Expectant mothers and young families took advantage of a wealth of information April 24 at Havre’s Holiday Village Mall during Northern Montana Health Care’s third annual Community Baby Shower.
Local, regional, and statewide organizations and businesses were at the mall to show new and expectant parents what is available to them to help support their parenting journey.
The shower included raffles, free gifts, and a chance to connect to other parents and expectant families, as well as local service providers.
Grant and Nakoya Leakey brought one-month-old Oliver to the shower to see what was there.
Grant Leakey said his family found out about some services they weren’t aware of at the community baby shower and probably would use some of those services.
“It’s very handy,” he said.
Julia Hicks was at the shower with Allen, 5, and Donovan, 1, and a group of other families and expectant mothers.
“It’s really nice,” she said, and said she was likely to take advantage of some of the information provided.
The event was primarily organized by Northern Montana Health Care’s Shelbee Fritchman, RN.
She and Destiny Shelstad, RN, Lydia Zilkoski, LCPC, and Jessica Abbott, CMA, gave information to people who came to the shower.
Northern Montana Health Care Director of Clinical Nursing Katie Kimberling said at the shower that many people don’t even know about some of the services that were represented at the baby shower.
“That’s why this is so great,” she said.
Shelstad said the free event is aimed at new and expectant mothers.
“We really want everybody to know all the resources available,” Shelstad said.
“The idea is to show everything available to make healthy moms, healthy babies, and a healthy community,” Kimberling added.
Some of the services showcased weren’t child or maternity specific.
NMHC Director of Patient Access Patti Nault and Patsy Divish, RN, were telling people about and signing them up for the upgraded patient portal at NMHC, now MyHealth.
The portal, which has a new look and upgraded features, allows things like patient texts, viewing appointment schedules, access to appointment information, and provider messaging.
Judy Solomon, who recently retired after 43 years at NMHC, was at the event looking for volunteers and volunteens to help at the hospital.
She said it is getting harder and harder to find volunteers, but they are crucial to the operation of NMHC.
“If we just get one, one is worth it,” she said.
Rocky Boy Health Services Public Nurse Sandra Friede, RN, and nursing midwife Sunny Whiteman-Grant, CNM, had a table and display at the shower.
“I’m excited to talk to people about some programs and services we offer at Rocky Boy,” Friede said.
Stephany Perry and Candace Mestes were up from Great Falls to talk to people about Benchmark Human Services’ Montana Milestones program to diagnose if babies have developmental delays or disabilities and help them reach important milestones.
“It’s a great idea to get a lot of people here with a lot of resources,” Mestes said. “We wanted to bring awareness to our program and to our family. We just thought it would be great to be here.”
“And, our program is completely free,” Perry said.
She said the home visit program helps children reach developmental milestones.
The program website says the in-home visits include developmental check-ups and speech, occupational and physical therapy designed for small children, from birth to age 3.
Other tables and presentations at the hospital included NMHC with pelvic floor physical therapy, education for breastfeeding and licensed clinical professional counseling; Hill County Health Department; Family Connections; Hi-Line Pregnancy Resource Center; Bullhook Community Health Center; One Health Chinook with peer support and recovery doula with birth and postpartum support, Berry Medicine Native BirthWorks Initiative; Big Sky Soul Gift Shop; Jazzi Creations handmade items, and Veronica Tsosie beadwork.
Hill County Health Department Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Kimmi Boyce was at a table providing information about health department services.
Boyce said she liked the event.
“It’s fun to invite young parents and expectant mothers out,” she said. “Some think they have to stay home and never come out.”
“Everything here is for them,” Boyce added.