Here are a some ideas that are cost effective:

1.) Broughton Beach off of Marine Drive (awesome little known beach off the Columbia River)

2.) The Janzten Beach Mall Historic Carousel (Before it leaves) $2 a ride.

3.) Peninsula Park & Rose Garden (700 N Rosa Parks Way) Has a beautiful rose garden w/fountain as well as a large playground and spray water park during summer time (free)

4.) There are East side farmers markets check this website for schedules:
http://www.altportland.com/consume/grocery/fm.shtml

5.) Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge (Great kid friendly nature walk)

6.) Westmoreland Park (East of Sellwood) Awesome park for feeding ducks and geese.

Don't know about cost, but how about Oaks Park? Or grab a ball or two or a frisbee and hit one of the public parks...Public swimming pools?

First you have to go to your local library and check out events for (you and) your son. The library is a great place to meet other parents.

Second, get involved in your neighborhood. This is a good source for neighborhood goings on.

Please post her info

Hello!!

A doula can definitely be worth it. They are there for emotional, physical, and educational support. A lot of them have experience in massage as well. They're good to have around as an advocate during your birth and getting your partner involved in the process as well.

You can find free student doulas at Birthingway College of Midwifery located on SE 121st and Foster by going to their website www.birthingway.edu

Best of Luck!

Hannah

A well-trained (preferably certified) doula is an amazing gift to a laboring mother and family.

Women have complex needs during childbirth and the weeks that follow. In addition to medical care and the love and companionship provided by their partners, women need consistent, continuous reassurance, comfort, encouragement and respect. They need individualized care based on their circumstances and preferences.

Certified doulas are educated and experienced in childbirth and the postpartum period. We are prepared to provide physical (non-medical), emotional and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth, as well as to families in the weeks following childbirth. We offer a loving touch, positioning and comfort measures that help a woman cope with her labor and that make childbearing women and families feel nurtured and cared for.

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:

Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
Reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
Reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
Reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals

Research shows parents who receive support can:

Feel more secure and cared for
Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
Have greater success with breastfeeding
Have greater self-confidence
Have less postpartum depression
Have lower incidence of abuse

If you saw the condition of the many, many car seats that various shelters, food banks and other agencies get donated, and the amount of man-hours required to figure out of they're any good or not, and taking them to the dump (and paying) when they inevitably turn out to be broken in some way, or filled with bedbugs (yes, really), you'd maybe understand.

So many people think of thrift stores and social services agencies as free dumps (with a big tax writeoff, this thing is worth thousands!) It's shocking.

I don't think anyone will take them because there's no way to verify if it's been in an accident. I think the best place to pass it along might be the Free section on Craigslist.

Tony Roy!

Yes! My best friend's girlfriend/pretty much wife runs a daycare out of her home not too far from you. Bug me at work and I will get you contact info if you are so inclined.

Washington Park now hosts the Children's Museum. Sooo much fun.