By Roberta Alvarado | Special to The OBSERVER
Hey, new moms! Have you struggled to install a car seat and worried whether you did it right?
Does breastfeeding give you anxiety?
Should your newborn sleep on the side, back, or tummy? How does a sisterhood of support, a welcoming atmosphere, and Mother’s Day love sound?
On May 10, the Rose Family Creative Empowerment Center hosted the second annual “OH BABY” South Sacramento Community Baby Shower, designed to provide answers.
Visitors to Meadowview’s Sam Pannell Community Center were greeted by two tents shading Mercy San Juan representatives managing multiple car-seat safety checkpoints. Ashley, 28, who gave only a first name and was weeks pregnant with her first baby, found the experience valuable as Kristen Lauer and Sandra Zielski guided her step-by-step through installing her baby-to-be’s infant car seat, ensuring it was secure and properly fitted to protect the next generation.
Inside, moms checked in at the door and were welcomed by Jackie Rose, CEO of the Rose Family Creative Empowerment Center, who offered a warm greeting while also surveying community needs. Rose’s goal is “to ensure every mother in South Sacramento, regardless of her circumstances, access to the resources and support she needs to raise a healthy baby and feel confident in her journey.”
Peeking over her shoulder to the back of the auditorium were oversized silver balloon letters spelling out “OH BABY” arched across the stage, where a DJ provided the beats that guests mouthed lyrics to while perusing rows of tables. Nineteen organizations were present, each offering maternal health education and support for Black and Indigenous moms, expectant mothers, and their families.
Talisa Arriola attended with her newest addition, 1-month-old Royal. A first-time attendee, she shared, “I’m looking for resources for single moms and help with breastfeeding.”
Organizations present included Black Infant Health, Her Health First, Black Child Legacy, Community Against Sexual Harm, California Health Collaborative, Center for Oral Health, Vision y Compromiso, Heartland Child and Family Services, and more. Each is dedicated to reducing the disproportionate risks that surround Black mothers and infants. One such table explained Black Mothers United’s mission to support mothers through aligning mind, body, and soul for their well-being while empowering them with doulas, access to lactation support, and guidance through the stages of pregnancy.
For school-age children, a table housed information on the SETA Headstart program, which offers valuable before- and after-school care. Workshops taught the newest studies on infant sleep safety, and local entrepreneurial moms networked their labors of love.
Saneesha Faulkner Knox, founder of Bundles of Healing, took her motherhood experience to make gift baskets to fill the less discussed needs surrounding perinatal care. The day was rounded out by giveaways, free food, a luxurious staging area overflowing with flowers for photographs, and a performance by Sol 2 Soul Line Dancing.
Organizer Toni Johnson, manager of RFCEC’s Community Responsive Wellness Program, emphasized early care for all mothers, adding, “This is dear to my heart because I am a doula.” Her goal was to raise community awareness about available resources for Black maternal health.
Councilmember Mai Vang co-hosted as a staunch advocate for the health of the community she oversees.
Black babies face higher rates of infant mortality, low birth weight, and prematurity more than any group. One of every seven Black infants in California is born too soon and too small. Black women have a much higher percentage rate of pregnancy-related complications, leading to a higher rate of death, regardless of a mother’s income or education level.