CANI's Community Baby Shower Brings Resources and Connection to Expectant Moms

CANI Staff Doula, Gnaun Haymon, speaking with an expectant mom

With a beautiful view of the lake at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Community Advocates of Northern Indiana welcomed expectant mothers for a morning filled with resources, education, and care at its Community Baby Shower. The warm and welcoming space gave expectant mothers an opportunity to connect with one another through fellowship, games, gifts, food, and valuable information to support a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

The Community Baby Shower is part of the Luv Mom Program, which addresses high rates of maternal and infant mortality in Lake County.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, the infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who die before their first birthday, per 1,000 live births in a year. Contributing factors are typically tied to the health of the mother: delayed prenatal care and conditions such as obesity, substance use, maternal stress, and smoking during pregnancy can all increase the risk of poor health outcomes.

Through the Luv Mom Program, CANI provides maternal health education, free doula services, and access to trusted community resources that support both maternal and infant health.

Several vendors joined the event to share their services, including the Lake County Health Department, Community HealthNet, Path4You, Prenatal Well, Northshore, and Methodist Hospitals.

Faith Coleman of Path4You shared how the program helps with family planning and planning for life afterward. The organization offers free birth control across Indiana, assists with transportation, performs removals, and provides same-day access to birth control methods.

"We really emphasize family planning and pregnancy spacing so that the body has time to heal, and birth control can help with that," Coleman said. "We love to come to these types of events, meet the different mothers, and kind of gauge their interest."

Coleman also praised the event itself.

"I have to say this is one of the nicest events I have ever been to," she said. "The restaurant that the event is in is beautiful, and I really enjoyed all the presentations that the organizations gave."

She added that it was an important resource for pregnant moms.

"I wish that when I was pregnant I had come to an event like this so that I could have gotten some resources too, but I just really enjoyed the atmosphere," she said. "Everyone was positive and friendly."

Among the attendees were Alize and her mother-in-law, Natasha. Alize is a first-time mom, 21 weeks pregnant, and said she hadn't known how many resources were available to her before attending

.

"It means a lot, especially for a first-timer who doesn't really know what they're doing and is a little scared," Alize said. "I get to meet new moms too, and get to know their journey, so that I'm not alone. That's very important."

Alize said her favorite part of the shower was the presentations, and she encouraged other expectant mothers to attend.

"For sure, attend the event. There's a lot of help out there that's willing to give you that," she said. "I hope I get to come here with my next child."

Natasha, who is expecting her sixth child, came because so much has changed since her firstborn, who is now 23.

"I'm not a new mom, but I'm starting all over. All my kids are grown," Natasha said. "I just wanna make sure that I'm updated on all the latest information."

She found CANI's shower while searching online — Google, TikTok, and Instagram — for free baby showers, and invited Alize to come with her. Like her daughter-in-law, Natasha said the biggest benefit was being surrounded by resources, learning, and getting out of the house to talk to people.

Her message to other expectant mothers: you're not alone in this.

"You always got somebody," she said. "Whether it's petty, big, or stuff you're just thinking about, there's always someone you could reach out to."

That feeling of not being alone is one of the central goals of CANI's Community Baby Shower.

"Through our Luv Mom Program, these baby showers reflect what's possible when a caring community comes together to surround expectant moms with resources, connection, and the clear message that they are valued," said Tracy Lewis, CEO of Community Advocates of Northern Indiana.

To learn more about the Luv Mom Program or to take part in CANI's next Community Baby Shower, call 219-885-9755 or email info@canihelp.org.in.