- May 8, 2024
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Nurse Amy Velez cradles 3-month-old Alannah Harper while her mom, Melissa Albrecht, looks on (Photo by Emily Blackwood).
Denisa Perdue laughs at her son, 3-month-old Bernard, who instantly posed for a photo (Photo by Emily Blackwood).
Clayton Lisicki, 5 months old, enjoys the attention of all the moms (Photo by Emily Blackwood).
Lucus Chance, 10 months old, curiously crawled throughout the cafeteria annex (Photo by Emily Blackwood).
Magnolia French, 7 months old, loved interacting with all the other babies (Photo by Emily Blackwood).
At any given moment there are 20 different things happening during Mommy Baby University. If you look to your left, you can spot Lucas Chance, 10 months old, crawling under a table looking for trouble. A few feet away, 10-month-old D.J. Dickerson is trying to steal a very enticing pink phone. All the while 5-month-old Clayton Lisicki has captured an audience showing off his latest feat of sitting up on his own.
This chaotically cute scene can be found every other Wednesday at the Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center for their Mommy Baby University. Formally known as Mommy to Mommy, this free class also serves as a support group for new and future moms to meet new friends and learn how to be the best moms they can be. Led by Parent Educator Amy Decicco and Nurse Educator Salli Melvin, the class curriculum is designed to support, sustain and enlighten local moms.
"We always say we wish we had this when we had our first kids," Melvin laughed. "With a new baby, you're going crazy at home and feeling isolated. This is a way to get out so you don't feel so insane. There's a lot of good things that come with a new baby, but it's nice to have the support of people who know what you're going through."
The class, which was held at the hospital a few years ago, was restarted by Decicco and Melvin in October 2014. The ladies started with just one mom and now have an average of 20. The class includes light refreshments, crafts and guest speakers ranging from neonatologists and lactation consultants to massage therapists and policemen. Though all the moms enjoy the educational benefits of the class, they say their favorite part is the social interaction for their babies — and for themselves.
"It's great because you get all the moms together and all the babies together," said Amber Lisicki, "and you don't feel like you're the only one in the world that has issues."
The class has become so popular that the hospital is moving it into a bigger room next year. Starting Jan. 13, MBU will be held in the Medical Office Building Classroom.
"Personally, it was very overwhelming to have that first baby," Decicco said. "You don’t leave the house. The moms who come here gain support and are able talk about their problems. It feels good to influence and make a change in these moms' lives."
