Festival A FREE event at the Expo Center in Claremore, this event features the MidAmerica chili cook-off, a car show, kiddie koral, 3 stages of live entertainment, and bluegrass, country, and gospel music. For more information call 918-341-2818 or visit Claremore.org.

10th-11th 34th Annual Western Days Held in downtown Mustang, this event includes a chili cook-off, carnival, open rodeo, parade, car show and pancake breakfast. For more information call 405-376-2758 or visit Mustangchamber.com

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11th

15th - 17th

Septemberfest

24th Annual Robbers Cave Fall Festival

Septemberfest is a FREE event held at the Oklahoma History Center. Join Governor Brad Henry and First Lady Kim Henry for a fun-filled day of exploring Oklahoma’s rich heritage and diversity from 10am - 4pm. For more information call 405-522-5248 or visit www.okhistorycenter.org.

FREE in Wilburton, features arts and crafts, classic cars show, food, carnival rides and activites. For more information call 918-465-3400 or visit www.robberscavefallfestival.com.

October 2nd

Global Oklahoma-A Festival of Cultures FREE and held at Rose State College. This festival is a colorful celebration promoting the appreciation of the peoples of the world through entertainment, food, and childrens activites. This year’s festival focuses on Ireland. 10am-5pm. For more information call 405-736-0313 or visit www.rose.edu.

7 - 9th Dyson Bluegrass Festival Held west of Sayre is a three-day bluegrass festival featuring a variety of bluegrass bands and family fun. For more information call 580-928-5909 or visit www.sayrechamber.com.

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23rd - 31st

Weekly Events Drop in Art at the OKC Museum of Art Saturdays, 1-4pm. Create art inspired by the Museum’s collections. Free with paid admission. Thursday, Noon at the Downtown Library, 11:30am-1pm. For more information call 405-231-8650.

Storybook Forest at Arcadia Lake

The Chocolate Exhibit

Take a not-so-scary walk through trick-ortreat path featuring storybook characters, a hayride, games, and a campfire. 5:30 - 8:30pm For more information call 405-216-7471 or visit www.edmondok.com

On display at Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, digs into the history of chocolate. Exhibit ends September 12. For more information visit www.snomnh.ou.edu

27th - 31st

Mini Model Build

HallowMarine at the Oklahoma Aquarium This event features an indoor trick-or-trat trail, carnival games, haunted sunken ship and friendly pirates. 6:30 - 9pm. For more information call 918-296-3474 or visit www.okaquarium.com

Penn Square Mall’s Lego Store. Build a new model every month. Every Tuesday of the month, 5pm. Quantities are limited. For ages 6-14. For more information call 405-840-9993 or visit www.Stores.Lego.com

28th

Train Rides

Haunt the Harn Held at the Harn Homestead includes a trick-or-treat trail through historic buildings, games, crafts, hayrides and campfire. 5:30 - 8:30pm. For more information call 405-235-4058 or visit www.harnhomestead.com

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Held at the Oklahoma Railway Museum. Leave the Oakwood Depot at 10am, 11am, Noon, 1:30pm and 2:30pm on the first and third Saturday of the month. $10 age 15 and up, $5 age 3-14, Free under 3. For more information call 405-424-8222 or visit www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.org

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the sun-filled summer days come to an end, families must prepare for back-to-school season. The bustling time of year means school supply shopping, clothing shopping and big changes to daily routines. According to Dr. Jeanne Schaefer of First Choice Pediatrics in Edmond, one of the most important things a parent can do is “start thinking about these changes before school actually starts and how you are going to prepare your child.” One of the first things that will change for your child before school begins is their sleep routines. Children become accustomed to staying up later and sleeping in later during summer months. Dr. Schaefer recommends that parents plan out a new sleeping routine for children a few weeks before school starts. “If you have a child that’s now going to bed at 10 p.m. and you want them in bed at 8 p.m., about two weeks prior to school starting, start setting their bed time at 30 minutes prior,” Dr. Schaefer says. “This way, once you hit school, you’re in that routine.”

