Baby Shower showcases birthing experience and community support
by Stephanie Dennis, LMH Health
LMH Health is hosting a baby shower! If you are a new parent, expecting parent or a grandparent, join us for the LMH Health Community Baby Shower on Saturday, November 9, from 2 – 4 p.m. This free event will be held on the lower level of the hospital.
More than 30 community partners will showcase the abundant services that Lawrence and Douglas County have to offer. Vendors will be providing door prizes including pack n plays, safety baskets and free class registrations, and attendees will receive a swag bag at the door.
Allison Koonce, LMH Health community outreach & engagement supervisor, is excited to be part of the baby shower.
“We are excited to share with the community what the birthing experience at LMH Health is all about and show the ways LMH Health and our community support families,” she said.
What to expect
• Reservations are not needed for the LMH Health Baby Shower.
• This is a family-friendly event, so you are welcome to bring anyone you would like, including your children.
• The baby shower will be 2-4 p.m. November 9. Please use the Arkansas Street entrance.
• Tours of the birthing center will be every 15 minutes from 2:05-4 p.m.
• Free Tdap vaccinations will be available for pregnant women and adult primary caregivers.
Participants will have the opportunity to tour the Cindy Murray Family Birthing Center and ask questions of nurses on the unit. There will also be demonstrations on labor positions, infant care and baby wearing. The goal is to provide an interactive and educational experience for expecting families and families caring for an infant.
Beth Porter-Sakumura, LMH Health community outreach and engagement instructor, said the free event is a perfect opportunity to socialize, listen and learn.
“We wanted to give the opportunity for hands-on learning, similar to the opportunities we offer in our classes at LMH Health,” she said.
The shower also provides moms and families with the opportunity to register in-person for upcoming LMH Health parenting and prenatal classes. If you aren’t able to register at the shower, visit www.lmh.org anytime to select a class and sign up.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that everyone caring for a baby is up-to-date with their whooping cough vaccine. To help, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department will offer free Tdap vaccines to pregnant women, spouses, and adult in-home caregivers at the shower.
Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical and Safe Kids Douglas County will also be on-site providing home safety and car seat advice.
“There’s a lot to know about car seats from selecting the right one, to installation, to when to change your car seat,” said Virginia Barnard, LMH Health community outreach & engagement specialist and certified child passenger safety technician. “We are here to help.”
Midwives from Lawrence OB/GYN Specialists and physicians with Lawrence Family Practice will be on hand to answer questions. Representatives from pediatric dentistry, pediatric physician care, and prenatal/pediatric chiropractic care clinics will also be in attendance. Visit the LMH Health Facebook page or lmh.org/baby-shower for a complete list of participating vendors.
Stephanie Dennis is a community outreach & engagement specialist at LMH Health, which is a major sponsor of Lawrence Journal-World’s health section.
