K-State Extension is pleased to announce they will again be offering a series of prenatal education sessions in the Ellis County area beginning on July 31.
These sessions, available free of charge to all area families regardless of income or other social determinants, are being provided thanks to a partnership between the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Family Health, March of Dimes, First Care Clinic, High Plains Mental Health, Early Childhood Connections, Hays Public Library, Feeding Hays, KidLink DSNWK, and Ellis County Emergency Medical Services.
Utilizing the March of Dimes’ Becoming a Mom®/Comenzando bien® curriculum, expectant participants and their support person(s) will learn about topics related to physical and emotional health during pregnancy, as well as receive in-depth education surrounding labor and delivery, infant feeding, infant care, safe sleep, and other hot button parenting issues. Information about area resources and additional parenting support systems will also be provided.
I’m incredibly excited about the dedicated instructors and community partners who have come together to bring Becoming a Mom to life here in Ellis County. I’ve long envisioned a space where families can connect, build relationships with other parents, and support one another. During a meeting of the Ellis County Breastfeeding Coalition, we discussed the idea of a mentorship program for parents and felt that the Becoming a Mom classes offered a great opportunity to make that vision a reality.
Another key goal of the program is to connect families with valuable resources by involving community partners who work with expectant parents and young families at each session. My hope is that by helping parents get to know these service providers personally, it will make it easier for them to reach out when they need support. Becoming a Mom will hopefully lead to improved pregnancy and birth outcomes for moms and babies in the Ellis county area, just as they have across many locations in Kansas.
Since 2010, evaluation efforts for the Becoming a Mom program according to the Kansas Perinatal Community Collaborative model, have been overwhelmingly positive. Outcomes have shown significant improvement in rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, breastfeeding initiation, and lower cesarean rates.
All area pregnant women are encouraged to attend, regardless of past experience with pregnancy or parenting. Incentives for participation will be provided thanks to grants made available through KDHE. Mothers, fathers, and support people are invited to attend each class. You can choose which classes you want to attend but you earn bigger incentives (portable crib or infant playmat) for attending four out of the six classes. If you are from outside of Ellis County and are interested in attending, please contact me for availability. Limited childcare will be available, and we will also have a free meal provided by Feeding Hays. To obtain a schedule of class dates or to register for sessions, please contact me at the Cottonwood Extension District. You can also find Ellis County Becoming a Mom program on the web at https://cottonwood.K-State.edu/becoming-a-mom/ and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KSREcottonwood.
Parents in Barton County can call the Barton County Health Department at 620-793-1902 to inquire about classes as well.
Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu.
