Bringing a baby home is a special time for moms and dads, but that doesn’t mean it comes without challenges. Moms are dealing with changing hormones after giving birth. They can feel isolated, especially if they don’t have support systems in place. And some new moms suffer from postpartum depression. Dads are also adjusting to changes that come with having a baby.
One program in Springfield is working to make sure young families have what they need to thrive.
Family Connects is offered by the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.
Johanna Medina works with Hispanic families as a Family Connects community health nurse.
"I do home visits for moms and babies in Greene County," she said, "so I usually visit around three weeks, and we are here to be a support for families, and that looks different for every family. So, we can offer breastfeeding support. We are certified lactation counselors. We can connect to resources, whether that is material supports, housing safety or things like Parents as Teachers, different connections to further long-term home visiting."
Medina used to be an ICU and labor and delivery nurse but working for Family Connects allows her to provide continued education that parents often need when they bring a baby home.
"It allowed a space for me to be able to sit and chat with families about how they're feeling," she said, "and also help fill in the gaps that they felt like they missed in that hospital period."
There are no income guidelines to be able to sign up for Family Connects. Parents receive a gift bag filled with things their baby might need, including a book that parents can read to them. They can help families get car seats, pack ‘n plays and breastfeeding supplies if they need them. Medina said, even though it’s typically one visit (it can be more if needed), the chance to connect with other community resources is key.
"It has improved mental health outcomes for moms when we can connect to further resources If there are any mental health concerns. It also lowers re-admissions," she said.
And she said it gives her a chance to make sure moms are doing okay.
"We do offer the postpartum depression screener, the Edinburg (postpartum) screener. Sometimes we do that, sometimes it's just a conversation," said Medina. "Moms sometimes feel a little bit better just talking about it versus filling out an official form, so we are open to whatever the mother is open to and then it's just a matter of talking about if they're ready to get connected for further support and what that support looks like."
Medina educates families on signs and symptoms of physical and mental health issues that can occur post-pregnancy and when to seek medical care.
"The postpartum warning signs include quite a few, quite a few things," she said, "the biggest being related towards blood pressure. So, headache that doesn't go away despite medication, rest, fluids, any bleeding heavier than a normal period would be, vision changes, nausea, vomiting, fevers. There's quite a list."
Medina said, when moms are happy and thriving, the family is, too.
Being able to speak the language of those she serves, she said, allows her to better understand the needs that moms and dads might have.
"It just helps the visit be a little bit more relatable and easier to have more in-depth discussions to get to their root needs that sometimes with an interpreter service, if the signal is not good, or sometimes it's just a little bit, the interpretation may be a different dialect or different type of Spanish, so having — being able to complete the visit in their language, in person just really helps establish rapport," she said.
Medina also leads a support group that meets in various Springfield locations.
"We meet monthly at a library. It is a support group for Spanish speaking women. I was just seeing a repeated need to create community within community," she said. "There was a lot of isolation in our Spanish speaking community. All of these moms in that same, like, newborn phase of parenting but feeling isolated. And so, this group is a safe, casual space for moms to connect, build relationships."
She said they can bring their babies if they choose to do so. Family Connects tries to offer transportation for anyone who needs it.
"It's encouraging for them to be able to share what's been on their minds and to realize that they're not the only ones going through that, that there's other moms that are having some of those same thoughts or feelings and experiences," said Medina.
They also have a WhatsApp chat group where families can connect.
And Medina wants Spanish-speaking families worried about their legal status to know that this is a safe program, and she hopes they allow her to visit with them. They can go to a home, a neutral meeting site like a library or do a virtual visit.
Anyone interested in signing up for Family Connects can ask their pediatrician – or they can fill out a form on the Family Connects website.
