This Saturday (tonight!), local band, Rural Roots will be performing at our fundraiser for Mount Sinai's Preninatal Parents' Association.  Honestly, without Mount Sinai Hospital, Little One would not be here today.  Without our "second family", the NICU parents and staff, I would not have survived life those first 72 days of Little One's life in the hospital.

At our home, we love science experiments!  I'm not talking about making penicillin/growing mold by leaving food in the fridge for too long (although I'm embarrassed to say that may or may not have happened in this house before)!  I'm talking about learning about why things are the way they are or how to create or manipulate matter. We love hands on experiments!

Kids learn by doing, so why not make it fun?!

One of my friends teaches in public school and she has got to be one of the coolest teachers around! I'd LOVE to be a student in her class. She always has lots of fun experiments to do with kids. When we have play dates with our kids, we always have fun projects for our 3, 4, and 5 year olds to do. For example, making our own polymer (aka: Goop!), making stained-glass with wax paper and melted crayons, and baking gluten-free cookies.

Recently, we grew our own crystals!

How cool is that?

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• string
• wide mouth pint jar 
•  pipe cleaners (we used sparkly, shiny ones)
• Borax 
• pencil, stick or BBQ skewer
• boiling water
• scissors

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To make borax crystal snowflakes we need to first make the snowflake shapes with the pipe cleaners. Cut a pipe cleaner into three equal sections. You need to then twist the sections together at their centers, forming a six-sided snowflake shape. It doesn't have to be even because you can cut and trim the sides. Because our kids are so young, my friend and I did this step for them. Make sure the snowflake can fit inside the jar.
2. Next, tie the string to the end of one of the snowflake 'arms'. Then, tie the other end of the string to the pencil, stick, skewer. Make sure the length is so that the pencil hangs the snowflake into the jar. Not touching the bottom of the jar, but enough that the snowflake is fully immersed in the solution.
3. ADULTS, this is where you need to come in. Fill the wide mouth pint jar with boiling water. 
4. Now, add  one tablespoon of  borax at a time to the boiling water. Stir to dissolve after each addition of borax. The quantity: 3 tablespoons of borax per cup of water. 
5. Hang the pipe cleaner snowflake in the jar. Rest the pencil, stick, or BBQ skewer on top of the jar.  Make sure the snowflake is completely covered with liquid solution. Ensure that it hangs freely and doesn't touch the bottom or sides of the jar. If doing more than one experiment at a time, make sure none of the snowflakes are touching.
6. Let sit undisturbed overnight.
7. Presto! As my four year old will tell you, "It's like magic, but it's science!" You can now admire all the pretty crystals and hang your snowflake as a decoration or in a window to catch the sunlight. We're using ours as Christmas tree ornaments!

Looks like some kind of wacky science experiment, doesn't it? The water turned pink because of the purple pipe cleaners. We used some sparkly silver, blue, and purple pipe cleaners just to see what the effect would be. You can use regular pipe cleaners, but the sparkly ones really do add to effect and make the crystals look even more brilliant!

Important Notes

1. Borax is available at most grocery stores in the laundry detergent aisle. The one that is readily available in our local grocery stores is the 20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Booster.
2. Parents and adults required to not only supervise, but assist with this experiment. Boiling water is used and Borax is not meant to be eaten. Please make sure that there is an adult to supervise!
3. If you don't have Borax, you can also use sugar or salt. It may take longer to grow the crystals without the Borax, so be patient. Add sugar or salt to the boiling water until it stops dissolving. Ideally you want no crystals at the bottom of the jar.

These are so beautiful! My four year old was AMAZED to see the crystals form right before her eyes! We left the solution and the pipe cleaners overnight and within a short time we saw crystallization begin. By morning, the crystals were bigger and fuller. Truly amazing!  

The crystal snowflakes and stars make gorgeous decorations for the holidays! Try it! I'm sure your kids will love doing this fun "science experiment".

Nobody likes an icy and slippery driveway, walkway, pavement or set of steps in the Winter.  I remember a few years ago, when Little One was a newborn, Hubby was walking from the van to the house and slipped on a patch of ice. Everything happened in slow motion right before my eyes. I saw Hubby's feet go out from right under him (his feet did that super fast shuffle that you only see cartoon characters do on TV when they slip on a banana peel). I saw Little One's car seat carrier fly up in the air and out of Hubby's arms and land on the ice, overturned.

