NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 www.massmoms.com

Parents, we want you!

Now on MassMoms.com...Doctor, DoctorWant on-demand access to local health professionals? You got it! Most parents would love to have their pediatrician on

speed dial. Most pediatricians would not.

But now, on MassMoms.com, you can have the exper-

tise of local medical professionals … right at your

fi ngertips. Our new, special section

features doctors and other medi-

cal professionals from the UMass

Memorial’s Children’s Medical

Center – off ering you advice, news

and views on issues aff ecting your

child’s health.

UMass Memorial Children’s Medical

Center’s medical and surgical special-

ists off er a full-range of care to infants,

children and adolescents in a close-to-

home environment that is sensitive and

responsive to the needs of families. Th e

expertise of the featured UMass bloggers

spans all pediatric specialties including

critical care, infectious diseases, adolescent

medicine, cardiology, orthopedics, endocri-

nology and developmental and behavioral needs.

Go to MassMoms.com now to see for yourself some of

the great information provided by UMass bloggers, such

as: Encouraging your child to get fi t and easing children’s

fears about hospitals. One helpful post, by Richard Mo-

riarty, MD, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, UMass Memo-

rial Children’s Medical Center, gives parents advice on

how to get kids to wash their hands. Dr. Moriarty says,

especially because of H1N1, this should be a priority for

parents. He suggests using this fun activity to get your

little ones on board:

What you will need:

* Two or more people

* Two or more colors of washable paint

* Soap and water for clean up

He says to explain to the children that

each color of paint is a kind of germ.

Red may be a cold, blue may be the

fl u and yellow may be a sick stom-

ach. Each person will paint his or her

hand with a diff erent color. Once the

hand is completely covered, have

them shake each other’s hands and

watch as diff erent colors of paint,

or “germs,” are spread from per-

son to person. Soon, they will

see many colors on their hands

and understand how easy it is to pass

germs. To complete the activity, have them prac-

tice washing skills by cleaning up. Show them that wash-

ing between fi ngers and around fi ngernails will probably

take extra time as those are places germs like to hide.

For more on this and advice on other topics you deal

with everyday, visit the UMass Memorial Blogs section

of MassMoms.com.

For more information about the UMass Memorial bloggers or MassMoms.com, email Jennifer Lucarelli, editor and moderator of MassMoms.com, at jlucarelli@telegram.com.

Welcome to MassMoms.com. A community for

parents in Central Massachusetts, hosting blogs,

forums and articles tailored to, and written by,

moms and dads like you. Visit us often as we reg-

ularly add new features that help make your life

easier – like the fl u shot fi nder and medical expert

bloggers.

Remember, MassMoms.com is not just a website,

it’s a community. A place for parents to talk about

everything “kids.” Need potty training advice or a

babysitter for Friday night? Have a great 10-min-

ute meal idea you want to share? Looking for a

kid-friendly beach in your area? Want updates on

local and national news pertaining to your family?

Do all this and more on MassMoms.com.

On MassMoms.com there is something for ev-

eryone – answers to questions you didn’t even

know you had. Visit us. Start a conversation of

your own!

H1N1 Flu & YouWhat people in your area are saying aboutvaccination, prevention and more …

Th ere is an endless amount of information out there about H1N1. You can’t turn on the TV, fl ip through a magazine or tune in to the radio with-out fi nding a story about the virus. Th is we know. But, where can you fi nd H1N1 news, views, real stories and advice from people on your block, in your town … doctors at your hospital? Th ere’s only one place. MassMoms.com. Check out the new H1N1 news feed on our homepage. Or click on the Flu Shot Finder to fi nd the nearest vaccine location near you. To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? Is that your question? Visit MassMom’s discussion forums, under Children’s Health, to see what other lo-cal parents think of the vaccination controversy. From the CDC (Center for Disease Control & Prevention) …Warning signs of fl u, including the new H1N1 fl u, include:In children:• Fast breathing or trouble breathing • Bluish skin color• Not drinking enough fl uids• Not waking up or not interacting• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough• Fever with a rashIn adults:• Diffi culty breathing or shortness of breath• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen• Sudden dizziness• Confusion• Severe or persistent vomiting

The Name GameBelow are the three most popular baby names in the United States, according to the Social Security Ad-ministration. Check out the “Name My Baby” forum at MassMoms.com for the complete list and tell us how you chose your baby’s name!

The Name Game

Girls1. Emma2. Isabella3. Emily

Boys1. Jacob2. Michael3. EthanMassMoms is now on Twitter.

Follow us!

