O’FALLON – Pregnant moms can get all their “what to expect” pregnancy questions answered by attending any or all of the Prenatal Education programs offered by HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in the coming year.
St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center offers a wide range of services for mothers and infants, and the class schedule for 2022 is now available. It includes Prepared Childbirth Classes, Breastfeeding Fundamentals; and other education about the amenities and quality care at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.
Classes are taught by a registered nurse from St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infant Center and are open to any mom-to-be and their support person. The recommended time to attend is after 28 weeks.
“The overall goal for all of our prenatal education programs is to make sure moms and families maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout pregnancy and are as prepared as they can be for the delivery, as well as taking their baby home,” shared Julie Brooks RN, BSN, CLC, Childbirth Educator and Lactation Counselor at St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center. “We invite all expectant mothers to attend our educational classes, even if you haven’t yet decided where to deliver.”
Brooks also notes that all COVID-19 safety precautions are followed for the classes which are kept to limited numbers, socially distanced and masks are required.
The Prepared Childbirth class is offered as two weekday evening sessions or an all-day Saturday class. Breastfeeding Fundamentals is a weekday evening class. The full calendar of dates at St. Elizabeth’s can be reviewed on the Classes & Events section of the hospital website, www.steliz.org. For more information or to register for classes, email childbirtheduc@hshs.org.
According to the March of Dimes, prenatal education is an important component of supporting healthy pregnancies. Prenatal education promotes the maintenance of healthy lifestyles during pregnancy and helps expectant mothers manage stress, support a healthy diet, avoid harmful chemicals and situations, recognize warning signs and symptoms that mean something may be wrong with their pregnancy, as well as prepare for labor and delivery.
St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center is recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program, created by Cribs for Kids, as a Bronze Safe Sleep Hospital. The Intermediate Care Nursery is also staffed with specially trained nurses to care for babies born with special health care needs.