Of course, instead of asking if Hubby was okay, I instinctively yelled, "OH, MY GOSH! THE BABY!!! IS THE BABY OKAY?!?!?!"

To be honest, the baby was the only thing I was worried about. Sure, Hubby had a hard fall and injured himself, and I think I may have startled the baby more than anything else.

In all fairness, Hubby wasn't the only one who slipped on ice while carrying the baby. Two winters ago, I was trying to get from the van to the house while clutching onto the baby, my purse, my diaper bag, and two grocery bags. You know, doing the "crazy mama juggle". It was so icy, that I slipped and landed on my behind! I held Little One tightly and dropped everything else. I ended up with a sprained ankle and a bruised ego (okay, and a bruised bum too).

After those incidents, I made sure we always de-iced our walkway.

Now, the problem with road salt is it gets in between our dog's paws and hurts him. It's also messy, not good for the environment, plants, animals, etc. Plus, it always seems to get dragged into the house with everyone's boots (or when the dog comes in)! I can't stand the damage salt does to everything. For example: the salt used to melt the ice in the Winter always ruins my boots, shoes, the bottom of my pants, and it gets all over my van! I can't stand that white salt stain. It's so impossible to get out!

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out a new and innovative product called EcoTraction.

What is EcoTraction?

It's the smarter alternative to road salt. Made from naturally-occurring volcanic mineral, EcoTraction is eco-friendly, kid-friendly, and pet-friendly.

Simply sprinkle EcoTraction on ice and snow for instant traction and grip! This is also perfect to give to my Mother-in-law and my parents.  I worry about them in the Winter with slipping and falling. Serious damage can be done.

We only had one day recently when it snowed and we had a bit of ice. It didn't last too long, but I made sure to bust out the EcoTraction to see how it would fare. It did a great job, but I am (don't be mad at me!) looking forward to the next snow/ice so I can try EcoTraction out a bit more!

The fact that EcoTraction granules can be swept into the lawn and garden in the Spring after the snow melts and be able to help our lawn grow and thrive is a a big selling point for me. That and the fact that it's safe for our child and pets to be around!

There's an interesting tidbit about EcoTraction that I'd like to share with  you. I am a die hard Dragons' Den fan, so this bit of trivia is of particular interest to me. When EcoTraction founder, Mark Watson's dog died from licking harmful road salts, he developed an all-natural, eco-friendly substance (since there was a lack of options for alternatives). When he presented the product to Dragons' Den for investment, all five dragons went in on the deal! How cool is that? Can I tell you  how much I love Brett Wilson? LOVE!


For other EcoTraction videos, check out them out on YouTube. You can also connect with EcoTraction Twitter and on Facebook.

Exciting Announcement!
Did you know that EcoTraction is a PTPA Award Winner? It's been Parent Tested, Parent Approved and has earned the PTPA Seal of Approval! Knowing that parents like myself have tested and approved and that PTPA endorses this product gives me confidence in this product.

Where to Buy:
You can purchase EcoTraction at Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Shoppers Drug Mart, Home Hardware, and other retailers. To find a retailer near you, visit store locations/retailers here.

WIN IT!
Would  you like to try EcoTraction yourself? One lucky Life on Manitoulin reader will win an EcoTraction Prize Pack that contains:

• 1 jug of EcoCompo MSRP $14.95
• 1 jug of EcoTraction MSRP $11.95
• 2 boxes of EcoAirO MSRP $ 7.95/each

My brother is so awesome. Ummm...and, he may kill me when he sees this. Just kidding! He's a really good sport!

Link up your Wordless Wednesday posts!

My little four year old was in bed and listening to this song this morning:



We spent some of the morning doing something we don't normally do. Instead of jumping out of bed, quickly getting ready and rushing out the door (yes, even on the weekend!), we cuddled in bed and listened to some of her favourite songs.

