Welcoming Baby hosts baby shower to provide support and education to expectant mothers.
On March 20, 2024, the Welcoming BabySM outreach team partnered with Urban Baby Beginnings to host a baby shower for Sentara Health Plans Medicaid members in Petersburg, VA. Nearly 50 people, including expectant mothers and their families, were in attendance.
Dr. Karen Shelton, state health commissioner of the Virginia Department of Health, and representatives from Drive Smart; Women, Infants and Children (WIC); and CHIP-Family Lifeline were present to provide the mothers-to-be with guidance and access to valuable resources. Representatives from Sentara Community Care and Sentara’s Behavioral Health team were also in attendance to provide support.
“Our showers are a great opportunity to meet with the members face-to-face and provide them with the support and resources they need that exist right in their backyards,” said Kate Maas, Welcoming Baby marketing development and outreach manager. “I hope the members leave the baby shower knowing that we are there for them throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journeys.”
The expectant mothers had the opportunity to speak with healthcare experts directly and connect with other expectant mothers in their community. The topics of discussion included doula services, car seat safety, breastfeeding tips, and an open forum for questions and answers.
The Welcoming Baby outreach team was pleased by the turnout. The baby showers have proven to be an effective and enjoyable way to prepare women for parenthood. Courtney Seaborne, Welcoming Baby marketing and public relations specialist, praised Sentara Health Plans’ community partners, particularly Urban Baby Beginnings, for the successful event.
“We were honored to be able to use their facility in Petersburg to invite pregnant and newly postpartum families to this event to learn about resources available to them in their community,” said Seaborne.