MIND Lab

June is packed and Huddle Up Moms is hosting Community Day (and FREE Market Sale) on the 20th!
📌Save the date.

Here’s the lineup of FREE classes you can expect:
🗓 June 20th — Gather & Grow: Taming Your Inner Critic
🗓 June 20th — Move & Mothering: Sample YMCA Stroller Fit Class
Bring a friend, bring two, bring the whole family. 💜 This is a full day of connection, learning and a community whose only goal is to support and empower you.

Check out for more information!!

Imagination is more than pretend play — it’s how children learn to communicate, explore emotions, and think creatively. Keeping these tips in mind and using books as a tool in the process, we can help children build imaginative skills that support them far beyond childhood 📚✨

💛 Before your baby arrives, you could help shape the future of infant health.

We’re inviting expectant moms to join a paid research study focused on how breast milk supports baby growth and development 🍼✨

By participating, you’ll contribute to meaningful science while earning compensation, all from the comfort of home.

👶 You may qualify if you are:
• Pregnant and 18+
• Planning to exclusively breastfeed for 3 months
• Having a healthy pregnancy
• Expecting a full-term baby (38–41 weeks)

📋 Participation includes:
• Quick surveys
• Infant measurements
• Breast milk samples

Your experience could help future families for years to come 💫

📩 Interested?
Call/Text: (540) 524-2062
Email: [email protected]

Research is strongest when every community has a seat at the table.

Proud to see Dr. Brittany Howell recognized for her work ensuring that mothers and infants from rural communities are represented in child development research. Through our lab, we're committed to building partnerships, fostering trust, and advancing science that reflects the experiences of all families.

Because better representation leads to better research, and better outcomes for everyone. 🧠💙

Read the full article here
🔗https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/05/research_fralinbiomed_howellnhra.html

Playing in water can be a great way to beat summer heat, whether at a pool, in your backyard, or at a local splash pad.

Here are some water safety tips for you and your little ones from :
💧Always stay near your child around water
💧Enroll your child in swimming lessons when they seem ready
💧Empty inflatable or portable pools after use
💧Learn CPR so you’re prepared for emergencies

🔗https://www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_age/little-kids-1%E2%80%934-years/field_risks/water-and-drowning

Parents, caregivers, and little ones - this one's for you! 🌈👶

Check out Golden Cactus Brewing for a Baby/Toddler Clothes + Toy Swap where families can exchange gently used items and discover new treasures. No donation is necessary to participate, making this a welcoming event for everyone.

We love highlighting local opportunities that bring families together and help resources stay in the community. 💛

Want to help advance research while giving your child the chance to participate in exciting studies? 🌟

Virginia Tech is looking for families with children ages 0-17 to join their developmental science participant network! By signing up, you'll hear about upcoming research opportunities from Virginia Tech researchers studying child and family development.

📱 Scan the QR code or visit the registration link to get started.

Help us discover more about how children grow, learn, and thrive! ❤️

A reminder that caring for moms is caring for babies. 💕

We're sharing this local directory of perinatal mental health providers to help connect families with support during pregnancy and postpartum. Mental health matters, for parents, infants, and entire families.

🐣Looking to raise a confident little talker but not sure where to start? You don’t have to overthink it. According to science, your baby’s brain is primed to join in on conversation from the moment they’re born.

Check out this comic by cartoonist Navied Mahdavian where he illustrates advice from Roger Harrison, a child phsycologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Jessica Rolph, a mom of 3 and the CEO of the early childhood development company Lovevery; and Amelia Bachleda, director of outreach and education at the Institue for Learning and Brain Sciences.

We’re glad to share this valuable community resource supporting fathers and families.

The Circle of Parents group for returning citizens provides connection, encouragement, and parenting support through weekly online meetings and shared resources.

Meetings are held Monday evenings from 6:00–7:00 PM.

Please help spread the word to families and fathers in the community who may find this support helpful.