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In addition to going to bed earlier, prepare them for those grueling mornings. Dr. Schaefer says the best way to prepare your child’s sleeping habits is to mimic what their daily routine will be once school starts. To have them practice for the first few days of school, have them set out clothing

– it is always nice to take advantage of the “meet-the-teacher” days or simply visit the school. “Let them see what their routine will be,” Dr. Schaefer said. “If they’re catching a bus, walk to where the bus stop will be and discuss the route. Anything you can do to make the child feel safer in what they’re doing.” Children entering middle school The more you can get a routine can also use some preparation, together, the more stability that as there are big changes from elementary school. “Take advantage provides the child and the more of the ‘pick-up-your-schedule day’,” stability it provides the parent.” Dr. Schaefer said. “Walk the schedule with your child. Show them where a few nights a week. (If your child is too their classrooms will be, where their young to pick out clothing, lay out an locker will be.” outfit for them and explain what you are She says a great learning summer preparing for in the coming weeks.) activity could be teaching them how to You can also start preparing lunchboxes open a combination lock. or sack lunches and having them prepare “Another important thing about middle their backpacks. All of these things will school is organization,” Dr. Schaefer said. signal to the children that school is getting “Those kids have to keep up with a variety closer, which will make the transition into of classes, so learning how your child school days easier. is best organized – be that a calendar or If you have a child entering school planner or other things – it is important for the first time – whether they are in to keep them organized from the get go.” kindergarten or switching to a new school Dr. Schaefer says that while these

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preparations can help on the back end of things, you still need to talk your child through the normal school processes such as how to act on the bus, in class, on the playground, etc. One summer routine to cut back on during the school months is television. “Television is something kids don’t need a lot of during the school year,” Dr. Schaefer says. “Most elementary students have to have some sort of reading throughout the summer. If your child is not reading on a daily basis, get that activity back into part of your settling down routine.” While the transition from summer months to school months can be difficult and tedious, your family’s safety precautions should carry through all seasons. “It is important to discuss some of your potential safety issues with your children,” Dr. Schaefer says. “If you have younger children going into school, perhaps teaching addresses or phone numbers if you haven’t. Give them a way to contact you.” Dr. Schaefer says that when her son was younger, he always had an information sheet of important addresses and phone numbers in his backpack. “There have

been stories of kids being left on the bus,” she says. “Any safety information, anything they need to know of how to get to you is helpful. You have to have a plan. As parents you assume you’re always going to be there; anything could happen. You have to have that preparedness.” Even though impressing these life lessons on your child is important, Dr. Schaefer admits, “as parents, we can’t always be prepared. To do some of the things I have suggested, you need to start thinking about them at the end of July. Many of us are so busy. It really involves some organization and planning by the parents and sometimes that’s hard to do.” As the summer months fade, children are asked to change many of their daily routines. Several things can be carried throughout the school year such as exercise and activities. “As we get into school, I encourage parents to keep that exercise involved,” Dr. Schaefer said. “When children get home from school, we need to be having healthy snacks and healthy meals throughout the school year.” Dr. Schaefer says that healthy meals, snacks and activities can become more

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difficult toward the end of the school year, which is why routines are vital. “The more you can get a routine together, the more stability that provides the child and the more stability it provides the parent.”

• •

Back to School Quick Tips

Avoid letting your child take summer naps. While some of your child’s summer activities might warrant an occasional nap, naps should not become part of their normal routine. Always begin school supply shopping early. The earlier you begin school supply shopping the better because it takes out the stress factor. 127

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midwives by Kandace Dodson

Despite being an uncommon option, midwifery can offer expecting mothers a plethora of birthing choices. OU Medical Center Certified Nurse Midwife Ann Stewart has worked in labor/delivery for 25 years and 14 years as a midwife. She became a CNM after delivering babies and wishing she could do something to help mothers realize they have numerous choices for their birth. “Midwifery is a kind of philosophy or attitude,” Stewart said. “Our philosophy is that birth is normal, pregnancy is normal. It’s not something that has to be controlled or regulated.” After 39 years in the business, Stewart has seen a wide spectrum of births. Some mothers want medication while some mothers do not. This mother might want to deliver her child in a squat position while this mother wants to lie on her side. Through all these options, one thing remains the same – all the mothers choose how they wanted to birth their baby by first selecting midwifery. Oklahoma City resident Jean Giles opted for a midwife after hearing two of her friends’ positive experiences. This is when she crossed paths with Stewart. While Giles says the type of care was different from what she received with her OB, it was a very natural type of care, which was the most important aspect to her. “With Ann, I felt as though she had all the time in the world for us,” Giles recalls. “On our visits, we would just chat – we would talk about my pregnancy, my husband, my older son. She made my husband and older son feel very comfortable and welcome.” Giles chose a natural, drug-free birth. Stewart advises that each patient choose

