New and expectant mothers got the chance to gather health information and talk with a panel of experts during the annual new and expectant mother tea Friday afternoon.
BABE Breastfeeding Coalition President Jilian Reece said the tea was designed to give support for new and expectant mothers with topics such as breastfeeding, nutrition and health concerns while also offering a chance to socialize with other mothers.
Close to 20 vendors were on hand at the tea, and a panel of experts including physicians, nutritionists and lactation specialists were available to answer questions from the mothers.
“We want mothers to know how important breastfeeding is and to provide support for them to show them they are not alone in this,” Reece said.
Sam Slagle attended the tea with her daughter Neela to gather information on resources available to new mothers and to have the opportunity to meet with other new moms in the area.
“I wanted to see what resources were out there so I could gather information to pass on to my friends,” Slagle said. “This is a good opportunity for mothers to socialize and to gain more information.”
One of those informational booths was the TIPS Smoking Cessation program offered by the Carter County Health Department. CCHD employees Tim Bailey and Nancy Sarvis shared information about the TIPS program and invited mothers who used tobacco products to make appointments for a TIPS session.
Ally Folsom, a placenta specialist, represented Bristol Placenta Encapsulation Services at the tea. The service takes a woman’s placenta after childbirth and turns it into a capsule for the mother to take.
“The mother can still reap the benefits of the hormones, iron and vitamins, but it takes away the gross factor that most people associate with placenta consumption,” Folsom said.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee participated in the tea for the first year.
“We offer support for parents to help steer their kids in the right direction and help make sure they reach their full potential,” said Katie Carrico, regional director.
Vendors also included Blue Owl School of Music, Carter County WIC and breastfeeding program, CHIPS Domestic Violence, Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library, ETSU Nutrition, Hands On! Museum, Jessica Scheuer Photography, Just Doula, Medical Care LLC, ReadNPlay, Tri-cities Babywearing and Downtown Chiropractic.
After mothers visited with the vendors, a breastfeeding support presentation was made and the professional panel fielded questions from attendees.