BUCKHANNON – A group of expectant mothers in Buckhannon found support, education and friendship in an innovative Pregnancy Centering Class at St. Joseph’s Hospital that offered a new approach to prenatal care that goes beyond traditional brief checkups.
The Center for Women’s Health at St. Joseph’s Hospital is now beginning a second session of the Pregnancy Centering Class, which replaces traditional 15-minute prenatal appointments with two-hour group sessions featuring discussions on pregnancy and postpartum issues.
Caitlin Morgan, a nurse midwife at St. Joseph’s Hospital, said she learned about centering classes during a training session, and she wanted to adopt the idea in Buckhannon.
“We take a group of pregnant women who are the same gestational age, and instead of having 15-minute appointments, it gives them a two-hour window,” Morgan said. “We still do the physical exam, including monitoring baby vitals, but then we also break off into a group setting and talk about education, answer questions and discuss concerns. The patients drive where the conversation goes and what topics and goals they want to talk about.”
The centering classes cover a range of topics, from pregnancy discomforts to postpartum challenges. Participating mothers praised the program for its educational value, emotional support and the lasting friendships formed during the sessions.
“I liked the fact that centering was about empowering women to be involved and active in their own care,” Morgan said. “On top of that, it brings a connection, because there is a lot of postpartum anxiety, depression and a lack of support systems in the area, which is something I have heard over and over again. So the fact that this brought people together, that was what inspired me to want to bring it here.”
Five mothers participated in the recently completed first session of the centering class, and they recently had a reunion to commemorate.
“This is a celebration for everybody,” Morgan said. “We’ve talked about personal details, shared stories, fears, thoughts and really connected. They have a group chat; they’ve been talking postpartum and are a support system for each other. This is just getting everybody together and celebrating that.”
The second session recently kicked off with three participants so far.
“They’re only on their second class,” Morgan said. “We have three [mothers], and we would definitely like to grow that number. It’s new, so people are slightly hesitant about joining, but the people who have gone through the program are ecstatic at how well it has gone. As far as joining, we currently have one session going, and we will be trying to incorporate more people. We hope to get another one started very shortly; joining is offered at their first OB appointment at the Women’s Health Center.”
Participating mom Caroline Crislip said she joined the first session in December 2023.
“I had a very rough postpartum during my first pregnancy, so it was nice to have a group to go to for support,” Crislip said. “I learned a lot more because of this, along with my regular prenatal appointments, than I did the first time.”
Crislip encouraged anyone on the fence to join the classes as soon as they can.
“You have to join — you learn so much, you get a group of friends for your babies and for you, and it will help a lot with postpartum because that is the hardest phase,” she said. “It was really hard for me the first round, and this time has been so much easier. We have a group chat, but I love the actual appointments. They were two hours, and we got to hang out and have our appointments together, and we learned a lot. Before, it was just a 15-minute appointment, which didn’t give you a chance to learn as much.”
Participating mom Jade Kesling said she was initially uninterested in joining the group, but she changed her mind.
“When they gave me the paper, at first, I threw it away,” Kesling said. “But then I thought about it, since I was by myself for a while. I decided to try it to be able to learn more about parenting and how to take care of children, and to meet people so I didn’t feel like I was by myself anymore. We still have a group chat right now, and we’re talking every single day. We ask each other about our babies, and if we have questions, we answer them and share helpful TikTok tricks back and forth.”
Kesling said one of the greatest benefits was getting the chance to know her care team before she gave birth.
“I think that’s the best thing we got out of it, getting to know our providers way better,” she said. “When I got to deliver, it was Caitlin who delivered him, and it was a million times better for me. I really think that if she wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have been able to do it naturally.
“I would tell people to just try it, because you don’t know until you try. I tried it, and I liked it, when I didn’t think I would. Now, I have a lot of people who I am able to ask for advice, because I’m a first-time mom, and they’re all on their second. So it’s been really helpful to me to be able to learn a lot and make friends.”
