Jefferson Abington Hospital hosts community baby shower for 60 families

Jefferson Abington Hospital turned a familiar celebration into a care touchpoint, welcoming more than 60 families to its second annual Community Baby Shower and pairing gifts with direct access to maternal-health support. The event, sponsored by Montco Mamas, brought together expectant parents and families with babies up to 6 months old at Lenfest Pavilion at Jefferson Abington Hospital in Abington, with parking directed to the Zipley Garage.

What made the gathering stand out was the emphasis on service, not spectacle. Guests were able to ask questions during an interactive panel that included members of Montco Mamas’ doula team along with two registered nurses from Jefferson Abington Women and Children’s Nursing, Nadji Gilliam and Honor Weber. That format gave families a place to talk through pregnancy concerns, postpartum needs and infant-care questions in a setting that felt low-pressure and approachable.

Montco Mamas, an initiative of Maternity Care Coalition, says its mission is to improve the health and well-being of Montgomery County-based Black and Brown birthing people, infants and their families. The group also says Black babies in Montgomery County are 2.6 times more likely to die than babies of White women, a disparity that shapes its work across pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum support. Its model includes peer support groups, community resources and connections to maternal and child health professionals such as doulas, home visitors and lactation consultants.

Jefferson Abington’s role in the event fit into a broader maternity-care profile. Jefferson Health says the hospital is recognized as a Baby-Friendly hospital, with nurses and lactation consultants providing breastfeeding education, rooming-in and skin-to-skin guidance. The hospital was first designated Baby-Friendly on July 26, 2018, and later earned re-designation in December 2023. Jefferson also lists Abington among its maternity-care honors, including U.S. News & World Report recognition, Blue Distinction Center for Maternity Care status, Birthing-Friendly designation from CMS and Bronze Safe Sleep Hospital recognition from Cribs for Kids. Jefferson Health says Abington also has a Level III NICU.

The baby shower also reflects a pattern of sustained outreach rather than a one-off event. A prior Jefferson Abington-linked Black maternal health summit and baby expo drew more than 300 attendees and included educational sessions and on-site mammograms. Montco Mamas has also been building its workforce, including a December 16, 2023 graduation for 24 doulas and perinatal community health workers, its largest class at the time. Together, those efforts show how the baby-shower format is becoming a doorway to education, trust and care long before delivery day arrives.