18 Jan The #1 question new moms ask?
Being a new mom is hard, but it doesn’t have to be with the right support. The ReadyKids Healthy Families program fosters nurturing family relationships for pregnant moms and safe environments for young children. The Family Support workers can answer questions, offer resources, or be a shoulder to cry on.
Combined, the Healthy Families three home visitors – Becca, Maria and Samira – are fluent in six languages and can support mothers who speak English, Spanish, Dari, Hindi, Farsi or Urdu. Last year they served over 52 new mothers in the Charlottesville area.
Across these languages and cultures, one question emerges most frequently from the new moms they visit. Is my child getting enough to eat? Newborn crying can mean a lot of things. But, none plagues a new mother’s heart more than the worry that their child may be hungry.
Is My Baby Getting Enough to Eat?
“We get a lot of questions from new moms about eating,” said Maria Lopez-Carbajal, a Healthy Families Family Support Worker. “Whether the baby is breastfed or formula fed, they worry about how much is enough or too much. Especially if they are first time moms or if older generations are pushing them to feed solids early.”
The Healthy Families workers have training in newborn and early childhood development, which gives them the tools to answer a worried mom’s questions.
“We respond to these questions by talking about on demand feeding and recognizing the baby’s hunger cues,” said Becca Mays, another Healthy Families Support Worker. “If they are worried about whether the baby is getting enough to eat, we encourage them to count the number of wet and poopy diapers. Output is a good indication of input.”
“A lot of what we do is normalizing a new mom’s feelings and worries,” said Samira Khairkhawa.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a Healthy Families home visitor, refer yourself to us through our online self referral system. We would be happy to talk with you!
