Support Center for New Parents Opening in Fairhope
Gulf Coast Lactation (GCL) in Fairhope’s Warehouse District will open in March 2020 as a full-service nonprofit clinic for new parents to network and get the support they need for a healthy start to parenthood. “Being a parent is hard and we want to make it a little easier. Too many moms don’t get the help they need to breastfeed successfully, too often because there is no one to encourage, coach and teach the basic skills that create and maintain a good experience,” says founder Scotty Thomson, who has 25 years of experience in maternal-child nursing including labor and delivery, mom-baby couplet care and lactation consultation.
GCL’s services will include one-on-one prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding consults, postpartum mood disorder screening, community support groups for moms and newborn classes designed specifically for dads. A certified lactation consultant will provide services and appointments for GCL families while working closely with other area clinicians who are supporting good birth and early childhood experiences.
Thomson says, “We hope to create a safe space for families to gather and make lifelong connections with other members of the community while getting support for whatever issues they are facing.”
Fundraising for this community resource is ongoing. To donate, visit TinyURL.com/GCLstartup. For more information, call 251-455-8928 or email [email protected].
