GARY, Ind. — Parties for expectant mothers traditionally include games, snacks, cake and plenty of socializing. The recent Shower Your Baby with Love Community Baby Shower, sponsored by Lake County Minority Health Coalition, offered all of the above — and a little education.
“The purpose of the shower is to reach out to the moms and provide them with information for themselves and their support systems,” said coalition outreach coordinator Patricia Smith. “This will give them more confidence to make important decisions to be the best moms they can be.”
Held at Ivy Tech Community College in Gary, Ind., the event hosted 11 mothers-to-be and two fathers-to-be.
At the time of the shower, Felicia Swinney of Gary, Ind., was due to give birth at the end of January.
“I heard about this shower at my health clinic,” she said during a break in the activities. “It’s a good opportunity to learn more about taking care of our babies. You can never have enough information.”
An ice-breaker game started off the fun and educational event. It was an unusual twist to the skill test of diapering a baby.
The two fathers-to-be — Robert Watkins of Hammond, Ind., and Kendale Whitfield of Gary, Ind., — were good sports as they allowed members of their respective teams to show how far they could diaper in a one-minute period — using toilet paper.
“We’ll lose for sure. Our paper just ripped,” mother-to-be Nadia Moore of Gary, Ind., laughed as she and her team members tried to diaper Whitfield. “This isn’t easy.”
Whitfield took it in stride.
“Even thought we didn’t win, it was a good time,” he said. “It was all in fun.”
Also on the shower schedule were pre- and post-informational tests regarding breast-feeding and shaken baby syndrome.
But they weren’t the type of exams to be graded. They were distributed to assist in the afternoon discussions.
“Breast-feeding is verifiably the most important decision you can make. It is the most nutritional food source for your baby,” Tracy Lewis, director of the coalition said as she began to talk about infant feeding options. “In this next stage of your life, you will truly have the opportunity to help your baby.”
She said breast pumps can be provided by either the coalition or its partnering agencies.
Lactation counselor Maria Briseno of Healthcare Consortium of Illinois discussed specifics about breast-feeding.
There are no specific interval times to feed, she told the mothers-to-be, as each baby and situation is different.
Closely monitoring the child to make sure he is swallowing the milk and checking diapers are a few of the ways to check if the baby is receiving adequate nourishment.
“And don’t bundle up your baby like a burrito,” she said. “They want to feel your skin and hear your heartbeat.”
Briseno added that prenatal vitamin pills can be taken after birth. “Continue to take these even after you deliver. Your body has been through quite a bit and you can still benefit from them.”
Although some of her family members were not successful when they tried, Michelle Peters of Hammond, Ind., whose baby is due in February, decided to breast-feed her baby.
“I’ve been reading up on this,” she said, during a break in the activities. “I believe it gives a better connection between you and your baby.”
Lewis defined Lake County Minority Health Coalition’s mission as, “existing to eliminate health disparities in Lake and Porter counties. We work to bring providers and families together through our partnerships.”
The coalition has offered the baby showers for the past four years, she said, scheduling them every other month at Ivy Tech College. The recent baby shower was underwritten with funds from the Indiana Minority Health Coalition.
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LEARN MORE
For more information about Lake County Minority Health Coalition, call 219-885-9755.
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ABOUT THE WRITER
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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