what is the best option for them. “You are responsible for your health, not me,” she says. “My role is to help you find information so that you can make your own choice.” Stewart is a rarity in the state of Oklahoma. While most people are under the impression that midwifery births occur at home, Stewart delivers babies at OU Medical Center. The benefits of birthing at a hospital with a midwife are the options available. “Women can have no medication or everything they want at this institution,” Stewart explains. “With a home birth, they couldn’t do that. If they come here, they have full gamut of anything they want.” Giles says she came to OU Medical Center after hearing that the midwives at the facility are dually skilled at delivering babies vaginally after having a baby through C-section. If something did go wrong, however, a physician was on-hand to do an emergency C-section. “Instead of making pregnancy something like a disease or something medical, using a midwife makes it more natural,” Giles says. “The midwife is there to allow us to make the choices we want to make, while still providing medical oversight. It’s much more empowering.” There are currently four midwives at OU Medical Center with a caseload of around 250. Stewart says the midwives are at their limit and while midwives are needed, getting them to come to Oklahoma is the problem as midwifery is an uncommon practice in the state. In addition, she says it takes the right person with the right amount of initiative and interest. “You see too many people come into

midwifery because they think it’s good money,” Stewart says. “These are not the kind of people who need to be advanced practice nurses. It’s people who really have the passion and care for the people… To have that passion to teach the patient to care for themselves is an important thing.” Stewart has patients of all ages and starts seeing them any time throughout their life. “We have women who come to establish care,” she says. “They come in for an annual exam until they conceive, and I follow them through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. A midwife comes when a woman is in active labor and stays until she is birthed.” Midwives are covered through most insurance and there is no extra cost to see a midwife. While deciding how you want to birth your baby is a huge decision, Stewart says the birth process is only a bridge to becoming a parent. “The hardest part is raising a child,” Stewart said. “You’re actually the person responsible to help them grow up to become a functioning adult. Birthing babies is easy so to speak, but can be a difficult process for some women.” For the future, both Stewart and Giles hope that midwifery becomes more common throughout Oklahoma. “I think that the expansion of midwifery in hospitals would really open it up to women having better birthing experiences,” Giles says. “I strongly recommend midwifery; specifically Ann because I had such a wonderful experience with her.”

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How to

Become a Midwife To become a midwife, first a person must choose what type of midwife they would like to become. Direct entry midwife – this is someone who wants to do birthing only. They must attend an eight-week class. When the course is completed, they shadow a midwife and learn on the job. A DEM can only perform births at home, can’t write prescriptions and can’t do labs. Currently, DEMs are not regulated in Oklahoma. Certified nurse midwife – this is someone who holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and obtains their master’s degree in midwifery. It takes two years to complete the master’s program. Certified midwife – Currently, Oregon and New York are the only states with this kind of midwife. These midwives do not hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing. However, they must pass a national board test that is certified by the American College of NurseMidwives.

Keep in Mind

OU Medical Center is the only public hospital in the metro with certified midwives, while OU Medical Center in Tulsa serves Green Country with certified midwives. Midwives are located throughout the state, with the majority of them delivering at home with no option of physician assistance. Community Midwife Service in Norman has direct entry midwives, which means they cannot deliver babies in a hospital. OU Medical Center is also the only facility where patients can get a VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section).

