The Kentucky Kids County Data book says that “A healthy pregnancy provides infants a strong start in life, yet barriers like lack of health insurance, not hearing about available programs, ongoing discrimination, and social and economic factors keep some families from connecting to these supports.”  To help address this need, the Todd County Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Science Agent collaborated with representatives from community agencies to sponsor our 27th Community Baby Shower, an educational program to help new or expectant mothers understand the importance of pre-natal care, well-child care, and to learn about community resources that are available to them. Twenty-four new or expectant moms and 14 guests attended the event, which also included representatives from 16 community agencies and speakers about pediatric dental health, infant development, post-partum care, engaging fathers, and breast-feeding.

An end of the meeting evaluation completed by 14 participants rated the program excellent or good. When asked what they learned, 4 people learned more about dental health (such as babies teeth enamel); 9 increased their knowledge about infant development (for example, developmental milestones, no jacket in the car seat, booster seat till age 8); 2 said they learned that post-partum issues are normal; 4 people learned that dads matter; and 16 gained knowledge about breastfeeding (for instance, relactation is possible, cabbage leaves for sore breasts, and breast milk has cells in it that help fight infection). 

A worker for the health department translated the speakers information to a group of  Hispanic moms who attended.  The worker shared that one of the ladies said “it was the best thing they had ever attended and that “God knew they needed to be there.”