True labors of love
Newborn-mother home program reaches 100th visit
Medical Center of South Arkansas’ Family Connects program has officially hit the 100 visit mark. The free program where registered nurses visit and check-up on newborns and their mothers was rolled out in September 2019 with training in April the same year.
“It’s completely free,” said Alison Stone, director of women’s services at MCSA.
And it’s voluntary. Stone said nurses will visit mothers after they give birth in the hospital and ask if a home visit is something they would be interested in. The visit could also be at the hospital.
The visit takes place about three weeks after delivery, and the nurses who visit at the mother’s home weigh the newborn, check the health of the baby and the mother, and focus on educating and answering questions the family may have about the baby.
“Even second- and third-time moms learn something from it,” Stone said. “Things change so much in the OB (obstetrics) world, just from your first to second (baby).”
Stone said the nurses also educate mothers on postpartum depression, partner violence and more and make sure they have information for resources in the community.
Those resources could even include parenting classes, breastfeeding information and more.
Heidi Klappenbach, a registered nurse and one of two that regularly goes on home visits, said she also makes sure the home and sleep area is safe for the baby. She also said nurses educate the family on possible dangers, like shaking baby syndrome, which is a serious brain injury caused by forceful and violently shaking a baby.
She said nurses also speak with parents about baby skin problems, or infant acne, and are often asked about the amount a baby is crying.
“Part of the program is just everything welfare and decreasing emergency room visits,” she said.
According to America’s Health Rankings, there were 8.1 infant deaths (before age 1) per 1,000 live births in 2019 in Arkansas. It was 5.8 per 1,000 in the nation.
Stone said the program at MCSA started because a donor from Union County wanted to give back to the community and donated to Arkansas Children’s Hospital. MCSA went to the hospital with the Family Connects International program at Duke University, which is part of the school’s Center for Child and Family Policy and works with the Center for Child and Family Health.
Once it was decided, MCSA employees went through training. Right now, the Family Connects program at MCSA is limited to Stone and two registered nurses, Heidi Klappenbach and Maci Steele.
Stone said, though, she hopes the program will expand.
Only Union County residents are eligible for the program.