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Shots, Vaccines and Immunizations, Oh My! I

n recent years, immunizations have been under intense scrutiny across the nation causing many parents to not get them for their children. Dr. Don Wilber, of the Oklahoma City Clinic, has been involved with pediatrics for 29 years and believes vaccines are the most effective way of preventing illness. In addition to being a board-certified pediatrician, Dr. Wilber also serves as chairman of the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Immunization Advisory Committee and has been a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Childhood Vaccines. “Vaccines are a preventive way to deal with illness,” Dr. Wilber says. “It’s a way that allows us to keep large segments of our population from getting ill. Not only is that important to the individual that we vaccinate, but also it’s important to the community. As we decrease the number of people that can acquire the illness, we decrease the likelihood of the spread of that illness through the community.” One of the reasons that parents have become skeptical of immunizations in the past few years is the belief that certain vaccinations could cause autism in children. Dr. Wilber does not believe this to be true. According to Dr. Wilber, autism is not caused by vaccines. “There have been 16 studies that show vaccines are not related to autism,” he says. “The mercury in vaccines is not related to autism. That is merely internet chitchat and once that information gets out, people think it might be true and are confused about vaccines.” Dr. Wilber says vaccines are very effective. He believes that people no longer fear illnesses because of the effectiveness of vaccinations. “If you go back to 1950, you

would not find anyone that would refuse to take a vaccine because they feared the diseases,” Dr. Wilber said. “It’s just a different day and age, and we no longer fear all these illnesses. But if the vaccines went away and those illnesses came back, I can assure you people would change their minds immediately.” The history of vaccinations goes back to 17th century India and China. Edward Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine in 1796. Other milestone vaccines include the polio vaccine in 1955, measles vaccine in 1963, Hib vaccine in 1985 and chicken pox vaccine in 1995. At the present, Dr. Wilber says people look to alternatives for vaccinations. He looks at science. “As a scientist, I look at what’s been proven to be effective,” he says. “I’ve never seen a serious reaction to a vaccine. I know they happen, I know of them, but I’ve never seen one in my practice or in the practice of any of my partners. We’re talking about lots of experience and no serious side effects.” On the other hand, Dr. Wilber says he’s seen a decrease in many diseases such as meningitis and polio. “That is because of the vaccine,” he says. “There are not any cases of polio in the United States and the only reason for that is because of the vaccine. Polio was a terrible disease, and because the vaccine was developed 50 years ago, no one under 50 years old knows how bad the disease was.” Dr. Wilber has seen a huge decrease over the years in chickenpox. “I used to see chickenpox all the time. Chickenpox was ubiquitous,” he said. “None of these kids are getting chickenpox anymore. Clearly, this is a case that these vaccines are effective and saving lives constantly. As a society, we need that.”

To protect the lives of the community, scientists are always looking for cures for disease. Right now Dr. Wilber says scientists are developing a vaccine for Group B Streptococcus (GBS). GBS is an illness that is transmitted from the mother to her child when the baby is born. If the baby gets the illness, they can get sick and die very quickly from infection. “We would love to have a vaccine for all these mothers so they don’t carry Group B strep and transmit it to their child when they are born,” he said. As far as downfalls to vaccines are concerned, Dr. Wilber says there aren’t many. Two of the primary negatives to immunizations are expense and side effects. To protect any person that has had a serious side effect from a vaccination, there was a law passed by Congress in 1986 called the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The law is a no-fault insurance fund set up for anyone who experiences a serious side effect. Those who qualify can apply to the fund for financial help. Dr. Wilber says serious side effects are an uncommon occurrence. “There is a rare child that is going to have a serious reaction, but as I mentioned, I’ve never seen one,” he said. “One in hundreds of thousands. How many people used to get sick with polio? Hundreds of thousands.” Dr. Wilber says there are benefits and risks to everything, including vaccinations. As an example, he compares the risk of side effects from vaccinations to driving a car. Is there a risk to driving a car? Yes there is, but people get to their destination much quicker than walking or by other means. Is there a downside? Yes, you could get in a car wreck. “The risk is small,” he said. “And I think vaccines are much safer than driving a car.”

