More than a baby shower: VA event teaches parents life-saving skills

Preparing growing families for a stronger start

At a recent Baby Safety Shower, expecting Veteran mothers and parents of newborns learned something even more valuable than diapers, car seats, pack-and-plays and other baby essentials: how to save their child’s life.

The G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center hosted a Baby Safety Shower focused on life-saving skills, practical resources and support for growing Veteran families. Unlike the facility’s past quarterly baby showers, this event was designed to help parents prepare for emergencies while celebrating one of life’s most important milestones.

“This wasn’t our typical baby shower,” said LaTanya Sessoms, maternity care coordinator at the medical center. “We wanted families to leave with more than gifts. We wanted them to leave with knowledge, confidence and peace of mind because the greatest gift we can give parents is knowing they are prepared to keep their children safe.”

Learning skills that save lives

Parents participated in hands-on demonstrations covering infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), choking response, safe sleep practices, and proper car seat installation and use. The training provided families with practical skills they can use from the moment they bring their baby home.

Staff guided attendees through realistic scenarios and answered questions about common infant safety concerns, giving parents the chance to practice critical skills in a supportive environment before they might ever need to use them in an emergency.

For many parents, few situations are more frightening than an emergency involving their child. The Baby Safety Shower was designed to help Veteran families feel prepared before those moments arise.

More than a celebration

The event also provided families with much-needed baby essentials.

A donation from Amazon allowed organizers to provide attendees with car seats, pack-and-plays, diapers, wipes, infant CPR kits and other baby essentials. The contribution complemented the educational focus of the event by ensuring families left with both life-saving knowledge and practical resources to support their growing families.

Combined with the hands-on safety training, the donated supplies helped parents feel more prepared and confident as they welcomed a new child into their home.

Supporting Veteran families

The Baby Safety Shower was specifically designed for expecting Veteran mothers and Veterans who recently welcomed a child. In addition to safety training and baby essentials, attendees learned about maternity care resources available through VA.

Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare may be eligible for maternity care coordination, prenatal care, mental health support and postpartum services. Maternity care coordinators help Veterans navigate pregnancy, delivery and the year following childbirth, ensuring families receive the support they need every step of the way.

The event offered conversation and a welcoming atmosphere where families could celebrate together while preparing for the future. It was an opportunity to build confidence, strengthen connections and remind parents that they are not alone on their parenting journey.

As parents left carrying car seats, diapers, wipes, pack-and-plays and baby supplies, they also carried something less visible but equally important: the confidence to protect their children when it matters most.

“The items we gave away will make life a little easier,” Sessoms said. “But the knowledge parents gained could stay with them forever.”