Martinsburg VA Medical Center hosts Baby Shower for Women Veterans
PRESS RELEASE
September 6, 2023
Martinsburg , WV — Seventeen moms, all military service Veterans, came out to celebrate their pregnancies and learn more about caring for themselves and their babies at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center’s baby shower on Thursday, Aug. 31st.
Women Veterans who are registered for care at the VA and who have delivered in the past year or will be delivering in the next several months were invited to the event. Women received donated items for babies birth to one-year, which included items such as strollers, car seats and other needed baby items. Donations from organizations such as the American Legion and the Beeline Organization totaled more that $10,000.
Moms also had the opportunity to learn about health and wellbeing, learning about breastfeeding, nutrition and pelvic floor therapy to name a few.
“Events like this one are normalizing maternity care as Veteran care,” said event coordinator and Maternity Care Coordinator, Krystal Schiro, who is also a Veteran and Registered Nurse. “It lets our Women Veterans connect with other moms like them and see the range of services we can offer them.”
The annual event supports the Women Veterans Program, which provides specialized care for the women Veteran population.
“Women Veterans are the fastest growing segment of the Veteran population and as the age of Veterans receiving care continues to lower, additional services and support, such as pre- and postnatal care, are needed,” said Teresa Wenner, Women’s Health Program Manager.
The Women Veterans Program provides comprehensive primary care in addition to gender specific care as well as Women’s specific group such as equine therapy programming.