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Advertising Index 42nd Street Candy Company 4200 N. Western Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73118 405-521-8333

Andy Alligators Fun Park 3300 Market Place Norman, OK 73072 www.andyalligators.com 405-321-7275 Artsy Phartsy Photography 394 Murray Dr, Choctaw, OK 73020 www.artsyphartsy.com 405-488-4719

Stone Briar Mall 13316 S. Western Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73170 405-759-7524 www.bodytrendsandspa.com Buddy Walk Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma P.O. Box 892592 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73189 webmaster@dsaco.org 405-330-5025

Chirps and Cheers 100 N. Broadway, Suite 106 Edmond, OK 73034 www.chirpsandcheers.com 405-509-6336

Beth Jansen Photography www.bethjansenphotography.com 405-819-8138 Bella Blu Maternity 323 S. Blackwelder Ave. Edmond, OK 73034 www.bellablumaternity.com 405-285-9003 Birth Matters 6701 N. Broadway Ext., Suite 211 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 www.birthmattersok.com 405-831-4473 Body Trends, The Electrospa (2 locations)

Cassidy Square 311 N. Pennsylvania Ave. The Village, OK 73120 405-608-4477

Dgalleries 3621 N.W. 50th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73112 www.Dgalleries.net 405-942-5135 Deaconess Hospital 5501 N. Portland Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73112 www.deaconessokc.com 405- 604-4552 Dimples and Dirt Photography 1063 Squire Mansion Yukon, OK 73099 dimplesanddirt.com 405 354-0668

Extreme Animals, Inc. www.extremeanimals.org 405-413-3174 or 405-413-3157

First Choice Pediatrics Jeanne Schaefer MD 523 S. Santa Fe Ave., Suite B Edmond, OK firstchoicepeds.com 405-509-6777 Funky Monkey 14101 N. May Ave., Suite 113 Oklahoma City, OK 73134 www.shopfunkymonkeyclothes.com 405-748-7066

Gaylord Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum 1400 N. Classen Dr. Oklahoma City, OK 73106 www.oklahomaheritage.com 405-523-3208 Girl Scouts - Western Oklahoma 121 N.E 50th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73105 www.gswestok.org 405-528-3535

I Can Martial Arts of OKC 785 W. Covell Rd., Suite 100 Edmond, OK 73003 www.icanma.com 405-371-3256 Injectable Aesthetics Andrea Miller, MD 307 E. Danforth Rd., Suite 148 Edmond, OK 73034 andreamillermd@sbcglobal.net 405-285-0625

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3224 S. Broadway, Suite 142 Edmond, OK 73013 405-752-5300

Ladybugs and Lizards 1389 E. 15th Street Edmond, OK 73013 www.ladybugslizards.com 405-348-2121

3700 W. Robinson, Suite 164 Norman, OK 74133 405-329-0939 www.jspencerjewelry.com

LeBe Come Party with Me! ab073082@aol.com www.lebeparties.com 405-922-5793

J Spencer Jewelry & Gifts (2 locations)

Kamdyn’s Kloset 124 W. Oklahoma Ave. Guthrie, OK 73044 405-293-9718 Keedo Clothing LLC - Northpark Mall 12082 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 www.keedoclothes.com 405-607-0887 Keystone Adventure School and Farm 19201 N. Western Ave. Edmond, OK 73012 keystoneadventureschool.com 405-216-5400 Kimberly Stephens Photography 2400 S. Douglas Blvd., Suite A Midwest City, OK 73130 www.kimberlystephensphoto.com 405-610-2035 Kim Massay Dance Studio 610 S. Kelly, Suite F Edmond, OK 73003 www.kimmassaydance.com 405-990-1401 Kindermusik -OCU Performing Arts Academy 2501 N. Blackwelder Oklahoma City, OK 73106 www.okcu.edu 405-208-5410 Kokopelli 12100-B N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 405-748-5200

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Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 500 N. Broadway, Suite 250 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 www.leukemia-lymphoma.org 405-943-8888 Liceology-Oklahoma’s (not so) Dirty Little Secret 912 NW 16th St. Oklahoma City, OK www.liceology.com 405-831- 5865 Lil’ Dudes and Divas 1448 S. Bryant Ave. Edmond, OK 73034 lildudesanddivas@gmail.com 405-330-8500 Lime Leopard 12204 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 405-755-3456 Lindsey Brooks Photography 5002 E. Highway 37 Tuttle, OK 73089 www.lindseybrooksphotography.com 405-381-3338 Lushberries 3217 S. Broadway, Suite A Edmond, OK 73013 Lushberries@gmail.com 405-715-1888

