Manchester Memorial Hospitals Fourth Annual Mommy and Baby Fair A Big Success

Manchester Memorial Hospital (MMH) witnessed heavy traffic and excited participants as it hosted the fourth annual Mommy and Baby Fair at EKUs Manchester Campus on 15^th September, to support new mothers and answer any questions they might have about their pregnancy or infants.

The Mommy and Baby Fair acts as an excellent source of information for future parents and families to learn about the community resources available to support them during this exciting time in their lives. With awareness and education, parents can be empowered and inspired to make the right decisions for their family, said Hurriyat Ghayyur, marketing director at the hospital.

This year at the Fair, there were 29 booths, comprising of informational booths as well as vendor booths. One of the best things about the Fair this year was that the Hospital, in collaboration with the Clay County Public Library, had set up a colorful Kids Area, where parents could leave their children and go around the room at leisure, while their kids were taken care of.

This was the second time that passports were used at the Baby Fair. Each participant had to get their passports stamped by 9 booths in order to qualify for the door prize drawings. The booths included on the passport were from the hospital, community agencies and retail sector.

The hospitals clinical staff could be seen conducting free health screenings and giving out information on childbirth classes, Kangaroo Care and other programs running at MMH. Willowbrook Women's Center and Manchester Pediatrics not only had booths there, but their providers, such Michile Hacker, APRN, and Kristina Burchfield, APRN, were also present during the Fair to answer questions and offer guidance to the parents. Their booths also held regular raffles for giveaways, and together with the Hospitals OB department, the two clinics sponsored 5 of the major door prizes.

Many other representatives from MMH were also on hand to educate and facilitate knowledge-seekers. The hospitals CREATION Life team had a delightful booth and provided information regarding the guiding principles of Creation Life, especially during pregnancy. Right next to their booth, with lots of healthy fruits was Kellie Gray, the hospitals Dietician, leading a discussion concerning diet changes that promote better health in expectant mothers and newborns. Present alongside was Megan Kunkel, Diabetes Educator at the Hospital.

UK Healthcare was also present at the venue with the Blue Angels program, giving out information on high risk pregnancies. Other community representatives included the Extension Office, Cumberland Valley Health department, Save the Children, all six Family Resource Centers, Red Bird Mission and many more.

Intermingled with these informational booths, the vendor booths were a kaleidoscope of colors! By popular demand, the MMH Gift Gallery also hosted a booth featuring baby accessories, stuffed toys, and Mud Pie brand clothing.

The hospital would like to thank all the vendors and community partners, and everyone who helped set up the baby fair and make it a success.

For more information on the upcoming community events by Manchester Memorial Hospital, call at Call606-598-1095 or visit AdventHealth Manchester.

*published in the Manchester Enterprise