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Charlotte Amalie
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesFirst Lady Hosts Text4baby Shower

First Lady Hosts Text4baby Shower

The Ballroom at Government House is the setting for all sorts of special events, but Sunday was probably the first time the territory’s first lady hosted a baby shower for multiple pregnant women.

The shower drew 32 expectant parents – including 12 fathers-to-be. It was possible because a program conceived locally by Cecile de Jongh won a national award.

The territory was recognized recently for its participation in the national Text4baby program at the second annual Martha May Eliot Awards Ceremony at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

“The service provides valuable and timely information during pregnancy and a baby’s first year, towards giving infants the best possible start in life,” de Jongh said.

The program, Text4baby, is a six-month national initiative to help new and expecting mothers stay connected to health and wellness information. The Virgin Islands received an honorable-mention award for securing the highest participation percentage in the nation amongst pregnant women and new mothers. More than 500 Virgin Islanders have signed up to receive the free service, a number that caught the attention of the national Text4baby organization.

Debbie Jagrup, whose baby is due May 18, said she uses Text4baby all the time and looks forward to the texts sent to her three times a week on pregnancy information. Her husband, Gideon Jagrup, said they are first time parents and are pretty excited.

“We are following all the necessary steps to get as much information as possible,” Jagrup said. “We’re thankful the government financed this opportunity for us to get information.”

Ludis Keon, due in January, said she likes the fact that she gets reminders of doctor’s appointments that she has entered as a text.

Ellie Hirsh, director of the Family Connection Council and coordinator of the Early Childhood Advisory Committee, said Text4baby is a step in preparing for a baby to be born healthy.

“I’m glad to see so many sign up to get information on mothers’ and babies’ health,” Hirsh said. “We want to see healthy and happy babies, moms and dads.” She added they will do workshops on breast feeding and baby massages to keep new mothers engaged.

Roy’s Catering, Teddy’s, Twin City Productions and Chearoll Looby donated refreshments for Sunday’s events and Small Wonder, Carambola, Renuatum Spa, Terry’s School Uniforms and others provided door prizes. Zeta Phi Beta sorority sisters donated gift bags full of clothing, sleepers, hats, bibs, washcloths, diapers and infant toiletries.

“We wanted to show the more love you give to a child the better off they are,” Michell Gibbs, sorority sister, said. “It’s good to see fathers here because a child needs two parents.”

Each mother got a tote bag from de Jongh with children’s story books, a rattle and a newsletter from the Family Connection, a Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands program.

In November deJongh held a shower for expectant parents on St. Thomas.

The text message service is available to women who are pregnant or whose babies are less than one year old. By texting “BABY” to 511411, or “BEBE” in Spanish, subscribers receive three text messages a week on topics critical to maternal and child health, including preventing birth defects, immunization, nutrition, seasonal influenza, mental health, oral health, and safe sleep. Text4baby messages also connect women to prenatal and infant care services and include features such as appointment reminders, interactive features, fun quizzes, urgent health alerts, and other resources.

Cecile de Jongh launched the Virgin Islands text4baby program in February 2011 at the Maternal and Child Health offices on St. Thomas. The effort is a joint project of the Children and Families Council, which she chairs, as well as the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, the Family Connection, and the Early Childhood Advisory Council.

More information is available online at www.text4baby.org.

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