Home for the HolidaysWhen school’s out, what will your kids do? Cheers from students will soon ring across Central Massachu-

setts, as school lets out for the December holidays. At the same

time, you may hear a collective groan escaping from parents tasked

with keeping their children busy during school break.

MassMoms.com wants to hear from you about what events, fun

activities and favorite gathering spots your family will be enjoying

when school is out of session this holiday season. Got a neat craft

idea for little ones? A creative game to help while away the hours

indoors? Know the best spot for sledding in your town? Tell us by

emailing jlucarelli@telegram.com.

Next month, we’ll share

your ideas and sugges-

tions online. You can fi nd

new ways to entertain your

kids, while helping other

parents just like you.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick? Th e CDC recommends the f o l l o w i n g everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Th row the tissue in the trash after you use it.• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.• If you are sick with fl u-like illness, CDC recom-mends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medi-cine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

Is there a young Picasso under your roof? Show off your child’s artwork on MassMoms.com.

It’s easy to upload your masterpiece – just click

on the “Fridge Door” link and follow the

instructions. One submission will be

featured here each month –

giving you something

for your fridge door.

Monster by Rose

Featured bloggerSpotlight on: Noelle CorbinNoelle lives in Holden with her husband Greg and two children. With

a Master’s degree in Computer Science, she works full time as a web

programmer – luckily she says, often from home. Noelle takes advan-

tage of her fl exible schedule to “drag” her kids around to all kinds of crazy, fun places.

She often details these excursions on MassMoms.com. A recent post narrates a comic

parking lot incident that starts with Noelle and her 6-year-old daughter earnestly try-

ing to unlock their car with what seems to be a faulty key. Th e story ends with the duo

being chased away by the true owner of the vehicle … with Noelle’s SUV parked a few

rows away. Check out other posts by Noelle, including one about a recent trip to the

Hanover Th eatre in Worcester.

Like what you see? Join the conversation! Tell the world about the highs, the lows – and the messes – of parenting. Blogging on MassMoms.com is a great way to chronicle your life as a parent for an audience eager to learn and share. Send a note to info@tele-gram.com telling us why you’d make a great MassMoms.com blogger. Include the phrase “MassMoms blogger” in the subject line.

Something to be thankful for…Thanksgiving special section on MassMoms.com! Check out our special Th anksgiving section on MassMoms.com

for information on:

• Tips for Hosting Painless Holiday Parties• Time-management Tips for Holiday Shoppers• A Th anksgiving Dish for Vegetarian Guests• Easy Ways to Keep a Home Safe While Away for the HolidaysIf you plan on rising with the sun the morning after Turkey Day, be sure to check out

“Get the Better of Black Friday” to read these (and many more) shopping survival tips:

Don’t stress out. Black Friday isn’t easy for anyone (just ask the nation’s retail em-

ployees). Chances are, even the most veteran Black Friday shopper is going to feel

stressed out at one point or another. If the stress becomes too much, simply go home.

Th is year fi gures to have lots of good deals throughout the holiday season, as retailers

plan on families spending less thanks to the economy. Th at means the deals on Black

Friday, while they might be the best of the season, probably won’t be signifi cantly

better than something you might fi nd a few weeks later.

• Buy a newspaper on Th anksgiving. Th e Th anksgiving Day paper is packed with

coupons off ering Black Friday discounts. Peruse the paper for such coupons while

watching football on Th anksgiving and you’re likely to be glad you did.

Find more interesting Th anksgiving tidbits on MassMoms.com

Did You Know?One theory as to why Americans eat turkey every Th anksgiving dates back to the days

of the famed Spanish Armada. Th at theory states that during the 16th century, Queen

Elizabeth was enjoying roast goose during a harvest festival when she was informed

the Spanish Armada, on its way to attack England, had sunk. Th at led the queen to

order a second goose for a celebration. Th is harvest tradition continued when the Pil-

grims arrived in America. However, upon arriving in America, wild turkeys were far

more abundant than geese, so the Pilgrims replaced goose with turkey as the main

dish during their harvest celebration, a celebration that eventually became known as

Th anksgiving.

Christine McMahon, NP; Obstetricians/Gynecologists Dr. Jeffrey Blake,

Dr. Inna Russell and Dr. Andrea Damour.

Warm, Welcoming, Expert CareCreating a personalizedbirthing experience for you and your baby.

Heywood Health Center for WomenObstetrics and GynecologyAccepting new patients. Call (978) 630-5050.

Call (978) 630-6216 for a tour of our birthing center.