By Laura Maxson
Being pregnant with a first child comes with lots of changes. In the best of situations it can be a challenge for expectant families to find their way through the many decisions that need to be made. And when the situation isn’t optimal?
It can feel like a wild ride, as new issues come up faster and faster. An expectant parent can quickly become overwhelmed with so much new information to absorb and situations to work out.
Luckily, Santa Cruz County provides a wonderful program to help first-time mothers/pregnant people navigate the sometimes complicated new world a pregnancy can bring. The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is a free and voluntary program that provides incredible value to mothers, babies, parents, families, and society.
The NFP focuses first on the pregnant person, then continues support up to two years after the baby’s arrival. Although focused on the mother and baby, it is often the entire family that benefits from the program’s influence.
The first-time, low-income pregnant parent needs to sign up during pregnancy before 28 weeks. NFP provides a specially trained nurse to meet with them. Every parent/nurse partnership is a little bit different and is designed to be flexible.
Generally, consultations are more frequent during pregnancy, meeting every week or two. After the baby arrives monthly meetings are common depending on each family’s individual needs. Some people may initially be skeptical of joining up with a county home visiting program, worried about feeling spied upon. What participants find however, is a marvelous safety net of information and resources tailored to their specific needs.
While nurses often do meet up in their clients’ homes, appointments can also take place in local coffee shops, during a lunch break from work or wherever else the client feels comfortable.
An informative video about the NFP program with comments from professionals and parents is available on YouTube at this url: youtube.com/watch?v=rn8V784A6tE.
While every new baby brings change, a first pregnancy can bring questions and worries to the anticipation of becoming a parent. Although everyone’s situation is different, most appreciate this additional support. The NFP nurse can often help navigate issues dealing with relationships, housing, finances, health, or other life situations.
Pregnancy is a time when families are motivated to make positive changes in their lives. The NFP can give them the opportunity and resources to really sort things out for the better. The nurses provide a wealth of information assisting with logistics such as arranging prenatal appointments and new baby visits, nurses can also assist in understanding postpartum recovery and baby’s developmental milestones.
When meeting in the homes of their clients, nurses can better assess current and upcoming needs each family may have. Well versed in community programs and available resources, NFP nurses can help navigate the paperwork to get signed up for classes and programs families might not know exist.
Denny Post, board member of Nurse-Family Partnership says, “Nurse-Family Partnership’s intervention offers a multi generational effect; strong moms raise strong children, strong children become strong parents.” NFP works hard to follow the heart’s desire of each client.
They are there to support, not to direct or preach. Potential clients or practitioners looking for more information can call 831.454.4339 or text 831.566.3592. The county of Santa Cruz Website also has information about the NFP, here is a shortened link to the webpage tinyurl.com/3v9jnuvt.
With over 40 years of evidence-based, documented positive outcomes, the Nurse-Family Partnership continues to grow in popularity. Santa Cruz County is one of the lucky communities to offer this incredibly successful program.
Laura Maxson has been the director of Birth Network since 1998. She became an advocate in the early ’80s after experiencing a lack of information and choice around birth and breastfeeding. Laura has worked as a breastfeeding counselor, childbirth educator, doula, and homebirth midwife.
