Sentara RMH Community Health Programs Help New Parents Thrive

You're Having a Baby! Now what?

Sentara RMH Community Health Programs Help New Parents Thrive

A new baby can bring joy and excitement, but for teenage mothers and first-time parents, it can also bring stress and anxiety, as anticipation gives way to sleepless nights, countless feedings and diaper changes, and worries about developmental milestones. Luckily, three Sentara RMH Community Health programs are here to help.

Hand in Hand Resource Mothers Program

The Hand in Hand Resource Mothers Program provides teenage mothers with support, guidance and encouragement, both during and after their pregnancies. “We’re here to advocate for you,” says Olivia Brown, team coordinator. Once enrolled, program participants are assigned a case manager, or resource mother, who serves as a mentor. “During pregnancy, we want to make sure they’re getting good prenatal care, without which the baby is at higher risk of being born prematurely, as well as low birth weight and stillbirth,” says Brown. “We want to see healthy birth outcomes and positive bonding between mother and child.” Since many teens who become pregnant are still in high school and may be living with their parents, one of the goals of Hand in Hand is to help them with the transition to motherhood.

“That’s a lot of responsibility to take on very quickly—especially if it’s not something you’ve planned for,” Brown says. “We want the girls to feel confident in their new roles as mothers. A lot of them come in very fearful—they’re dealing with a lot of changes, emotionally and physically. Our resource mothers walk with them through all of these changes. We’re going to praise and affirm them in all of the really good things they’re doing, and let them know their lives aren’t over just because they got pregnant.”

After the baby arrives, Hand in Hand resource mothers continue to provide services, including home visits, support groups and community resources to help new mothers continue their journeys. Home visits start with assessing the baby’s development, followed by a conversation with the mother about what to expect as the child grows and learns. “We do activities and crafts, we introduce developmentally appropriate toys, and we encourage a lot of mother-child interaction,” Brown says.

The Harrisonburg Hand in Hand support group meets on the fourth Monday of each month, giving teen moms—and dads—a forum to engage in discussions with their peers about the challenges they’re facing during pregnancy and parenthood. The support group also involves activities and guest speakers on a wide range of topics, including home safety and how to install a car seat properly. Since early on in the coronavirus pandemic, the group has been meeting virtually.

Hand in Hand also works to make sure young mothers have bottles, diapers, clothes and other necessities for their babies. In addition, the group coordinates rides to and from doctor appointments and, if necessary, helps them find employment and childcare options.

Healthy Families of the Blue Ridge

Another Sentara RMH Community Health program, Healthy Families of the Blue Ridge, provides education and support services for first-time parents who are considered to be “at risk.” Part of a nationwide network, the free, voluntary program is designed to teach parents about their baby’s health and development, and to help prepare the child for school. First-time parents living in Augusta, Bath, Highland and Rockingham counties and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton and Waynesboro may apply to the program before their baby is born, or up to three months after the birth. Couples are usually referred by their obstetrician during prenatal care or at the hospital following delivery. “Usually, these parents are really receptive to support,” says Brooke Garcia, program coordinator.

After an application has been submitted, a Healthy Families staff member will contact the parents to schedule an intake assessment that considers their backgrounds—including how they were raised—and their expectations for parenting. If the program seems to be a good fit for their needs, a family support worker will begin meeting with them regularly. “Even if they don’t qualify for the program, we can help set them up with resources in the community,” Garcia says.

Like Hand in Hand, the Healthy Families home visitation program has shifted to virtual instruction during the pandemic, which Garcia says has actually benefited working families in the region. “It provides some flexibility that we didn’t have before,” she notes.

Healthy Families home visits focus on caring for the baby, what to expect as the baby grows, communicating with the baby, and creating a healthy environment in which he or she can develop and learn. These visits can begin during pregnancy, with the option to continue them through the child’s fifth birthday, or until the child starts school.

Garcia says new parents sometimes fall into the trap of not talking to their baby enough, or not recognizing cues and responding to their needs. “A lot of what we do involves getting first-time parents to understand, for instance, that when their baby is opening the cabinet door to the pots and pans, he or she is just curious and exhibiting problem-solving skills. With this information, parents come to realize that such behavior isn’t ‘bad.’ They learn to encourage it as a way for their baby to explore and learn safely.”

In addition to home visits, Healthy Families of the Blue Ridge provides parent socials, a toy lending library, child development information and other sources of support.

New Moms Ask a Nurse Support Group

For the past decade, Reba Brunk has been running the New Moms Ask a Nurse Sup¬port Group at Sentara RMH Medical Center. Designed for moms and babies 12 months or younger, this free group meets on Wednesdays, 1:30-3 p.m., at the Sentara RMH Atrium in Harrisonburg.

A maternal/baby care nurse for more than 40 years, Brunk is also a mother of four, grandmother of 15 and great-grandmother of four. She appreciates the opportunity to pass on her knowledge and offer support to new moms.

“It’s helpful for new mothers to know they have someone to talk to,” Brunk says. “These women are often exhausted and sometimes don’t know where to turn for help.” Among the topics the group discusses are breastfeeding, burping, calming tech¬niques and swaddling. Brunk also teaches parents the Dunstan baby language to help them interpret the sounds their babies make.

Brunk says the group, which has been meeting virtually due to the coronavirus, var¬ies in size from week to week. All mothers, including those whose babies were not born at Sentara RMH, are welcome to attend.