Mothers get, give support at MamaFest

North County Times – Escondido,CA,USA
ENCINITAS — The joys and struggles of motherhood — and practical
help — will be the focus of MamaFest, a festival and fundraiser for the
Postpartum …

ENCINITAS — The joys and struggles of motherhood — and practical help — will be the focus of MamaFest, a festival and fundraiser for the Postpartum Health Alliance.

The event takes place from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. May 17 at Temple Sol El in Encinitas.

MamaFest is intended to give mothers resources and support tools. Guest speakers include Susan Taylor from NBC San Diego, Heather Reider and Mary Goulet from Mom’s Town, Stroller Strides founder Lisa Druxman, and others.

Discussion sessions include “Mommy 911 — The Myths of Motherhood,” “Bedtime for Babies,” “Starting a MOB — Mother-Owned Business,” and “Women’s Self Defense.”

There will be a marketplace for vendors who specialize in “mommy” products or services, as well as a silent auction to benefit Postpartum Health Alliance, a San Diego nonprofit organization.

MamaFest is hosted by Stroller Strides, a San Marcos-based fitness company that serves new mothers by helping them get fit after pregnancy.

To volunteer for the event, contact Druxman at lisa@strollerstrides.com. For more about Stroller Strides, visit www.strollerstrides.com.

Postpartum Health Alliance is a nonprofit, San Diego-based organization dedicated to raising awareness about postpartum depression and related disorders and providing treatment referrals to women who are struggling with them.

Postpartum Health Alliance staffs a “warmline” for mothers to call for information and support (619-685-7458). It also offers educational seminars on postpartum depression identification and treatment, and distributes educational materials about it. For more on the Alliance, visit www.postpartumhealthalliance.org.

WHAT: MamaFest, a festival and fundraiser for the Postpartum Health Alliance

WHEN: 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. May 17

WHERE: Temple Sol El, 3575 Manchester Ave., Cardiff