• Public funding for In Vitro Fertilization is Efficient
    family - Health - infertility

    Taryn and Tyler’s Infertility Story – #abhc4ivf

    May 1, 2014 - By 

    This is the story of Taryn and Tyler, both members of Generations of Hope infertility patient advocacy group, in Alberta. It is the story of how a girl Taryn, learned at the age of 14 that she didn’t have a uterus and would need extraordinary measures to help her become a parent, if ever she wished to have a family. There are too many stories of patients in Alberta with health conditions that have led to infertility. And yet this province remains one without any financial support for in vitro fertilization, which is one of the most effective but costly…

  • Health

    I Ran 1.5 K For the First Time #health #fitness

    April 30, 2014 - By 

    I ran 1.5 K for the first time. Oh sure I know many of you can run a lot farther than that and faster too probably. But of all the sports I enjoy running is NOT ONE OF THEM. AT all. I enjoy fitness and pilates and centergy and yoga but I do not run. In fact, I would almost run to get out of this particular sport. shutterstock photo Last night I ran 1.5 K. I am not a runner. In fact I mostly hate running. Ask me when the last time was that I ran anywhere (save for…

  • Health - infertility - Parenting

    Infertility Community Reacts to IVF Funding Announcement for Ontario #ivf4ON #onpoli

    April 13, 2014 - By 

    Ontario’s infertility community reacted with many emotions this week to news that IVF will soon be funded. That’s long awaited for many who took two or three jobs and sometimes used credit cards and second mortgages to be able to pay for health care treatment needed to get the health care treatment prescribed. Last Thursday, Ontario’s Minister of Health and Longterm Care Deb Matthews announced that public funding would be made available for in vitro fertilization. IVF funding is part of the draft budget officially. The funding will take place starting in 2015. An advisory committee or board will be…

  • Health - infertility

    The Many Faces of Infertility #Abhc4ivf #abpoli

    April 9, 2014 - By 

    What does infertility look like? You might be surprised. Very often someone you know has already been struggling with infertility. Many times there are underlying medical issues that contribute to infertility. You might be surprised to know that in all likelihood someone on your street has intimate experience with struggling to conceive. One in 6 people struggle with infertility. Take a moment to think about that. What does infertility look like? Sometimes it’s a couple who may never know the cause of their infertility. Sometimes infertility is a young married person like Danielle who learns at 25 they cannot conceive…

  • adoption and tweens - Health

    How I Started and Continue the Period Talk With My Daughter

    April 4, 2014 - By 

    How we tackle tough topics in my family is something I often talk about here. Period talk is no different. It’s just part of being a parent. Periods are as natural as showering, eating and sleeping here. So why shy away from period talk? Starting and continuing the period conversation is an important part of parenting and a vital part of development for young girls too.     This post is part of the YummyMummyClub.ca and Always Tampax sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by…

  • overcoming_adversity
    Health

    Kevin and Amber’s Infertility Story – Overcoming Adversity

    March 17, 2014 - By 

    I have spent a lot of days this past year getting to know people impacted by infertility. Their stories are all unique, each an impossible combination of heart-wrenching, uplifting, and heart-breaking. Every infertility story, each couple’s life narrative has some common threads.   One Alberta Couple’s Infertility Story The starting chapters are filled with love, suddenly interrupted by sadness, grief, sometimes health care drama, then infertility tangled up with financial stress. For some, like Kevin and Amber, the clouds will part with help, the obstacles shrink just enough to give way to a happy ending. Images of Hope Last week…

  • Health - special needs

    Ten Ways to Help a Child with FASD

    March 11, 2014 - By 

    For the first five years of my daughter Ainsley’s life we spent countless resources trying to figure out ways to help manage her disability. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is incredibly tricky to diagnose, and then to manage on an average day. FASD is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, an invisible brain injury brought on my prenatal alcohol exposure.   In Ontario we are likely 15 years behind the autism movement and advocacy effort. I have been told this by many experts in the education and health care fields. So, in the province where I live we have very limited resources right now.…

  • Health - infertility - Technology

    Five Free Infertility and Fertility Apps

    March 5, 2014 - By 

    Fertility apps and infertility apps are a great way to track ovulation and reproductive health. Here are five free fertility apps that will help at any stage of your fertility or infertility journey. When you are struggling with infertility or trying to conceive you need a huge toolkit of resources just to get through the journey. Knowledge is power, right? Luckily power and knowledge in the age of Google are right at your finger tips.    Lately numerous press releases regarding the latest and greatest fertility and infertility apps have been flooding my inbox here at thrifty momma’s tips, so I…

  • Health

    Hey Mom, What’s a Bong? Answering Kid’s Drug Questions

    March 4, 2014 - By 

    Kids really do say the darndest things. Usually when I am driving. It’s a minor miracle I don’t crash the minivan with their constant random Nattering questions and hijinks. I’ve heard Mom, did birth mom have any other kids? And can I meet her now? Like tonight? Also random statements like: We aren’t biologically related, right? Then there’s always: Do you miss Grandma? Does Daddy miss his Mom? Do you know why the sky is blue? Did you ever smoke? Did Daddy smoke? Here’s me driving along thinking, ‘Hey what’s for dinner? What did I thaw? Did I forget to…

  • Health

    The Protective Factor of Diagnosis and Three Ways to Help a Person with FASD Now

    February 28, 2014 - By 

    When it comes to children and any form of disability early diagnosis and intervention is often key to success. Why is that? Because having a way to frame a child’s behaviour can make all the difference in the world to how you approach that child as a parent, as a therapist, a doctor, or a school. If you try to teach a fish to walk you end up frustrated, but worse than that you end up making the fish feel stupid. Proper diagnosis of FASD is critical to success. So why do we have such difficulty diagnosing and treating children and…