Programming and Space for Mothers-to-be and Mothers of Infants/Toddlers

Mothers-to-be and mothers of infants/toddlers feel they are overlooked in the planning of Oak Bay Recreation activities. The undersigned request that Council and Oak Bay Recreation support the following:

1) Programming for mothers-to-be and mothers of infants/toddlers:

Mothers and mothers-to-be in Oak Bay are required to leave their district in order to access recreation centre programming on the following topics, often requiring at least a 20-minute drive:

- Prenatal health of mother/baby - nutrition, physical changes, preparation for birth, etc.
- Postnatal health of mother/baby - nutrition, breastfeeding, dental health, sleep, allergies, skin irritations, etc.
- Games to play with babies
- Songs for babies classes
- Infant massage classes
- Yoga for mothers and their babies
- Drop-in activities for infants/toddlers and their parents
- Social activities for infants/toddlers and their parents

Currently, classes at other recreation centres are often either overcrowded or filled up. There is demand for these programs and a significant portion of registrants are Oak Bay mothers or mothers who live on the border of Oak Bay. Please note that there is a significant positive health impact for mothers and babies who attend these classes. A literature review on this topic can be provided upon request.

2) A room suitable to host activities for mothers-to-be and mothers with infants or tots:

A room needs to be identified and renovated so as to be suitable to host these activities (a large, bright, room with leather couches, so as to tolerate spills, temperature control, a clean area carpet, mats, safety features for crawling tots, and few other items/furniture for safety purposes). We feel the room should be in a central location, preferably the Bee Street location, since the Henderson location is still a 15-minute drive from South Oak Bay, which is still too far to travel with newborns in hot weather.

We strongly support the development of the space and programs for mothers-to-be and mothers of infants/toddlers, which will require financial and organizational support by Oak Bay Council and Oak Bay Recreation.

Our "Mothers of Oak Bay" group is providing support for networking by means of an email mailing list and website. Mothers of Oak Bay will be gathering names of interested parents in order to increase the awareness in our district and to communicate details of class offerings and news on this topic. We look forward to working collaboratively in identifying and meeting needs of this growing demographic.

SIGNING THIS PETITION IS NOT ENOUGH! PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING. Visit http://members.shaw.ca/oakbaymoms for information on the time/date of the upcoming meeting or email [email protected] to learn how to get involved further or to request to be kept informed.