The EpiCentre’s Centering Pregnancy program brings moms-to-be together
For expectant mothers, some of the biggest questions about pregnancy don’t always fit neatly into a 30-minute appointment. What will labor really be like? How will breastfeeding go? What happens after the baby arrives? These are questions that could easily fill an appointment — and then some.
“Patients don’t normally get two hours with a provider,” says Madison Haarsgaard, a nurse practitioner and former labor and delivery nurse at The EpiCentre, an obstetrics and gynecology practice.
But, here, they do.
The EpiCentre created the CenteringPregnancy program, giving mothers-to-be something traditional prenatal care can’t: time to ask those questions to the nurse practitioner, learn from other mothers and prepare for what’s ahead.
How CenteringPregnancy Works
CenteringPregnancy brings expectant mothers together for a nurse practitioner-led support group based on their expected due dates. The two-hour group sessions are held during participants’ regularly scheduled prenatal appointment times, so they serve as an extended prenatal visit rather than an additional meeting.
Each session includes individual health assessments and belly checks, along with an educational topic that helps guide the conversation. Labor, delivery, birth plans, stress and life after the baby arrives are all discussed, with participants helping shape the conversation.
“I tell everyone at the beginning of the first session that my goal is for them to feel supported and loved and be able to advocate for themselves,” says Haarsgaard, who leads the groups. “We dive into every aspect of pregnancy.”
Participants join around 16 weeks of pregnancy and meet initially once a month and then every two weeks as pregnancy progresses. Groups are limited to 10 women.
Dr. Kenosha Gleaton, who opened The EpiCentre in 2021, was inspired to create a pregnancy support group after caring for a patient whose personal circumstances revealed the importance of having a safe, supportive space during pregnancy.
Support During Pregnancy and After Birth
Participants establish confidentiality at the beginning of the program, creating a space where women can talk honestly about anxiety, fears surrounding childbirth and difficult personal circumstances. Many continue through group texts, sharing advice during pregnancy and after their babies are born.
The program also includes a baby shower and a postpartum gathering at six weeks, when mothers return with their babies to share their birth stories and experiences.
Offered at no additional cost to EpiCentre patients, CenteringPregnancy participants have higher breastfeeding rates and lower rates of preterm birth.
“Patients go through pregnancy with other women who are going through exactly what they’re going through at the same time,” Haarsgaard said. “Many women who become pregnant again want to join again, which I think is a testament in and of itself that they loved it so much the first time and want to join it again.”
