Image courtesy Pixabay
By LAURA DANIEL
Tiger Media Network
Expectant mothers and their support systems will soon have access to a new series of prenatal education classes at the Hays Public Library, in partnership with K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District.
The program, titled “Becoming a Mom” (BAM), will take place at the Hays Public Library from 5-7:30 p.m. every Thursday starting tonight, aiming to provide education, resources and community support for families preparing to welcome a child.
“Becoming a Mom is a six-week prenatal education class for pregnant women and their support people,” said Monique Koerner, who is involved with the program. “Topics covered include pregnancy overview, healthy pregnancy, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, infant care, and postpartum physical and mental health.”
The classes are designed to equip families with practical knowledge and confidence as they prepare for childbirth and early parenthood. Koerner said the information can help parents better navigate challenges they may encounter.
“The classes give families lots of information about what to expect during pregnancy, labor and delivery, breastfeeding and postnatally,” she said. “The more you know, the better able a family is able to deal with any challenges that come to them.”
Education is paired with opportunities to connect with local resources and other parents in similar stages of life. Each session begins with refreshments and visits from community service providers who can help families learn about available support programs.
“We invite community services to the classes so new families can make connections to helpful resources in the community before they give birth,” Koerner said.
After the guest presentations, instructors present educational content from the March of Dimes curriculum, with time for participants to ask questions throughout the session. Meals are also provided to help remove barriers that might prevent families from attending.
“We also offer a meal with our classes, hoping to break down barriers that parents may have to attending our classes,” Koerner explained.
Limited childcare is available as well.
Participants receive practical incentives for attending, including baby items such as diapers, wipes, toys and sleep sacks. Families who attend at least 4 of the 6 sessions earn larger items, such as infant playmats or portable cribs.
The idea for the classes grew out of discussions within the Ellis County Breastfeeding Coalition.
“We envisioned parents having all the support they needed when having a child,” Koerner said. “We thought it would be great if we had a space where parents who maybe have more than one child could be together with parents expecting their first child and they could support each other.”
Organizers also hope that early connections with community resources will make it easier for parents to seek help after their child is born.
“If parents had that opportunity during pregnancy, we thought it would be much easier for them to reach out after having their child, if they had already made those connections,” Koerner said.
Koerner emphasized that the program is about more than education — it is about building relationships and confidence among new families.
“A family would want to attend so they could get educational information, get connected to resources within the community, receive free items they need for their infant, and connect with other mothers and fathers,” she said. “Being in person with someone going through the same thing you are is powerful.”
She added that the sense of community created in the classes is invaluable.
“I love seeing families together, supporting each other and solving problems,” Koerner said. “It’s really a beautiful thing that we are often missing in the tech-savvy world we live in. We cannot replace the extraordinary and remarkable things that happen in person with technology.”
Through this partnership, the Hays Public Library and K-State Research and Extension hope to ensure that families in the area enter parenthood feeling informed, supported and connected.