It was a beautiful moment. It reminded me of how life is filled with so many beautiful moments. We just need to slow down sometimes in order to really enjoy them.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far
Behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow.
Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

For as long as I can remember, board games have been a part of my family's "Family Time". With busy schedules, having some family time is really important. Board games foster family togetherness and it's fun having a few laughs and just spending time together. Now that I have a family of my own, we're trying to introduce board games, puzzles, and family games nights to our Little One. We love silly and fun games, as well as games that really make us think and do some problem solving! Outset Media has games that have piqued my curiosity.
Canadian Trivia Family Edition - I love trivia games, and I love the idea of families being able to test their knowledge of Canada.
What Bird Am I? Yeah, yeah! I know you probably think I'm a big geek! We live on an island where we see hundreds of different species of birds indigenous to our area. I often find myself marvelling at all the different birds on the Island. Little One, at only four years of age is also interested in the birds of Manitoulin Island. For this reason, What Bird Am I? is of particular interest to our family. We can test our species identification skills with this game!

 Here's a video of Outset Media interacting with people on the street and asking trivia questions! How fun is
that?
 
  A little bit about Outset Media: Outset Media is a Canadian company that has been operating out of Victoria, BC since 1996. As David Manga, President of Outset Media says in Manga's Message, "In an era where people are spending more time “socializing” with a computer screen, REAL social interaction is becoming more important." Games developed and manufactured by Outset Media create lasting memories and are built to last.

 With the Holidays just weeks away, finding the perfect gift can be a challenge sometimes. Good news! You can win a $250 Prize Pack from Outset Media!
To enter this giveaway, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents. Entries will be accepted until 12:00 midnight EST, Dec. 2, 2012.

 Thank you to Kidsumers for organizing this giveaway!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

With just over a month to go until Christmas I am very pleased to be able to announce the Merry Hasbro Christmas Giveaway!! I've teamed up with Sober Julie , Mommy Matter, and This Lil Piglet to bring you an amazing prize pack any child would love to find under their Christmas tree. Thanks to Hasbro we had the opportunity to hand select a prize pack of fabulous gifts worth over $215 which we just know you're going to be excited about.

FURREAL FRIENDS BABY BUTTERSCOTCH MY MAGICAL SHOW PONY

Includes: BABY BUTTERSCOTCH toy pony, brush, carrot and instructions. What child doesn't want a pony? Well you can fulfill that dream with beautiful Butterscotch! Baby Butterscotch pony is a lovely pony who responds to touch and makes little sounds to let your child know how happy she is. Butterscotch has special sensors on the sides of her head, her muzzle and on her body which stimulate her to respond. She will nuzzle into your child and move her head in their direction when they touch the sensors. She also moves her ears, and when your child speak to her she’ll respond with little pony sounds. Butterscotch comes with her own brush so your child can help her prepare for the next big pony show. She loves her special carrot and will make real munching sounds when you place it in her mouth. Her legs are poseable and bend in such a way that lets her lie down by your child's side. Your BABY BUTTERSCOTCH pony will snore gently as she falls asleep near you after a busy day of grooming and playing.  

BEYBLADE METAL FURY DESTROYER DOME

Includes: 2 five-piece tops, 2 DOME SPIN TRACKS, 2 RIPCORD LAUNCHERS, 2 assembly tools, 2 collector cards and instructions. One of the hottest toys for Christmas 2012, the Destroyer Dome brings Beyblade battles to a whole new level! The arena is closed and the Beyblade tops zip up the sides for gravity-defying combat! Your child will love pitting the two included tops against one another, this is a wonderful gift to play with friends or siblings!  

TWISTER DANCE

Get the whole family ready for this fun, active game. Twister dance combines the epic game TWISTER polka dotted mat with the latest dance music. The TWISTER dance console has coloured lights which indicate where to place your feet on the mat, before you know it you'll be busting a move! Dances can be performed at 3 levels, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Song choices include:

• Till the World Ends," TWISTER REMIX, performed by Britney Spears.
• "Whip My Hair," performed by Willow Smith.
• "We R Who We R," performed by Ke$ha.
• "Cupid Shuffle," performed by Cupid.
• And an exclusive track, "Caught Up in a Twister."

ENTER TO WIN!

Rafflecopter code link: in case it doesn't work: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/preview/44/ Rafflecopter Code a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let me first say that I am really excited to be included in this.  For as long as I can remember, P&G has been a part of my family's every day life. It wasn't until I attended the #PGmom event that I realized just how many P&G products we have in our own household!

