Children & Families First

CARING FOR YOU BABY

we want you both to grow up healthy and happy

YOUR BABY'S HEALTH

The delivery of a healthy baby is a primary outcome of the Children & Families First Nurse-Family Partnership and Early Head Start programs.

Prenatal education is a crucial aspect of a healthy delivery. Pregnant adolescents and women who enroll in these programs receive comprehensive and relevant information about what to expect during pregnancy.

Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) uses the Pregnancy and Early Childhood protocols used in our nurse home visitation program, developed by David L. Olds and associates at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

WHAT DO NFP NURSES EMPHASIZE?

NFP nurses emphasize the following:

  • Prenatal health
  • Access to care
  • Maternal support
  • Child development education
  • Individualized development
  • Family self-sufficiency

Early Head Start uses the Partners for a Healthy Baby curriculum for expectant mothers, which provides both prenatal and postpartum education in a simple, easy-to-understand format.

WHAT DO EXPECTANT MOTHERS LEARN?

Expectant mothers learn key information such as:

  • Common discomforts of pregnancy
  • Questions to ask the obstetrician
  • How the baby is developing and growing during pregnancy
  • The importance of taking prenatal vitamins
  • Avoidance of poisonous substances
  • Other important information needed to have a healthy pregnancy and birth

There are several beneficial parallels between Nurse-Family Partnership and Early Head Start that benefit expectant women and children.

To learn more, visit the National Nurse-Family Partnership site.