Bridges Connect Moms to Miracles

Within one week this summer I had two first-time moms, who were taking BRIDGES classes, express the same excitement.

“This place is a miracle.”

“I would have no idea what I was doing if not for this place.”

Both clients, who started the program in the spring, are becoming mothers for the first time this fall. They came as we were trying out our new Bright Course curriculum, an online program with similar learning opportunities as the DVDs we had been previously using. BRIDGES—our earn-while-you-learn program—helps parents understand this new adventure while earning free diapers, car seats, cribs and more.

Each week Sarah* has come into the office with new changes she is experiencing. Every now and then, she would ask, “Is that normal?” I tried to make sure to choose a lesson for the next visit based on our discussions that week. We discussed breastfeeding, something she said her mother could not do or explain to her. She learned it is indeed possible to breastfeed despite the various reasons she had assumed she could not.

“I just love this place!” she said and called it a “miracle” because she is learning so much and earning things she needed. She has since earned her infant car seat and is working toward a crib and mattress. Now in her third trimester, Sarah is preparing to learn about labor and delivery.

Deborah* started the BRIDGES program a few weeks after Sarah. Deborah is super upbeat and excited about this new baby. She was immediately open to learning about pregnancy and beyond. Each week she would watch eagerly and jot down answers on her worksheet. She would often exclaim, “Wow. I had no idea.” Or “That is really good to know!”

Everything from what not to eat during pregnancy to the best way to hold a baby during breastfeeding has been beneficial to Deborah who takes the fact sheets and homework pages home to her fiancé and reads them to him while they are driving somewhere.

She said she has a special folder at home where she keeps papers from the lessons so she can refer back to them. Crossroads’ Bridges program is a miracle?

For a single mom with an unplanned pregnancy who is nervously jumping into the unknown canyon of childbirth and parenting—Yes.

The program offers her a bridge to cross over knowing “I can do this.”

That is indeed a miracle.

*Clients’ names were changed to protect their privacy. We are dedicated to providing them with confidentiality of services