We've used everything from Pampers, Febreeze, Tampax, Always, Tide, Charmin, Head & Shoulders, Duracell, Gillette, Olay, CoverGirl, Crest, and a whole slew of other products that belong to the P&G family.


Seeing this Pampers video made me think of my Little One and how Pampers were used on her in the NICU at Mount Sinai Hospital. Pampers has preemie diapers! Thank you, Pampers for having diapers to fit even the tiniest babies!

One of the things I loved about the event was that we got to learn more about the history behind the company and we also had the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns if we had any.  As moms, we want nothing but the best and the safest for our families.  The few questions I had (which were asked by other moms who had the same questions) were answered.  Questions about ingredients, testing, and about the gel-like substance when a Pampers diaper gets saturated were all answered.
I was also surprised to discover that P&G celebrates their 175th birthday this year! Since 1837, P&G brands have helped make everyday life a little better.

We also learned of the extent of research and testing that goes into making products available to consumers. It takes years of research before products are able to hit the market and be placed on store shelves.

I was interested in:

• Environmental Sustainability
• Social Responsibility
• Product Safety

We also got to meet Christine Sinclair from the Canadian Women's Soccer Team.
One of the things I struggle immensely with is finding BALANCE. I have a hard time juggling being a mom, working from home, taking care of my family, taking care of the house, helping my husband on the farm, and taking on a whole slew of other responsibilities...yet I do it all.  I do it all with a big smile on my face (and a few meltdowns behind closed doors).

Well, Caird Urquhart spoke to us about seeking HARMONY instead of balance. Au lieu of finding balance between every aspect of our lives, we should try to find happiness with where we are right now.

This means:

• Following our intuition
• Choosing our "A-Team" - SO important to have a support network to HELP us and not discourage us
• Defining your values and stand by them
• Accepting where you are in life and just be yourself
• Embracing the evolution of life

We also learned about oral health care for children. I love the "Attack from behind" method. I never had to use this on my own daughter, as she is obsessed with brushing and flossing her teeth! I can see how this method would be great for parents who do need to brush their kids' teeth for them. Incidentally, Little One does brush her own teeth, but I do help her after she's done. I tell her "Your turn. Mommy's turn. Your turn. Mommy's turn" and I get the hard to reach spots like the upper and lower back teeth and molars.

It's true that once you go electric (toothbrush), you won't go back to the old fashioned manual kind! We've got the Oral-B® ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide™ Electric Toothbrush and LOVE it! My teeth and mouth feel so much cleaner and I know it has reduced plaque build-up tenfold. Wow. That makes it sound like I have lots of plaque. I'm just saying that it does a tremendous job cleaning my teeth and after using it for about a month, I can see and feel the difference.
I also got to hang out with some of my favourite ladies.  Here's Mom vs. the Boys taking a photo of me taking a photo of her.

P&G even takes care of the canine members of our family! You can sign up for Iams Lifelong Rewards to receive exclusive offers and coupons. For every sign up, Iams will make a food donation to your shelter.
Apart from the make-up and hair products, this was my next favourite section! Healthy teeth are important!
 A beautiful basket filled with goodies from P&G awaited me in my hotel bathroom.

I have to say (and I almost feel guilty about saying this), that was THE BEST sleep I had in ages. An entire bed to myself, extra fluffy pillows, and no waking up every few hours because someone has had nightmares or leg cramps. My one night of good sleep and it was so worth it. Thank you so much, Four Seasons and P&G!

 I am pleased to say that the nail polish from the manicure I had at the event has not chipped yet! We have a farm and I do 99.999999% of the household chores in our home. The fact that the polish is still on my nails is a testament to how great the quality is.
No make-up and just-out-of-the-shower hair. Please excuse the following photo, but this is me trying out the Crest White Strips. I pay a lot of money to get my teeth professionally whitened. Yes, it's true. At the P&G event, we were asked if we wanted to test the Crest strips and see the difference and the ease of use for ourselves. I really wanted to try it out right there and then, but rather shyly asked if I could try it out in the privacy of my own home.

