Healthy Pregnancy & Parenting

Having a Baby?

Are you pregnant for the first time and struggling financially or emotionally? Guilford Child Development’s (GCD) Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program provides FREE in-home care before and after your child is born.

Nurse-Family Partnership

Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is an evidence-based nurse home visitation program, which has been replicated in twenty states drawing national recognition for its positive outcomes. NFP provides nurse home visitation to low-income, first-time mothers. A nurse home visitor educates the mother about the growth and development of her baby and helps her become more self sufficient.

To speak with one of our nurses email Mishawne Carrington at mishawne.carrington@guilfordchilddev .org

Improved Pregnacy Outcomes

We help you obtain prenatal care from your physician
We help you reduce use of cigarettes, alcohol and illegal drugs (if any apply to you)
We teach you about what to expect during pregnanacy, delivery, and the first few months of your newborn’s life
We monitor your health and the health of your baby
We help you avoid unnecessary anxiety and unnecessary trips to the emergency department

Improved Child Health and Development

Teach you how to care for your child and provide your child with a positive home environment
Teach you how to nurture your child
Help you create a safe environment, both within and around the home, were your child can live and thrive
Teach you safe and consistent practices of child discipline
Help you get proper health care for their child

Improved Maternal Life Course Development Can Help You:

Keep your life on track and develop a vision for your future
Make reasoned choices about the partners, family and friends who are involved with your child
Plan future pregnancies
Continue your education and reach your educational and personal goals
Find adequate employment
Become a better advocate for yourself and your child
Become more self-reliant

The Benefits of Nurse-Family Partnership

Play Dates (clients and the nurses interact with the children in a public setting including the Children’s Museum, the library or even a restaurant)
Training’s
Mentor Programs
Baby Bucks
Help in the community

Free In-Home Care

Prenatal education is a crucial aspect of a healthy delivery. Pregnant adolescents and women who enroll in these programs receive comprehensive and relevant information about what to expect during pregnancy.

Visits During Prenatal Care

Ideally, visits begin early in the second trimester (14-16 weeks gestation)

Visits are weekly for the first month after enrollment and then every other week until your baby is born.

Purpose: Teach you about what to expect during pregnancy, delivery, and the first few months of your baby’s life. Help you establish personal goals and become more self-reliant.

Visits After your Child is Born

Weekly for the first six weeks
Twice per month until your child reaches 20 months
Monthly until your child reaches two years old

The purpose of these visits is to teach you about the growth and development of your baby, monitor the health of you and your baby, and continue working towards achieving your personal goals.

Please make sure you meet ALL of the following eligibility requirements before applying for the Nurse-Family Partnership program.

NFP Eligibility Requirements

First time mom
Less than 28 weeks pregnant
Not enrolled in any other home-visitation program
Classified as income eligible according to the NC Poverty Guidelines

Caring For your Baby

Your Baby's Health

The delivery of a healthy baby is a primary outcome of the Guilford Child Development Nurse-Family Partnership and Early Head Start programs.

Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) uses the Pregnancy and Early Childhood protocols used in our nurse home visitation program, developed by David L. Olds and associates at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

What do NFP nurses emphasize?

NFP nurses emphasize the following:

Prenatal health
Access to care
Maternal support
Child development education
Individualized development
Family self-sufficiency

Early Head Start uses the Partners for a Healthy Baby curriculum for expectant mothers, which provides both prenatal and postpartum education in a simple, easy-to-understand format.

What do expectant mothers learn?

Expectant mothers learn key information such as:

Common discomforts of pregnancy
Questions to ask the obstetrician
How the baby is developing and growing during pregnancy
The importance of taking prenatal vitamins
Avoidance of poisonous substances
Other important information needed to have a healthy pregnancy and birth

There are several beneficial parallels between Nurse-Family Partnership and Early Head Start that benefit expectant women and children. To learn more, visit the National Nurse-Family Partnership site.

“Nurse-Family Partnership has helped me shape my life. Before the program, I had no clue how I was going to get and keep my life on track. I have started school for cosmetology since NFP has helped me get my son into Early Head Start. He, too, has excelled and benefited from the program. We are grateful for Nurse-Family Partnership, and I will never forget the values and care that the program and the nurses have instilled. ”

“Before Nurse-Family Partnership, I was coping with being a single mom and not having a father do his part for our baby, Natalia. I wanted to improve my life and situation and not struggle like my mother did. I love working with my nurse, LaWanda, because I can get my questions answered about what’s going on with my body. I’m taking courses at GTCC so I can one day become a nurse."

the Faces behind our Success

We Couldn’t Do It Without Them

Mishawn Carrington– Director
Dana Donaldson– Administrator
Sherika Johnson– Nurse Family Advocate
Beverley McCoy– Nurse Family Advocate

Lea Ann Greer– Nurse Family Advocate
Katherine Kanoy– Nurse Family Advocate
Pam Hawks-Nurse Family Advocate
Donya Lucas– Medical Interpreter