Edie Bobko, Beth Elswick, and Michelle McPheron
Breathe Easy Baby!
| Southwest Virginia Perinatal Council
25% of the women in Southwest Virginia, smoke throughout their pregnancies. This results in low birth weight babies and a high incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Today, thanks to a dynamic team from the “Breathe Easy Baby” Program of the Southwest Virginia Perinatal Council, many mothers-to-be are “kicking the habit” –- and having healthy babies! Working in three different health districts, Beth Elswick, Michelle McPheron, and Edie Bobko make up the Breathe Easy Baby team.
Beth, Edie, and Michelle work diligently and creatively to help their pregnant clients stop smoking. Over 700 women have now received one-on-one help with kicking the smoking habit. Remarkably, 49% of those who quit smoking during their pregnancies were still smoke-free three months after giving birth.
The encouragement and personal attention they provide give just the boost that some women need during this difficult transition from chemical dependency. They make home visits, give lots of encouragement, and field calls at all hours. As an incentive, this resourceful team garnered donations for gift baskets which it uses as prizes when the women reach their goals. Each office has its own “Brag Board”, with photos of healthy newborns and the tagline “I was born smoke-free!”
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