Bonding over babies in new mom support group
Having a baby during the COVID pandemic dished out more challenges to new moms than they already face under normal circumstances.
That’s where Ashley Horwitz found herself when she had her first child, Layton, born at Sentara Obici Hospital.
“Layton was born at the height of COVID, and healthcare had changed a lot in what they could offer patients,” explains Ashley, who moved to Portsmouth, Va., in 2018 from Kansas City, Mo. “There was no lactation support group, and he had a lot of difficulties with latching. I was pumping, which was hard to do for nine months.”
They realized that many moms feel alone and cope with perinatal or postpartum mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) – what used to be known as postpartum depression. Some new moms aren’t necessarily sad. Rather, they are often anxious or tired, Tandy adds.
“We used to only focus on depression, and now there’s a recognition that a lot of the emotions are anxiety,” Lisa notes. “That becomes elevated for first-time moms often when they leave the hospital and are home taking care of their infants.”
So, they pursued the idea of creating a Postpartum Support Group at Sentara Obici Hospital. The group follows a Breastfeeding Support Group started by Stephanie Clements, an RN and lactation consultant.
The breastfeeding group paused during COVID-19 and is now back in full swing. It meets from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. Moms weigh their babies before and after feeding them so they can gauge how much they ate. They can also ask any questions that have come up during the week.
Then, moms can stay for the Postpartum Support Group, which meets from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. every fourth Wednesday in the same room. Lisa and Tandy added a second location for moms who would prefer to meet in the evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every second Monday at Sentara BelleHarbour in the community room, suite 307.
“I was so happy when I got that call,” says Ashley, who works in the pathology field as a cytotechnologist. “I didn’t want to go to a dark place, and she called at the perfect time.”
While she felt anxious about going to the group since she didn’t know anyone, Ashley decided it would give her the support she’d been looking for.
“It was a complete game changer,” Ashley says. “It’s one thing to read about having a newborn but another to talk to someone going through it at the same time as you. Everyone’s babies were the same age and doing the same things. I liked having other moms to bounce ideas off.”
When it was time to return to work, Ashley switched to the evening support group, which was closer to her home. She realizes it’s not easy to get out of the house with the logistics of caring for a newborn, but putting in the effort was worth it.
“The best thing you can do is reach out,” Ashley adds. “Don’t sit home and think you can handle it all on your own. Reaching out and talking to someone is never a bad idea.”
Lisa noticed the anxiety Ashley felt when she attended her first couple of groups. She could see Ashley’s spirits lift and confidence grow as she was able to relax with the other moms.
“This is why it makes the group so special and why we are glad to devote time to it,” Lisa says.
For more information about the breastfeeding support and postpartum support groups at Sentara Obici Hospital, please call 757-934-4059 or email Lisa Milburn, maternity nurse navigator, at lcmilbur@sentara.com.
That’s where Ashley Horwitz found herself when she had her first child, Layton, born at Sentara Obici Hospital.
“Layton was born at the height of COVID, and healthcare had changed a lot in what they could offer patients,” explains Ashley, who moved to Portsmouth, Va., in 2018 from Kansas City, Mo. “There was no lactation support group, and he had a lot of difficulties with latching. I was pumping, which was hard to do for nine months.”
New mom support groups
Following the pandemic, Lisa Milburn, RN, and Tandy Coyle, both maternal nurse navigators at Sentara Obici Hospital, identified a need for moms to get practical and moral support from maternal care nurses and other moms.They realized that many moms feel alone and cope with perinatal or postpartum mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) – what used to be known as postpartum depression. Some new moms aren’t necessarily sad. Rather, they are often anxious or tired, Tandy adds.
“We used to only focus on depression, and now there’s a recognition that a lot of the emotions are anxiety,” Lisa notes. “That becomes elevated for first-time moms often when they leave the hospital and are home taking care of their infants.”
So, they pursued the idea of creating a Postpartum Support Group at Sentara Obici Hospital. The group follows a Breastfeeding Support Group started by Stephanie Clements, an RN and lactation consultant.
The breastfeeding group paused during COVID-19 and is now back in full swing. It meets from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. Moms weigh their babies before and after feeding them so they can gauge how much they ate. They can also ask any questions that have come up during the week.
Then, moms can stay for the Postpartum Support Group, which meets from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. every fourth Wednesday in the same room. Lisa and Tandy added a second location for moms who would prefer to meet in the evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every second Monday at Sentara BelleHarbour in the community room, suite 307.
Shared experiences
Maternal nurse navigator Lisa called Ashley a couple of weeks after Chloe was born to invite her to the postpartum and lactation groups.“I was so happy when I got that call,” says Ashley, who works in the pathology field as a cytotechnologist. “I didn’t want to go to a dark place, and she called at the perfect time.”
While she felt anxious about going to the group since she didn’t know anyone, Ashley decided it would give her the support she’d been looking for.
“It was a complete game changer,” Ashley says. “It’s one thing to read about having a newborn but another to talk to someone going through it at the same time as you. Everyone’s babies were the same age and doing the same things. I liked having other moms to bounce ideas off.”
When it was time to return to work, Ashley switched to the evening support group, which was closer to her home. She realizes it’s not easy to get out of the house with the logistics of caring for a newborn, but putting in the effort was worth it.
“The best thing you can do is reach out,” Ashley adds. “Don’t sit home and think you can handle it all on your own. Reaching out and talking to someone is never a bad idea.”
Lisa noticed the anxiety Ashley felt when she attended her first couple of groups. She could see Ashley’s spirits lift and confidence grow as she was able to relax with the other moms.
“This is why it makes the group so special and why we are glad to devote time to it,” Lisa says.
For more information about the breastfeeding support and postpartum support groups at Sentara Obici Hospital, please call 757-934-4059 or email Lisa Milburn, maternity nurse navigator, at lcmilbur@sentara.com.
By: Ashley Horwitz