Baby Basics Moms Club is a free and fun program implemented by the Southwest Virginia Perinatal Council for pregnant women. Recognizing the importance of nutrition both during and after pregnancy, the Perinatal Council partnered with Kroger Grocery to help moms learn more about making healthy choices and shopping on a budget. Baby Basics Club Moms Club mothers arrived at the Tanglewood Kroger Grocery Store, where they toured and shopped with specially trained Kroger staff and learned helpful hints about making healthy food choices. They filled their carts with fresh veggies, fruits, and healthy meats, and then wrapped up their shopping in the dairy department for eggs, milk, and juice.

All of the moms embraced the idea of trying new foods. After the tour and shopping, a special meal was prepared by the Kroger Deli. Delicious soups and salad were served – perfect for this chilly fall evening. Our moms were able to take home their selected groceries and hopefully some memories of a fun evening. In 2012 the March of Dimes Virginia Chapter awarded the Perinatal Council over $34,000 in grant funding to begin offering Baby Basics Moms Club in three Southwest Virginia sites. Moms Clubs can be found in Roanoke City at the Carilion OB Clinic, in Radford at Carilion New River Valley, and in Bristol at Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center. All sites offer four meetings per month with evening and morning options. For more information please visit www.bbmomsclub.com or contact Tara West at 540-266-6559.

Baby Basics is a comprehensive pregnancy program that help to ensure that women are better able to care for themselves and their babies. Baby Basics is dedicated to giving mothers educational materials that empower them to access, act upon, and understand healthcare information, have healthier outcomes, and be better able to provide a healthier future for their child.

The Southwest Virginia Perinatal Council has been serving the moms and babies of Southwest Virginia for over twenty-five years and has demonstrated a long history of successful healthcare initiatives. “We are very proud of the work the Perinatal Council and our community partners have brought to this region. It is through these partnerships that we are able to improve the health and well being of the women and infants in Southwest Virginia,” said Merry McKenna.

“The March of Dimes is proud to support the important work of the Southwest Virginia Perinatal Council through this grant,” said Sara Long, Director of Program Services.  “We are acutely aware of how important education is in reducing infant mortality, preterm births, and behaviors that lead to poor outcomes.” Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

To learn more about Baby Basics and the Southwest Virginia Perinatal Council, call 276-676-4501 or visit the website at www.region1rpc.org. To learn more about the March of Dimes, you may visit its website at www.marchofdimes.com or contact the Virginia Chapter at 804-968-4120.

Submitted by Martina (Tina) Cannon