Natural Families of Kalamazoo Links

Below are various links to local and national organizations and publications which promote natural family living, including some local sites of Kalamazoo area families. If you know of an organization which would fit well on this list, please contact me and I'll add them. Also, if you notice any broken links on this page, please let me know. Thanks!

Local ~ National ~ Magazines ~ Baby Sign Language

Local Organizations

Andy Boesky Chiropractor ~ Dr. Boesky specializes in pregnancy and pediatric, as well as adult chiropractic care. He is Webster certified, and is also certified by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

Birth Alternatives Midwifery ~ Founded by Linda Healey in 1987, Linda works with families to provide conscientious home birth care for low-risk mothers and babies throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period.

Birthing Choices ~ Labor Support Doula Services in the greater Kalamazoo area. Erin West is a certified doula with DONA International, and a mother of three children. She has been providing childbirth assistance since 2002, and has been certified in 2004.

Bradley Childbirth Educators ~ The Bradley Method® classes stress the importance of Healthy Baby, Healthy Mother and Healthy Families, and they attract families who are willing to take the responsibility needed for preparation and birth. Local Bradley Method® educators are Sharon & Rob Bradford in Kalamazoo.

Best of Natural Birth classes ~ Jessica English teaches an eight-week class called "The Best of Natural Birth" at the Kalamazoo Center for the Healing Arts. The course is an amazing way for moms and their support people to prepare for a healthy, informed birth.

Diapers Unlimited DyDee Service ~ Cloth diaper service serving parts of SW MI and northern Indiana. Main office is located in Kalamazoo.

Fair Food Matters ~ Their mission is to build, educate, support and empower community connections around local food. This amazing local organization envisions thriving local communities worldwide growing and distributing safe, nutritious, locally produced foods that foster healthy communities, environments, and economies.

Eat Local SW Michigan yahoo group ~ This group is based on the concept of eating locally popularized by the book "The 100 Mile Diet" by Smith and McKinnon and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. The purpose of the group is to be a virtual meeting place for people in southwest Michigan to northern Indiana to find sources of local foods, and to share stories and adventures about how eating locally can change your life, health, and that of your community. Members include consumers, farmers, chefs, restaurateurs, grocers and other retailers. It can be used to locate different local food sources, find others to share in making a trip to local growers or sources of foods, and generally just help everyone make their food purchases more locally.

Hope's Creations ~ Local WAHM photographer, Amanda Hope Horein, provides family photography services in the southwest Michigan area. She can also create a custom slideshow or collage using photos of your choice, and can even include background music, to celebration and memorialize special your family's special times

JoShoes ~ More and more studies show that barefoot is best... Moms know that isn't always an option. Soft sole shoes are the perfect answer. Double sole construction offers superior protection, comfort and flexibility for babies and toddlers. Quality, hand made shoes at an affordable price. Made locally in the greater Kalamazoo area!

Kalamazoo Birth and Doula Services ~ Jessica English and Kendra Brooks provide doula services throughout Southwest Michigan. They serve moms with physical, emotional and informational support for their birth journeys. Jessica also teaches Bradley Method Natural Childbirth classes.

La Leche League of Kalamazoo ~ International non-profit group helps mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.

Local Harvest ~ Search online by your city or zip code to find local foods and products, from meat to milk to veggies to CSA programs (Community Supported Agriculture) to farmers markets and more, including organic and conventional (though more often organic).

Mi Milk Maidens ~ A local herd share program in which you purchase a share of a local herd of cows and pay the farmer to care for them and milk them, and in exchange you receive yummy, fresh, whole, real milk! Visit the website for more information and to educate yourself on all sides of the raw milk issue.

Planet First ~ Located at 6118 S. Westnedge Ave in the Southland Mall, next to Kohl's, this new (opened spring of 2010) store is locally owned and operated by Keith & Terri Jordan. Eco-Friendly products at everyday prices, they carry hemp clothing, shoes, natural bath and body products, natural baby toys, cloth diapers, and more! They also have cloth diapering workshops, so call them to find out more: (269) 323-3018.

Ready for the World, Inc. ~ Maureen Corts offers two different course sessions for schools, groups, or other organizations. Becoming a Love and Logic Parent is an 8-week parent training program designed by the Love and Logic Institute, Inc. Nine Essential Skills for the Love and Logic Classroom offers low-stress strategies for highly successful educators.

WhizKidz ~ Lori Saunders lives in Whitmore Lake, MI, and has created an informative website on Elimination Communication. She is trying to help spread the word about using EC as an alternative option to traditional western potty training which typically begins after age two. This technique is beneficial to our environment as well as providing a more natural response to our children's elimination needs.

National organizations

Attachment Parenting International ~ The mission of Attachment Parenting International (API) is to promote parenting practices that create strong, healthy emotional bonds between children and their parents. These practices nurture and fulfill a child's need for trust, empathy, and affection, providing a lifelong foundation for healthy, enduring relationships.

Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children ~ Their mission is to champion a culture of compassionate individuals, families, and communities who have fun with, learn from, and responsively and lovingly interact with children. They accomplish this by providing guidance about consciously conceiving, birthing, and nurturing children.

birthNETWORK ~ A non-profit, consumer-advocacy group promoting awareness of the benefits and availability of healthy, normal pregnancy and childbirth through information and support.

Campaign For A Commercial-Free Childhood ~ Campaign For A Commercial-Free Childhood is a national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups and concerned parents who counter the harmful effects of marketing to children through action, advocacy, education, research, and collaboration. We support the rights of children to grow up – and the rights of parents to raise them – without being undermined by rampant commercialism.

Center for Nonviolent Communication ~ A global organization helping people connect compassionately with themselves and one another through Nonviolent Communication language, created by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D., which awakens empathy and honesty, and is sometimes described as “the language of the heart.”

Center for a New American Dream ~ Helps Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice. They offer resources that make it easier to live consciously, buy wisely, and join with others in the New Dream Community trying to make a difference.

The Cloth Diaper Foundation ~ This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping qualifying families all over the United States get a jump start on cloth diapering. Cloth diapers are a more natural, healthy alternative to disposables that reduce overall waste, thereby helping the environment. As a supplementary program, it is not their wish to be a family’s sole source for cloth diapers; rather, the Foundation assists families while they build their own supply of diapers. They accept donations given by caring individuals and redistribute them to families in need.

Co-op America is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982. Their mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.

Drug Watch ~ "Keeping an eye on Pharmaceuticals". Over-the-counter medications account for as many as one in 10 birth defects in the children of women who have taken the medications during pregnancy. Many prescription drugs, such as Accutane, pose similar dangers as well as additional side effects such as an increased risk of liver failure and gastrointestinal disorders. This site provides up-to-date information about the side effects of common prescription and over-the-counter medications to help educate consumers and patients.

Families for Conscious Living ~ This organization was part of Kristi's motivation for starting this local Natural Families of Kalamazoo parenting support group back in November of 2004. Please visit their website for wonderful information and resources, and consider making a donation to support their cause of helping to create natural family community groups all over the country.

Frontier Natural Products Co-op ~ Start your own buyer's club through Frontier with a co-op membership fee of just $10. Then get some friends together and order the Frontier lines of herbs and spices and body-care products, or any number of other brand's natural products as well. Orders over $250 get free shipping!

Holistic Pediatric Association ~ The HPA is a non-profit, educational organization that unites parents and health professionals in the common goal of improving and transforming pediatric medicine into a safe, nurturing, and sensible holistic health care system for children.

Laptop Lunches ~ Laptop Lunches are American-style bento boxes designed to help families pack nutritious, environment-friendly lunches for school, work, and travel. Our sustainable lunch containers--which come with a book of healthy lunch ideas and lunchmaking recipes--are reusable, recyclable, and dishwasher safe. And all of our lunchboxes are lead-free. They offer an online or e-newsletter, lunch ideas, and a school fundraiser program.

The Natural Child Project ~ Their vision is a world in which all children are treated with dignity, respect, understanding, and compassion. In such a world, every child can grow into adulthood with a generous capacity for love and trust. Our society has no more urgent task.

Organic Consumers Association ~ (OCA) An online and grassroots non-profit public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics.

Touch the Future ~ Athletes call it the Zone, researchers call it Flow, children call it Play. Our mission is to help adults, parents, educators, childcare providers and amateur athletic coaches rediscover this Optimum Learning Relationship and apply it to parenting and to education. Our objective is to optimize learning, performance and well-being by cultivating an awareness of the way "states of relationship" impact human development, at any age, in any field. We accomplish this by designing and developing appropriate learning opportunities which target the needs of different populations. Our goal is to bring about a deep change in the way adults view and relate to the developmental needs of children. Change adult perceptions and behaviors and all of childhood changes with it. Focus only on the child and we remain right where we are.

Two Angry Moms ~ Are you sick and tired of packing your kids’ lunch box everyday because the cafeteria food is unfit for human consumption? Do you feel guilty when your kids “buy”? Are you annoyed at all the junk being handed out and sold at school? Are you angry enough to do something about it? Two Angry Moms is a documentary that asks the question: What happens when two “fed-up” moms try to change the school lunch program? Please join them in their fight for the health of America’s children.

Whole Children Whole Planet Expo ~ This is the First Natural Parenting and Family Expo of its kind! The Whole Children, Whole Planet Expo provides the answers that a fast-growing group of socially and environmentally conscious parents are looking for to keep the planet and their families naturally safe and healthy. The last expo was held on May 17-18, 2008 in Northridge, CA. They have many more links to national organizations on their website, too, as their expo sponsors.