Help at Home
by Barbara Dehn - 18th April 2008
New parents in some communities of New York are enjoying an experience that their moms or grandmothers might have taken for granted, but our generation hasn't seen. In the olden days, a nurse would come to your home after you gave birth and help new parents learn about how to feed their babies, care for them and recognize when they were sick or needed to see a pediatrician. There used to be scores of Well Baby Clinics, where public health nurses would provide classes on everything new and experienced parents needed to know. Now in New York, this tradition is returning, and I think it's a great idea, as a former public health nurse.
When I was able to see where people live, the resources they have and what's in their fridge, I was able to provide realistic information for the entire family. When you can spend a hour or more with a new mom helping her get a crying baby latched on, it's very rewarding. Likewise when you can help a new mom figure out how to mix up formula, how to store it, how to warm it as she juggles the demands of two or more other children, it's also very gratifying. Sometimes people have relatives or friends who can help them, but many don't have someone to come over and look at the entire picture, validate all the great things they're doing and offer up suggestions, if asked. I'd like to see more funding for this type of help in the home.
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