Forrest General Hospital’s Spirit of Women Kicks Off New Year of “Madalene’s Moms” Classes
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (January 16, 2024) Forrest General Hospital’s Spirit of Women (SOW) is excited to announce a new year of Madalene’s Moms classes for new and expectant mothers.
Mommy & Me classes give mothers and their babies the opportunity to interact and exercise together using music, movement, story, and rhyme. Topics for Moms include parenting suggestions and child development guidelines. From the First Year until the Toddler Years, children are developing social, language, cognitive, and motor skills for the next season of life while building a network of friends and support.
This year, five sessions will be held – winter (January 22 – February 29), spring (March 18 – May 1), summer (June 10 – July 26), fall (September 9 – October 17), and holiday (October 28 – December 13).
The classes to be offered include:
- Mommy and Me: The First Year – First-year mothers can share stories about their first-year experiences as they learn developmental milestones and fun playtime activities. (Mondays from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
- Mommy and Me: Just Movin’ – Geared toward the early walkers, often 11 to 22 months old. Children experience activities that will develop physical, mental, and social skills. (Mondays from 9 – 10:30 a.m.)
- Mommy & Me – The Toddler Years: – The Toddler Years Class is the perfect launch into pre-school. Moms and their toddlers, age 22 months to 3 years, learn and grow while making great memories. (Wednesdays, 9:30 – 11 a.m.)
- Mommy & Me: Evenings – An evening option of Mommy & Me offered to share the experience with mothers and children not available during regularly-scheduled class times. Only for littles up to 18 months old. (Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.)
- Pregnancy Exercise – In a support group environment, these classes combine stretching, strengthening, and isolation exercises and awareness with education topics such as discomfort releases, labor and delivery preparation, and postpartum recovery. (Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m.)
- Coach’s Corner – This one-session class teaches labor and delivery, breathing techniques, and the coach’s role throughout the childbirth experience. The coach and mother-to-be attend together. Sessions are planned for May 13 and November 18 to those taking part in the Pregnancy Exercise class, but they are also open to the public.
Madalene’s Moms classes are taught by Amanda Sharp, who participated in the Fitness for Two classes taught by Madalene Daniell after the birth of her four children. Amanda also taught the classes on several occasions. Through these classes, Amanda found a community of women supporting one another as they navigated the new roles of motherhood. Amanda is honored to continue the classes while remembering the legacy of Madalene, who died in 2021, after teaching classes for Pine Belt women for more than 40 years.
Classes will once again be held in the Spirit of Women Conference Room at 28th Place (421 South 28th Avenue). The cost is $30 per six-week session. Space is limited. Additional information and updates are available on the Madalene’s Moms Facebook page and by visiting www.forrestgeneral/Madalenesmoms.