Why? Let me tell you that I have horrible gag reflex. I simply cannot have anything in my mouth or near my eyes (tough putting mascara or contacts!). Everything makes me yack. I'm not kidding.
My experience with the Crest White Strips? They go on really easily and they stay in place really well. They are super easy to apply. I was doing great until minutes after I put them on. The gag reflex kicked in. This has absolutely nothing to do with the product itself. It's all me. Me and my crazy "I can't have anything in my mouth or I'll gag" reflex. Embarrassing. THIS is why I wanted to try them on my own and not in front of my fellow bloggers!

The result? I left the strips in for the allotted time and I kid you not, you can see results even after the first use! I was amazed. Sorry, professional teeth whitening place! I'm going to have to say buh-bye! Hello to my new best friend (but only in the comfort of my own bathroom)!

Thank you to P&G for including me in such a great event! I am looking forward to working with you more and am excited about all the exciting things to come!

Disclosure- I am a #PGmom. Although I am affiliated with P&G, all the thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

Imagine what is supposed to be the most exciting time of your life turning into a time of uncertainty and constant worry...and even the scariest time of your life.  That's what having a preemie is like.  Spending each day not knowing if your baby will survive is a reality for many parents of preemies.

Little One was born at 28 weeks and was 980 g at birth. That's just over 2 lbs of butter!

While most women who have had non-high risk/'term' pregnancies get to hold their babies as soon as they're born, moms of preemies sometimes can't even hold their babies for days (even weeks) after they're born. I was able to put my finger in Little One's hand, but that was it.

Not being able to hold her or nurse her right away was devastating.  We just wanted to make sure she was taken care of though, so understanding the limited contact was something that was a reality for us.

Feedings, bathing, diaper changing are all regulated when your baby is in the NICU.  For the most part, the babies are sleeping and are to remain left to rest (babies spend the last few weeks of life in the womb growing, but since preemies are out of the womb earlier than supposed to be, they have to do their growing outside of the womb and in their isolettes). Babies grow in their sleep, so in the NICU, our nurses reminded parents to not interrupt baby's sleep.

In the beginning, Little One could only be handled through the windows in her isolette (incubator). In the beginning, it was limited contact still. As she grew bigger and stronger, we were able to open up the door to her isolette and change her diaper or even take her out briefly and hold her.

Feeding for Little One was through NG-tube (nasal gastric tube). Because babies born so soon have not yet mastered the "suck, swallow, breathe" process yet, they have to be fed via NG-tube. I was adamant that I would breastfeed my baby, and was encouraged by the team to pump every few hours. I pumped religiously and froze and stored my breast milk for the nurses to use for Little One. As the lactation consultant always told us, breast milk is "Liquid Gold" and so important, especially for preemies (with all the passive immunity and other things to help baby grow strong and healthy). This said, in the beginning, Little One had a combo of breast milk and a formula specially tailored for her needs. The 'cocktail' contained vitamins and other things that would keep her healthy and help her put on weight faster. If you think of it, there is nothing to 980 grams! That's just a little over 2 lbs, 3 oz!

The incubator/isolette sort of acts like mama's womb, where baby grows inside. This is why parents are encouraged to only handle baby in their wakeful hours. Babies, preemies especially, need their sleep to grow! Our primary nurse always put a blanket over the isolette during sleep time to block the light and keep things dark for Little One.

Little One also had numerous leads attached to her to measure heart rate, blood pressure, etc. All of these leads are hooked up and the stats are visible on baby's monitor.  This is to ensure that stats are stable.  I was told by the parents whose preemie was 'neighbours' to Little One that we need to not focus on the monitor all the time. It can really drive a parent crazy and cause a lot of stress when  you see numbers swaying or doing crazy things.  Little One was notorious for making her numbers go out of whack (most of the time because she would remove her leads)! She was a pro at setting off alarms and whistles and making the nurses and RTs run over to her isolette!

Spending my days and evenings in the NICU became my new sense of 'normal'. I would get up at 5am, take the bus and subway to the hospital, make sure I was there in time for 'rounds' so I could chat with the doctors and the medical team and hear about Little One's progress (or setbacks), go to the pumping room, pump, eat breakfast, spend the day beside Little One's isolette, read to her, sing to her, talk to her, pump, have lunch, change her diaper, and when she got stronger, I was able to do 'kangaroo care' with her and just hold her! Later on I was able to nurse her. I really valued those special bonding times with her.

