Real Health Chiropractic Clinic will host its first Community Baby Shower for mothers, pregnant women, their partners, children and grandparents from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22.
The free event will include discussions with five area providers who specialize in maternal and/or pediatric care. Besides Real Health, others will be Oasis Lactation Services, Release and Breathe Dentistry, Mama Earth, a pediatric occupational therapist and Kathy Matthews, a specialist in early childhood family education.
“Many pregnant moms and moms of newborns really struggle to find community and care,” says ShaRhae Matousek, chiropractor and organizer of the event that will be held at 8901 Aztec Drive, Eden Prairie. “They often have trouble finding help for things like lactation issues, pain from body and life changes, and in some cases, post-partum depression. This is why we’re bringing together local providers and businesses — we felt there was a need to create a gathering place.”
Attendees are encouraged to bring questions or concerns about issues such as pregnancy, colic, nursing, tongue ties, baby sleep problems, torticollis, public dystocia or weighted feeding. A nursing station will be available.
In addition to the providers, other local businesses are contributing shower gifts that can be won through a free raffle. CertaPro Painters is donating a paint job for a nursery. The Good Organizer is donating a lactation station and 50 people will receive gift bags that include feeding supplies, laundry samples, nipple cream and electrolyte packets.
Parents are welcome to bring children to the event. A bouncy house will be available unless it is raining, although the event will be held rain or shine. “We’ll just move everything indoors,” Matousek says.
Although this is the first time Real Health Chiropractic Clinic has created an event of this size, it’s not its only attempt to create a community for prospective and new mothers. They offer a free lactation group that meets monthly. “We call it ‘Milk and Cookies,’” Matousek says with a lighthearted laugh. “You bring the milk, and we provide the cookies.”
The clinic also offers other in-office events and webinars. These are free and take place either in person or on Zoom. Topics have included “Raising Healthy Kids,” “What to Do About Tethered Oral Tissues (lip and tongue ties),” “How to Make Magnesium Lotion to Help Relax Muscles,” “Balancing Your Hormones” and “The Perfect Storm: Workshops for Parents of Children with ADHD.”
At Christmas, the clinic offered a “sensory Santa” event for kids with sensory issues like autism, sensory processing disorder or anxiety. “We created a safe place for them to meet Santa and get their picture taken,” Matousek says. The clinic tries to hold two events every month. Those interested in future events may sign up on Real Health Chiropractic Clinic’s Instagram or Facebook pages.
Matousek is celebrating her 25th year in chiropractic practice in Eden Prairie. “We love Eden Prairie,” she says. “It’s been a great place to practice and to raise our three children. And we enjoy giving back to the community and taking care of this patient population.”
She notes that after 25 years in practice, “we have a huge referral network and will refer all over the Twin Cities. This includes general practitioners, orthopedists and hospital services.”
Matousek notes that her practice and the related providers often see whole families, including partners, spouses and children. Some of their current patients started with the practice when their parents brought them in as infants in baby carriers. “We’ve been able to treat the full lifecycle,” she notes.
Although this is Real Health Chiropractic Clinic’s first Community Baby Shower, she hopes it won’t be the last. “We’d like to see this grow as an event, year after year,” she says.
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