The Institute for Women’s Policy Research reported that millions of college students are raising children across the country.
The BYU Student Moms Club provides young moms with a place to find information and support.
Their activity on Mar. 10 was focused on finding empowerment through pregnancy and postpartum.
Speakers from the Utah County Health Department came to speak to young parents.
“Not every aspect of birth can be controlled, and you're right. There's no way to know how those contractions are gonna feel until you get there. So be open-minded," Sharon Tobler, one of the visiting nurses, said.
The speakers covered topics that included prenatal care, false labor and pain management, to name a few.
“It's important to remember that even though contractions will likely feel painful, there are lots and lots of pain management things that you can practice right now to help you get through those contractions,” Mariah Taylor, another speaker, said.
The speakers demonstrated the difference between false and true labor contractions with a balloon and a ping pong ball. They explained that false contractions come from the side. True contractions come from the top of the uterus.
New moms, dads and parents-to-be listened closely, asking questions and sharing their experiences.
“Mental health and emotional health complications during pregnancy are common. It's not something that you should feel you need to hide. It's very, very common. It's a medical condition, just like diabetes, and it's treatable,” Jennie Taylor, another visitor from the Health Department, said.
The speakers ended their presentation on postpartum depression and anxiety.
They say that one in seven women struggle with some form of postpartum mental health issue.
They spoke candidly about the difficulties surrounding childbirth, yet made sure to emphasize the joy that comes with it.
“You feel so relieved that this baby's here and you've got this baby in your arms that you feel great,” Sharon Tobler, a nurse with the Health Department, said.
Postpartum depression, pain management and birth plans are all things that new parents need to understand before they go into having a new baby. This event helped give parents a little bit more peace of mind.