Marissa’s Room 322 W. Lake Rd. Guthrie, OK 73044 www.marissasroom.com 405-640-5796

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Maggie Moo’s 200 12th Avenue SE Suite 100 Norman, OK 73071 www.maggiemoos.com 405-701-1868 Marlo Miller Orthodontics 816 S. Mustang Rd. Yukon, OK 73099 405-577-6453 Melissa’s Sweet Treats 1200 12th Ave. SE, Suite 100 Norman, OK 73069 By Appointment 405-760-7572 www.melissasweettreats.com MetroShoe Warehouse (2 locations)

2240 W. Memorial Rd. Oklahoma City, OK 73134 405-302-5150 1732 24th Ave., Suite C107 Norman, OK 73069 405.321.6544 www.metroshoewarehouse.com Michael’s Fine Florist 7654 N. Western Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73116 405-840-9301 Midwest City Regional Medical Center 2825 Parklawn Dr. Midwest City, OK 73110 www.midwestregional.com 405-610-8589 Miracle Within Ultrasound LLC 3209 S. Broadway, Suite 211 Edmond, OK 73013 miraclewithinultrasound.com 405-715-3387

Naifeh Fine Jewelry 9203 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 www.naifehfinejewelry.com 405-607-4323

Nikkollette’s Cafe Raspberries N’ Creme 2925 Lakeside Circle Oklahoma City, OK 73120 405-755-3560 Norman Regional Healthplex 3400 W. Tecumseh Rd. Norman, OK 73072-1810 normanregional.com (405) 307-6966 Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org

Occasions Paper 2001 W. Main St. Norman, OK 73069-6466 www.occasionspaper.com 405-217-8467 Oklahoma Childproofers LLC 4430 NW 50th St., Suite H Oklahoma City, OK 73112 www.oklahomachildproofers.com 405-625-6670 Oklahoma City University 2708 N. McKinley Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73012 www.okcu.edu 405-815-4053 OU Medical Center - Children’s Hospital 1200 Everett Dr. Oklahoma City, OK 73104 www.oumedicine.com 405-271-7900

Paint Your Art Out 100 N. Broadway, Suite 160 Edmond, OK 73034 www.paintyourartout.org 405-513-5333 Pickles & Ice Cream - Maternity Apparel 1450 S. Bryant Avenue Edmond, OK 73034 www.picklesandicecream.com 405-348-5800

Renaissance Women’s Hospital 238 N. Midwest Blvd. Midwest City, OK 73110 405-741-5000

Sara’s Photo Creations LLC P.O. Box 79 Norman, OK 73070 www.sarasphotocreations.com 405-208-3405 Schardein & Co. Salon 9401 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 www.schardeinandco.com 405-752-5353 Shannon Ho Photography 1202 Westlawn Dr. Norman, OK 73069 www.shannonho.com 405-573-6000 Shelly Perkins Photography P.O. Box 45760 Tinker AFB, OK 73145 www.perkphotography.com 405-229-2671 Star Gymnastics 418 Enterprise Edmond, OK 73013 405-340-STAR

The Changing Table, Inc. www.thechangingtableok.com 405-210-8498 The Paper Lion 3218 S. Boulevard St. Edmond, OK 73013 405-348-0952 Tina Morehart D.D.S Midtown Plaza 500 N. Walker, Suite 500 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 405-208-8844 Toy & Action Figure Museum P.O. Box 314 Pauls Valley, OK 73075 actionfiguremuseum.com 405-238-6300

Uptown Kids 5840 N. Classen Blvd.,Suite 3 Oklahoma City, OK 73013 405-834-7182 USA Baby Child Space 10908-A N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73120 www.usababyokc.com 405-418-4373

Storkland & Kids Too 6917 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73116 www.storkland.com 405-767-1234

Women’s Health Care Associates 3366 NW Expressway, Suite 600 Oklahoma City, OK 73112 www.whcaokc.com 405-942-5593

Storkvision Ultrasound OKC 13923 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73134 www.storkvision.com 405-286-2229

Yard Dawgz www.okcyarddawgz.com 405-229-3394

Sugar Cakes 230 W. Gray St. Norman, OK 73069 oksugar.com www.405-701-3598

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