Leaving the NICU at night was always hard for me. Having to take the subway and bus at night and leave my baby at the hospital seemed so unjust to me. Plus, I always worried that something might happen while I was away from the NICU.  I used to call the NICU a few times a night to check in on Little One. Her primary nurses were so amazing and the nurses on duty were fabulous too. They'd give me the updates on Little One regardless of whether I was calling in at 11pm or at 2am. Yes, I actually used to call them during those hours just to have some reassurance.

It was a long 72 days and certainly not without its ups and downs. I won't lie when I say it was the scariest time of my life.

A very big and heartfelt thanks goes out to Mount Sinai Hospital, the doctors, nurses, primary nurses, RT, NICU staff, Marianne Bracht, Tammy the lactation consultant, the Linden Fund, the Perinatal Parents, and all of our NICU family. I say family, because that is what they were to us. Thank you so much! We are forever indebted to all of you for the support you have given us.

Some things you can do to offer support to parents of preemies:

• It may sound trivial, but the little things really do help.  Things like bringing over a freezer meal for the family is really helpful. Parents of preemies have so much on their minds when their babies are in the NICU, that feeding themselves isn't always high on their list of priorities. It's a stressful and busy time commuting to and from the  hospital everyday.  Wholesome freezer meals do come in handy, especially if NICU parents have other children at home.
• Family and friends working as a team and even helping take care of the other children in the house (if the NICU parents have kids at home). 
• Visit the family in the hospital or meet for lunch.  Though visitation is limited due to wanting to limit the exposure to illnesses for the babies in the NICU, a friendly face can make a preemie parent's day a great one sometimes. On the other hand, sometimes if things are too overwhelming (depending on what's going on), visits aren't always the greatest. Just offering to be there in case the parents need you and letting them know that you're there is good. A lunch date is a great way to break up all those long hours spent in the NICU.
• Offering support in the form of 'being there' for the family is welcomed, and offering support in the form of donation to the the hospital is as well. Friends of ours have been donating monthly to Mount Sinai Hospital since the birth of Little One. We donate monthly as well.
• A friend and I have organized a benefit concert where all proceeds will be going to the Perinatal Parents Association at Mount Sinai Hospital.  I certainly would not have survived Little One's first 72 days of life without their help and support. I am forever indebted and putting on this event is just a little way of saying thank you and giving back.  I really want to do for others what was done for me. As a parent of a NICU baby, I know what it's like to have a baby in the NICU. Knowing I had the support of the Perinatal Parents Association really did help me in those scary first few days, weeks, and months.

It has only been recently (as in the past year or two) that I have met many other preemie mamas and I always find it surprising to discover just how many moms have had similar experiences with having a preemie and having to spend days, weeks, and months in the NICU.  This guest post was written by fellow preemie mama, Liz from Frugal Mom Eh!



November is international Prematurity Awareness month which is dedicated to raising funds and awareness for and about premature birth.


Did you know that over 13 million babies are born prematurely worldwide each year? Prematurity is the number one killer of newborn babies and very often those preemies who do survive suffer long term health effects. So how can you help? Here are some ideas!


1. If you are a preemie Mom or Dad, share your story online through blogging or on a pregnancy related forum.

2. Let Family and Friends know about International Prematurity Awareness Month.

3. Donate preemie sized clothing to your local NICU.

4. Donate baby blankets you are finished with to your local NICU.

5. Knit hats and mittens in preemie sizes and donate to the NICU.

6. Organise a “Home for Dinner” event through The Ronald McDonald House. (This is where a group of people can volunteer to spend an evening cooking for the families staying at The Ronald McDonald House.) 

7. For nursing mothers, Donate Breastmilk. Alberta is home to the Calgary Mother’s Milk Bank, the very first Breastmilk Bank in Canada. Your local NICU may also accept breastmilk.

8. Donate Blood to the Red Cross.

9. Donate Funds to The Ronald McDonald House or The Calgary Mother’s Milk Bank.

10. Donate to or Volunteer with The Linden Fund.