Capital Health Hosts Community Baby Shower for Growing Families in Trenton

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Capital Health recently held its Community Baby Shower at Thomas Edison State University in Trenton, New Jersey for women who are pregnant or delivered within the last three months. Mothers and their support people enjoyed a fun and educational afternoon led by experts from Maternity Services and other departments at Capital Health as well as staff from many community agencies that serve Trenton.

"Capital Health's connection to the residents of Trenton goes back more than 100 years, and our Maternity Services Program has received national recognition for excellence in providing care for underserved populations in our region," said Suzanne Borgos, Chief Strategy Officer at Capital Health. "Initiatives like our Community Baby Shower are key parts of our outreach programs, which support our mission to provide equitable access to the most comprehensive maternity care in the region."

Attendees included 155 women and more than 200 support people and children who enjoyed free lunch, raffles, giveaways, food from the Arm in Arm Mobile Food Pantry, meals from Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), and blood pressure screenings. Expert speakers led discussions on a range of topics, including perinatal nutrition, prenatal exercise, lactation, pediatrics, and Connecting New Jersey, a program of the State of New Jersey that provides families access to community resources and services they need to raise healthy children. Special guests also included Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Trenton Council President Crystal Feliciano, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, and representatives from both Senator Shirley Turner and Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli's offices.

Information tables from Capital Health were hosted by staff from its Maternity Services, Childbirth Education, Emergency Medical Services Education, Lactation, and Pediatric Services departments as well as the Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center. Many Trenton-based community partners were also on hand to share information with attendees, including the Central Jersey Family Health Consortium, Child Care Connection, Children's Futures, The Children's Home Society of New Jersey, the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Aetna, New Jersey Department of Health, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK), Trenton Health Team, Womanspace, and more. The Arm in Arm Mobile Food Pantry distributed 350 bags of fresh produce and other staples to families and the TASK food truck served 590 meals.

The next community baby shower is planned for September 28 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. with a location to be determined.

Capital Health was named among the best in the nation on the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity list and one of 73 in the country to earn its "Maternity Care Access Hospital" designation by serving communities that would otherwise be maternity care deserts. Capital Health was also recently recognized for its success in supporting black maternal health by U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News' analysis of all High-Performing Maternity Care Hospitals in the U.S. identified just 26 hospitals nationwide achieving excellent outcomes for cesarean section and unexpected newborn complications among black patients.

Recently, Capital Health was also one of three anchor tenants approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to lead the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center (MIHIC) in Trenton. The three entities, which also includes Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and Trenton Health Team, will work collaboratively to provide services focused on addressing a myriad of issues around maternal and infant health in Trenton and across New Jersey, including pre- and post-natal clinical services, education programs to cultivate the perinatal workforce, and social and wrap-around services. The NJEDA is developing the MIHIC in partnership with the Office of First Lady Tammy Murphy and the newly established Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority (MIHIA), which will oversee the MIHIC's day-to-day operations long term. The MIHIC is a central component to First Lady Tammy Murphy's Nurture NJ initiative and will serve as a hub for New Jersey's stakeholders dedicated to eliminating racial disparities and advancing maternal health equity in the state.

The Maternity Services Program at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell makes up the most complete maternity facility in the area. From routine deliveries to high-risk needs, staff at the Josephine Plumeri Birthing Center at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell provide a full range of prenatal, obstetrical, postpartum, and neonatal care options so newborns have the greatest chance for a healthy start. The designated Regional Perinatal Center provides neonatal care, including Mercer County's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for at-risk births. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/maternity.