Community Baby Shower Boasts Biggest Success to Date

High chairs, wipes and diapers, oh my! For the ninth year, the Stork’s Nest Baby Shower has rewarded Lubbock women and teens for staying healthy during their pregnancy.

By encouraging low-income pregnant women to educate themselves on pregnancy and receive early and regular prenatal care, expectant mothers are able to earn points, which they can exchange for baby products at the annual event.

“The Stork’s Nest is a very important incentive program to help pregnant women and teens with education about nutrition during pregnancy, parenting, labor, breastfeeding, staying healthy during pregnancy and care for their babies,” said event organizer Linda Brice, R.N., Ph.D., associate professor in the Perry School of Nursing.

Prior to the event, donations of new baby items, auction items and money were collected. This year’s event raised more than $100,000 for pregnant women and teens in the community. Throughout its nine years, the Stork’s Nest Baby Shower has received $354,000 in new baby items and monetary donations.

“I want to thank the Lubbock community for supporting the School of Nursing in its annual quest to help decrease the high rate of preterm births, low birth weight babies and neonatal complications by helping pregnant women and teens receive prenatal care and education with the March of Dimes sponsored Stork’s Nest,” Brice said. “I want to thank my nursing students and our business co-sponsor FirstCapital Bank for helping us go over our goal with their sponsorship and hard work.”

The Stork’s Nest is a national cooperative project of the March of Dimes and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. The project is now part of the Larry Combest Community Health and Wellness Center, a nonprofit nurse managed primary health care center operated by the Perry School of Nursing.

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