Hilltown Families 
If new mothers find themselve have more than enough breastmilk for their babies, making a breastmilk donation may be a way for them to help protect the health of premature infants......
QUESTION AND ANSWERS Have your kids asked yet how babies are made, or where babies come from? What did you say? If they haven’t asked yet, how might you reply when...
Make sure your children’s back to school supplies are safe & PVC free! The Center For Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) has created a Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies allowing...
100 Links (Spring/Summer 2011) Nearly every day we add recommended links to the Hilltown Families bank of on-line resources. Some of you might find these links well suited for your family,...
Environmental Working Group 2011 Shopper’s Guide Helps Cut Consumer Pesticide Exposure Environmental Working Group has released the seventh edition of its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce with updated information on...
EWG Sun Product Guide for 2011 How does your sunscreen rate? According to the Environmental Working Group, “consumers can trust a slim 20 percent of the beach and sport sunscreens assessed...
Question and Answer Do you have a pediatric dentist you love here in Western MA? Share here for other families looking for dental services for their kids. Jessica Grant writes: I...
Nourishing Condiments Class at Blazing Star Herbal School Hilltown Families and Blazing Star Herbal School (BSHS) in Ashfield, MA have partnered up to offer one lucky participant free registration for their...
TAKE ACTION: Eliminate Harmful Chemicals From Personal Care Products Have you ever stopped to wonder what all those chemicals are in your kid’s shampoo? your waterproof sunblock? your baby’s diaper cream?...
World Breastfeeding Week in Western MA The week of August 1st, breastfeeding advocates all over the world will be celebrating World Breastfeeding Week for the 19th year with the theme “Breastfeeding:...
Victoria Worth of Ashfield, MA writes: There is a good article in the New York Times about sunscreens. Below is the beginning of the piece and HERE is the link to...
Food Allergies and Summer Camp By Hilltown Families Guest Writer, Karen A. Jordan It’s that time of year again…the final countdown of school days, warmer weather, and plans for summer camp....
Jamie Bishop of Plainfield, MA writes: For the first time in history, this generation of children has a shorter life expectancy than their parents or grandparents. Why? Because of the processed...
Massachusetts Senate Passes Safe Driving Legislation On Tuesday the Massachusetts Senate passed a safe driving legislative package that bans texting. The bill also prohibits “junior operators,” those under the age of...
It Takes A Village Hosts an Open House February 28th, 2010 in Cummington, MA ‘It Takes a Village‘ is a free-of-charge, community service that supports families for the first three months...
Advocates Urge American Academy of Family Physicians to End Coca -Cola Partnership Things don’t always go better with Coke. That’s why the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has launched a letter-writing...
100 Links (October/November 2009) Nearly every day I add recommended links to the Hilltown Families bank of on-line resources. Some of you might find these links well suited for your family,...
TV Exposure May Be Associated With Aggressive Behavior in Young Children Three-year-old children who are exposed to more TV appear to be at an increased risk for exhibiting aggressive behavior, according...
Video PSA from HealthyStuff.org Lead is very dangerous to children and can be found in many new and used children’s products such as toys, backpacks and jewelry. On your cell phone...
The New York Times reports: Most women should start regular breast cancer screening at age 50, not 40, according to new guidelines released Monday by an influential group that provides guidance...
Wendy V. Long, Editor of Breaking News From Gateway writes: Good afternoon: The Gateway Regional School District is seeing growing numbers of absences of students who have Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI). Health...
Mimi Stamer, President of the Massachusetts School Nurse Organization writes: Funding cuts are projected for the school health services (line item 4590-0250). Please call the Governor’s office immediately at (617) 725-4000...
No Fear Flu Workshop at Blazing Star Herbal School Hilltown Families and Blazing Star Herbal School (BSHS) in Ashfield, MA have partnered up to offer one lucky participant free registration for...
Organic vs. Natural: Don’t Let Your Family Be Fooled Organic Consumers Association writes: The “natural” food phenomenon worries many in the organic industry. So-called “natural” products aren’t regulated and don’t have...
School Lunch Updates: How the USDA Helped Bring Processed Food to School Lunch Most adults don’t have glorious memories of school lunch. It was sloppy Joes, shepherd’s pie, spaghetti with meat...
100 Links (June/July 2009) Nearly every day I add recommended links to the Hilltown Families bank of on-line resources. Some of you might find these links well suited for your family,...
Research Shows Children are Critically Susceptible to Pesticides By Michael Jolliffe A new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives has revealed that children are dangerously vulnerable to the effects...
Cooley Dickinson Hospital Childbirth Center takes baby steps toward national initiative Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s Childbirth Center in Northampton, MA has received a certificate of intent from the UNICEF/World Health Organization Baby-Friendly...
Tanya Lieberman of Northampton, MA writes: I’m helping to recruit nursing mothers for a breast cancer study based at UMass, and am hoping that you might know of mothers who would...