100 plus Moms Received Gifts to Celebrate Motherhood
Nurses and other staff members at St. Bernard Hospital shared the joy of motherhood with over 100 expectant and new mothers at a Community Baby Shower designed to assist women in need.
Held outdoors on the hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center parking lot at 6307 South Stewart Avenue, baby gifts were distributed to expectant and recently delivered moms who otherwise might not have new clothes, toys, and essential baby items for their newborns.
Caring for many women who often don’t have the resources to provide for their newborns gave nurses at St. Bernard Hospital the idea to assist some of the expectant and recently delivered moms.
Many of the expectant mothers receive pre-natal care at the hospital’s Women’s Wellness Center and will deliver at St. Bernard Hospital. Evelyn Jones, vice president of Nursing Services stated, “This is the fourth consecutive year for the Community Baby Shower at St. Bernard Hospital and it gets bigger and better each year.”
To help make the childbirth experience a blessed and memorable event, St. Bernard partnered with several companies and organizations to assist the expectant and new moms. MeridianHealth served as the leading sponsor of this year’s Community Baby Shower. Other sponsors included Partners in Health, Pepsi Cola, Notre Dame Club of Chicago, and the Chicago Department of Public Health.
During the shower, selected healthcare professionals presented prenatal and postnatal health talks on subjects such as good oral health for babies and moms, safe sleeping positions, and proper installation of car seats. The information was designed to make the moms more comfortable while taking care of their newborns and themselves prior to and following childbirth.
The Ambulatory Care Center’s outdoor parking lot was set-up with tents, tables, and chairs. Balloons and other decorations helped create an enjoyable atmosphere for attendees and a light lunch was served.
Gifts included strollers, walkers, disposable diapers, a variety of baby clothes, toys for newborns, and more. Fathers who attended were gifted with baseball caps.
Hosting the Community Baby Shower for expectant and new moms continues to be one of several community outreach projects that St. Bernard Hospital provides for its Englewood neighbors.
“We are so pleased to help our patients and residents in any way we can. It’s not just about handling their medical needs. St. Bernard Hospital has been here for 115 years and we believe in community partnership,” said Jones.
