Zeev is walking, talking and flirting!

Well, my grandson just turned 16 months last week and he is walking, talking and flirting like crazy! He is still nursing but loves green olive cheese pizza and blueberries! Now that the weather is nice, Zeev enjoys being outdoors helping his daddy garden or swim in his Baba's heated pool. I still see him frequently even though he started day care. It's so great to have a grandchild nearby to watch grow up and spoil! ZV always seems to be smiling and thus, he flirts with just about everybody. He loves our 100 lb. American Bulldog, Kiki. In fact, her name was one of his first words - as well as "good girl" since he hears us say it so much to her. He also loves books and balls ... in fact, he calls anything round a ball! Of course Zeev waves bye-bye, blows kisses and now wiggles his index finger back and forth while saying "no-no" when we say it to him. He also does a little sign language and has now figured out that when he signs for MORE, we all react so positively that he does it a lot! So smart already - I am not a biased grandmother at all, am I? Zeev is also now mimicking animal noises. I think his favorites are a kitty cat (mew, mew)and a doggie (woof, woof) but he also knows cow, horse, lamb and a few others. Now, we really have to concentrate on baby proofing the house because he is all over the place. That will be a job for Didi, his grandfather. We just adore that sweet little boy!

Zeev is almost a year old already!

My last blog was around Mother's Day. What does that tell you about how busy I have been with my first grandchild? I am so lucky to be able to see him so often. I babysit one or two days a week but then we always have a family day togther, too. It has been so exciting to watch him grow and to see his new accomplishments. I have really enjoyed teaching him words, songs, actions and even some sign language. ZV is a very smart and personable baby. I'm not biased at all! But seriously, he does seem to be the happiest baby on the block! He now weighs 19 lbs. Heather is still nursing and has done a great job introducing foods to ZV. It's fun watching him eat hummus and macaroni/cheese and cheerios. His iron was low so he now eats lots of meat. His daddy, Dror, makes him chicken livers using a cast iron skillet. And he likes it! So, Baba (me) and Didi (my husband Frank) are truly enjoying the next phase of parenting - being GRAND about it!

Jan became a Baba!

My daughter Heather developed pre-eclampsia 7 weeks before her due date and was admitted to the hospital on Valentine's Day until the baby decided to come. On Feb. 18th, I did a belly cast for her at the hospital and then friends paid for her to have a pedicure. Later that day at 7:30 pm, Heather's water broke and when checked, she was 3 cms., 100% effaced and contracting. We rushed downtown and got settled into her birthing suite. By then she was 6 cms. and moving right along. Because of the pre-eclampsia, it had to be a very medical birth BUT Heather describes it as being quite intimate. Her husband, Dror, her male midwife, Patrick, and I were the only ones there except for the nurse. Even though Heather had a 'carousel of IVs' as she called it, she was able to labor without pain medication and avoided an episiotomy. Believe it or not, the experience lasted only 2 1/2 hours because Zeev Stanley Mallak-Yaron was born at 10:04 pm weighing in at 5 lbs. 7 ozs. His apgars were 9/9 so the staff let him bond with his parents for 30 mins. before taking him to the NICU. He never needed oxygen or a chest x-ray, only an IV. After 8 days in the hospital, he was released and has been thriving on his mommy's milk ever since. He is solely breastfed and now weighs over 12 lbs. in only 2 and 1/2 months! Here is a picture of him with his daddy. I LOVE BEING A NEW BABA - especially as I celebrate Mother's Day today!

Jan to be a Grandmother/Baba

Jan's daughter Heather is due April Fools Day. This will be Jan's first grandchild. Heather is having a little boy named Zeev (means glow in Hebrew). Heather is well practiced in babycare, having worked part-time as a Postpartum Doula for "Heart & Hands" over the past 9 years.


Heather is working with a male midwife and attends chiropractic and some yoga sessions given by a few of Jan's past clients. Heather's husband Dror and she will be attending Jan's childbirth classes and will have her as her Birth Doula - of course!

Pittsburgh Doula Poem

A Doula

(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in you
(C)alls you just to say “hi”
(D)oesn’t give up on you
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished part)
(F)orgives your mistakes and never judges
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you “whenever”
(I)nvites you to use your potential
(J)ustifies your personal vision
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)ikes you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)utures you
(O)ffers support
(P)rotects you
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plains things you don’t understand
(Y)earns for your happiness
(Z)aps you back to reality (usually in a nice way!)



(adapted by Jan Mallak from a poem about friends)

"Doula" comes from the Greek word

"Doula" comes from the Greek word for the female servant in ancient times who assisted the lady of the household through her childbearing and beyond. Today, it refers to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and after childbirth" (The Doula Book by Klaus, Kennell & Klaus). The doula movement is simply bringing back the age old custom of women being in service to other women.