Fathers also need some guidance, and so the fair will hold a special 2-hour workshop for them as well focusing on everything a new father needs to know, diapering, feeding and other care questions as well as a discussion of the change in a relationship and lifestyle once the baby arrives.
"Having a baby is a complicated process with so many decisions to be made," said Sabrina Nitkowski-Keever, Director of Maternal and Child Health at Hudson Valley Hospital Center. "How do I choose a birthing plan? Should I breastfeed? How can I take the best care of my health during pregnancy?: are some of the questions that mothers-to-be frequently ask."
Parents can get many of these questions answered by attending workshops at the fair, which include:
- How to choose a birthing plan that’s right for you. A discussion of the different birthing methods.
- Nutrition: Before, During and After Pregnancy
- What do Doulas do? What do these birthing helpers do, and should you have one?
- Conscientious Fathers: The ABCs of Fatherhood, a special two-hour workshop just for new dads.
Hudson Valley Hospital Center’s Women’s Pavilion for Birthing is dedicated to giving expectant mothers the birth experience they choose. The Hospital offers deliveries by obstetricians and midwifes and assistance by doulas. Hudson Valley Hospital Center is the only Hospital and Birthing Center in Westchester and Putnam counties to be recognized for breastfeeding support by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. The Hospital also offers prenatal education classes, private consultations, telephone triage and a new class on what to expect for grandmothers.
To sign up for workshops or to get a full program of the day’s events, visit www.hvhc.org or call 914-734-3557.
