First-time mom, Julia Price, participated in Akron Children’s Nurturing Families prenatal specialty program because she wanted education, support and resources.
Julia Price first heard that Akron Children’s Nurturing Families Program (NFP) offered a specialty program focused on the prenatal experience when she was pregnant with her first child. She decided to enroll in the specialized program to understand what to expect from pregnancy and parenthood.
“I was 31 and nervous about what to expect,” said Julia, who lives in Akron, Ohio. “This was a learning curve for me. I wanted education, support and resources to help me separate the truth from myths.”
The Nurturing Families Program, a partnership between Akron Children’s and Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, gave Julia the answers and guidance she sought. The prenatal specialty program is designed to help parents and caregivers learn new ways to make healthy parenting choices.
“I liked the fact that I could take the classes virtually,” she said. “My instructor would share her screen as we watched videos or looked at handouts. I was able to ask questions as we went along. For instance, at first, I thought I wanted a midwife to help deliver my baby, but then I learned about doulas and decided that I preferred that birth experience.”
Expanding the Nurturing Families Program
Since 2016, Akron Children’s External Affairs has offered the Nurturing Families Program to expecting parents, as well as parents and guardians of children birth to 5 years old. In 2023, the program expanded to cover the prenatal experience separately from the birth to 5 years program.
The Nurturing Families prenatal specialty program taught Julia Price numerous things about newborns that will help her care for and raise her son, such as fetal brain development and how to develop empathetic parent-child relationships.
“The prenatal specialty program is designed to help couples understand what the journey of pregnancy involves,” said Monika Hale, community health educator in External Affairs. “We want to help couples make informed decisions as they prepare for their baby.”
Monika is excited to bring the prenatal program to couples to help them understand body and relationship changes and build nurturing parenting skills.
“We use an evidence-based curriculum specific to the pregnancy journey to talk about what that person is experiencing,” she said. “We are debunking certain thoughts and feelings they may have. For instance, they aren’t the only ones whose feet swell or relationships change. All those things are normal.”
The prenatal specialty program is designed to involve new dads, too.
“We have had men register for the virtual sessions,” Monika said. “They learn what their partner is going through and ways to be supportive of her and their infant.”
Julia Price and her partner welcome their newborn son.
Enrolling in the Nurturing Families Program’s prenatal specialty program
The prenatal program is free and consists of seven interactive sessions that last between 45 minutes and one hour. The one-on-one sessions are offered virtually, allowing participants to attend from home or work.
The topics covered in the prenatal program are:
- Changes in Me
- Nutrition, Health, Routines and Safety
- Fetal Brain Development
- Stress and Relationships
- Empathetic Parent-Child Relationships
- Before and After Delivery
- Basic Needs and Nurturing Myself
The program is primarily available to parents and caregivers in Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Trumbull counties. Other counties in the Akron Children’s service areas are also eligible for enrollment.
All parents who complete the program receive a generous incentive package, including gift cards, toys, books and a safety kit for the home. Additionally, prenatal and newly delivered participants receive a prenatal bag that includes diapers, wipes, bodywash, lotion washcloths, safe sleep kit and literature covering newborn screenings, postpartum nutrition, breastfeeding and baby development.
For more information and to register for the Nurturing Families Program, contact the External Affairs Department by emailing nurturingfamilies@akronchildrens.org or calling 330-543-0736.
