Methodist Hospitals Helping to Educate New and Expecting Mothers at Community Baby Shower

On Friday, Methodist Hospitals hosted a community baby shower on their Northlake Campus for pregnant mothers and mothers with infants up to six months old. The event, called “Baby Steps”, featured community groups, private retailers and healthcare professionals who offered families and expecting mothers information on resources available to them as well as prizes and refreshments.

“We have the community baby shower quarterly so we host one every three months,” said Marie Brewer, Manager of Northlake’s Department of O.B. “We partner with Healthy Families Indiana which is an outreach program that works in the community to get prenatal care and education to families and pregnant women. When they came to this shower they received safe sleep instruction and they all went home with a free Pack-n-Play.”

“We had twelve participants at the last shower and we’ve more than doubled that this time around so it’s great to see,” Brewer said. “Everyone who attended was entered to win one of the many prizes we gave away and free lunch was provided to all the moms and their families.”

Errika Denham has been with Healthy Families Indiana since 2001 and serves as their Family Resource Specialist.

“I have a love for children and I’m a parent and a grandparent,” said Denham. “Since 2001, I feel like I’ve found my love here at this program. I became a mother at 25 and I didn’t realize there was so many resources available to single parents, which I am, and families. Working with the program I’ve been able to find more and network with other programs so I can help the moms have less stress at home and find other avenues they can take. A lot of moms don’t know where to look for help or who to talk to about things they might need.”

Along with Healthy Families Indiana, Mental Health America and Methodist Hospitals, sponsors of the event and also providing donated items for the raffle were Indiana WIC, Fagen Pharmacy, Walgreens, Albanese Confectionery, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program, and Babies”R”Us.

Charlotte Taylor, who is expecting her second child, attended “Baby Steps” and has utilized all the programs and resources Methodist Hospitals and Healthy Families Indiana has had to offer.

“I’m seven and a half months pregnant and having a girl,” said Taylor. “I have a boy at home already and this will be my last child! This was a great program. It was very beneficial program to me because of the education. It taught me many things about babies and their safety as well as a lot of things I didn’t know. They have a lot of great resources to help you continue on and take care of your baby. They make you feel very welcome and I won a nice big gift today too.”

To find out more about Methodist Hospitals, go to: http://www.methodisthospitals.org/, and to find out more about Healthy Families Indiana and all the resources and programs they have to offer, go to: http://www.mhalakecounty.org/