A special event aimed at helping new and expecting parents navigate the challenges of a family comes to the i.d.e.a. Museum Saturday, March 9. The 4th Trimester Arizona Conference features more than 15 workshops that tackle sex and intimacy, parenting trends and self-care. The museum will be closed to regular admission during this ticketed event.
"Ever wonder if you are the only parent who wasn't born knowing how to do this? We're all going through the same thing," said Jennie Bever, founder of 4th Trimester Arizona. "It takes a village to raise a family, which is why we created 4th Trimester Arizona. You are not alone."
4th Trimester Arizona connects a village of new families by providing resources, support and nurturing through regular community events. The second annual conference addresses:
Becoming a parent and still being yourself
Infant and child development
Nurturing yourself while nurturing your child(ren)
Demystifying postpartum depression and anxiety
"We're proud to support this wonderful resource for a second year," said Sunnee O'Rork, executive director of the i.d.e.a. Museum. "Self-care is essential for parents, which then helps them better engage in quality time with their children as they build a foundation for early learning and nurture creative thinking."
The conference - which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum, 150 W. Pepper Place in Mesa - features several expert speakers. Dr. Laurie Jones, a pediatrician with Agave Pediatrics and founder of the "Dr. Milk" resource for physician parents, will lead a session titled, "Sleep: Strategies for Modern Parents." Dr. Debra Wickman, a local physician and sexual-health expert, will present a session on intimacy.
Additionally, the conference features revitalization opportunities such as meditation, yoga, sound healing and art creation. Parents also will have the opportunity to participate in the "Truth Booth" project, in collaboration with Arizona State University, to capture the voices and lived experiences of families in the postpartum period. Event sponsors include Southwest Human Development, Agave Pediatrics, First Things First, Image Legends, and Arizona Breastfeeding Center.
Tickets: www.4thtrimesteraz.org. More museum special events: www.ideaMuseum.org.
Contact: Yvette Armendariz
Museum Public Relations & Marketing
Yvette.Armendariz@MesaAZ.gov
(480) 644-4129