<b>YONGSAN GARRISON, Republic of Korea</b> - More than 80 expectant parents and new parents in the Yongsan community gathered at Army Community Service in for a baby shower April 12. Parents won baby items and received information on child care.
The event kicked off with a Shaken Baby Syndrome speech by Kenneth Cobb, 18th Medical Command health promotion coordinator.
"When you pick up a child and shake them, the neck goes back and forth and the brain bounces off the skull causing problems," Cobb said. "We never want to shake a child."
Parents walked from booth to booth to participate in nine interactive and informative stations. Event organizers showed parents how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on babies.
Men wore empathy bellies designed to simulate pregnancy.
"I didn't realize that there would be that much pressure and that much weight," said Staff Sgt. James McKinzey. "It was very hard to breathe, and that's just five months'"
His wife, Heather McKinzey, who is 37 weeks pregnant learned a lot from the experience.
"The first aid section was really good," she said. "All the booths were great. Just learning all the little things that every parent will need to know, it's edifying."
The baby shower ended with distribution of more than 1,240 baby items, donated by the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, the joint host with ACS for the event.
"They received more stuff than they would have ever expected," said Laketha Prioleau, Zeta Phi Beta sorority social actions coordinator. "That's what we try to do ... to help families who probably can't afford to spend $300 on a crib."
Family Advocacy Program Specialist Margaret Rice emphasized the focus of the event.
"The point of this event is not the presents," Rice said. "It is to meet other parents, and to receive education. All of this, I hope, will help the community."
<a href="http://yongsan.korea.army.mil/sites/news/2008/0418/Baby_shower_Choi.pdf"><img src="http://yongsan.korea.army.mil/sites/local/images/korean.jpg" alt="Korean Versions of USAG-Yongsan Press Releases" width="150" height="49"></a><br>
To view this document in Korean language, <a href="http://yongsan.korea.army.mil/sites/news/2008/0418/Baby_shower_Choi.pdf">download the PDF</a>.
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