Page 14 - FOCUS APRIL 2018

Hey are you ready f o o o o r r r B o o o o ot C a a a m p ?
In less than a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a month John Webb will become a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a first-time father Already he he he he and and his his wife wife have started a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a college fund He has arranged to to to take time time off from work to to to support his his wife wife and and help care for the the the baby baby But what should he he he he he do when the baby cries? “I’m a a a a a a a a a a a a planner ” ” he he he he he said “I “I like to to to be prepared ” ” da
ds!
He found answers to his questions and other valuable insights
at Boot Camp for New Dads a a a a a a a man-to-man community-based workshop that inspires and and equips men of diverse ages and and backgrounds to become confidently engaged with their infants support their their mates and personally navigate their their transformation into dads On a a a a a recent Saturday morning at at Wilmington Annex across the street from Christiana Care's Wilmington Hospital fathers and babies gathered with more seasoned dads who recently
Bcompleted training as as coaches oot Camp sessions are part of an an initiative by Christiana Care Health Ambassadors to bring outreach and education directly to people in the community The program is the fruit of of more than two years of of work by the Wilmington Consortium a a a group of more than 20 agencies committed to to working with neighborhood residents to to address health disparities improve birth outcomes and prevent infant mortality in in in the the city of Wilmington in in in partnership with the the Delaware Fatherhood and Family Coalition “As we we looked for ways to improve perinatal health we we realized that we needed to include men ” said Mychal L Anderson Thomas M M D MPH FACOG “The idea is to engage dads when they are most receptive just just before or or or just just after the child is born ” Implementation of the program is is led by Dr Thomas who is is a a a a member of Christiana Care's OB-GYN faculty and a a a a a a Westside Family Healthcare OB-GYN consultant along with Carla Aponte 12 CHRISTIANA CARE HEALTH SYSTEM
program manager for Community
Health in the Department of Family and and Community
Medicine and and co-chair of the Wilmington Consortium and and Todd Hartsock a a a a a a a a health ambassador and and Christiana Care peer counselor Dr Thomas learned about the Boot Camp concept during her medical school and residency training in in in in Richmond Virginia where the the initiative has been successful in in in supporting fathers in in becoming more engaged with their children’s care As the the Wilmington Consortium looked to to add fatherhood initiatives she advocated bringing the program to Delaware “It’s a a a a a a safe place for men where they can learn how to better partner with with the the mom and plug in with with their baby ” she said “The goal is for men to have ongoing support from other dads and community resources ” Ultimately the program will include reunion meetings ongoing support and a a a a a a Boot Camp for Spanish-speaking fathers As Hartsock guided the the men through the the program he he he advised new fathers to bond with with their babies while providing the the the the mothers with with a a break “Make sure you have alone time with the baby ” he he said “Send mom to to go to to something she enjoys ” He told them to to be prepared for the the gatekeeper phenomenon in in which “the dad is is trying to change a a a a a diaper and the the mom is is hovering over over the baby telling him he he is doing it all wrong ”