NPSP aids expecting, new parents

  • Published
  • By Richard Nault
  • McConnell Family Advocacy Program treatment manager
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Military life poses special challenges for servicemembers and their families. 

One way the Air Force helps families meet these challenges is through the New Parent Support Program. 

McConnell's NPSP offers the same services as other bases, plus some benefits unique to the program here. 

Air-Force-wide the program provides home visits from registered nurses or clinical social workers to families with children under 3 years old and parents who are expecting, upon request. The parent support program also provides in-home marital and family counseling and education on pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and raising newborns and toddlers. 

McConnell's NPSP not only provides these services, but also offers Lamaze classes and special courses such as the New and Expectant Parent Orientation class and has a breast pump loan program. 

"Lamaze is considered one of the best ways to assure a best-outcome delivery during childbirth," said Cindi Stueland, McConnell Family Advocacy Program nurse. "McConnell started offering a Lamaze program on base in response to complaints that off-base programs were too expensive and inconvenient. The NPSP-sponsored Lamaze course is one of our most highly attended classes and continues to grow in popularity." 

The New and Expectant Parent Orientation is a monthly seminar designed for women in their first or second trimester of pregnancy and their partners. The seminar offers information about pregnancy, postpartum, breast feeding and related on- and off-base resources. The class also provides diet and exercise tips and information on health insurance coverage. All participants receive a free swaddle sleep sack for baby, a $19.95 value. 

The NPSP breast pump loaner service is another program driven by requests from the McConnell community. This program took shape about six years ago. It enables new mothers to borrow hospital-grade breast pumps, worth hundreds of dollars, for free. This program is so popular, it is common for NPSP to have 70 or more of its 85 breast pumps loaned out at one time. Parents can pick up a pump once their baby is born. 

Another way the NPSP gets information to expectant parents is through the Great Expectations program. Several base agencies partner for this program to teach soon-to-be parents what to expect during the third trimester of pregnancy and how to care for a newborn. Expectant parents learn how to calm a crying baby; deal with relationship changes parenthood can bring; use a car seat safely and budget for baby. Participants also learn about daycare options, choices for pediatricians, registering baby in Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, and more. In addition, attendees receive "bundles for babies," courtesy of the Air Force Aid Society. These bundles are filled with $75 worth of items for baby.

Team McConnell members who take advantage of the NPSP here can also receive a variety of free books on pregnancy and parenting, a maternity journal and organizer and a DVD on pregnancy. 

"Our hope is that education during pregnancy decreases anxiety and provides a smooth transition into parenthood," Nurse Stueland said. 

For more information on class times, locations, and other NPSP services, call 759-5772.