MCHA’s ‘Welcome Baby’ Parents Talk Back

In their year-end fundraising appeal, Maternal and Child Health Access (MCHA) said: “We are grateful to the families who let us into their homes and their lives, and who let us know that we are making a difference!”

Many of these families singled out MCHA’s Welcome Baby program for praise. For instance:

Yvonne was very young when she had her first child. Now pregnant with her second child, she enrolled in Welcome Baby to learn more about infant development and to make sure she knew the best ways to nurture her baby’s healthy growth. “I never knew how important it was to put the baby on the ground so they can start learning how to do things. [Welcome Baby] pushed me to be more active with him.” During the Welcome Baby home visits, Yvonne’s MCHA Parent Coach helped her learn to trust her instincts as a mother. “She would make me feel like I was a good mom, an amazing mom. I’m very grateful for Welcome Baby.”

What else did MCHA hear from Welcome Baby participants? Here’s a sampling:

“I didn’t know I was going to need [my Welcome Baby Parent Coach] as much as I did, and I’m glad I had her.”

“Because of Welcome Baby, I feel there was a big difference between my first pregnancy and my second.”

“I’m very grateful to my Parent Coach for supporting me. I felt I could trust her.”

“I had many doubts and worries, but when Welcome Baby would visit, I would explain what was going on and my Parent Coach would help me resolve some of the worries I had.”

Pregnant? Enroll in Welcome Baby!

If you are pregnant and plan to deliver at California Hospital, call MCHA at 213-342-3127 to enroll in the free Welcome Baby program. Delivering elsewhere? Welcome Baby is offered at these 14 hospitals in L.A. County. Funded by First 5 LA, Welcome Baby and its partner home visiting programs are always free and voluntary. Learn more here.

This post is adapted from MCHA’s year-end donation appeal. Learn how you can support their good work.