Womack Army Medical Center's newly-revamped Pregnancy/Post-partum Physical Training program is making an impact on pregnant and post-partum Soldiers at Fort Bragg.
The P3T program is mandatory for all pregnant Soldiers. The purpose of the program is to aid in rapid recovery and getting moms back to regular unit physical training as quickly and efficiently as possible.
"For the past 20 years, the P3T program emphasized patient advocacy for Soldiers that were being discriminated against in their unit and basically (the P3T program) supporting them through the emotional trials of being pregnant. When I received the program in December 2014, I was concerned about the Soldiers and if they were actually fulfilling their physical requirement to the program," said Capt. Erin Kang, chief of Army Public Health Nursing P3T action officer at Womack Army Medical Center.
On average, there are 600 pregnant and post-partum Soldiers on Fort Bragg at any given time.
"For morning PT sessions, we were only getting about 15 Soldiers to show up and about 30 Soldiers coming to our education classes," said Kang. "That means there were 585 pregnant and post-partum Soldiers who were unaccounted for at morning PT."
Education class topics include things such as immunizations, breastfeeding, and the Women, Infants and Children supplemental nourishment program. These things are not only pertinent for first-time mothers, but for second, third, fourth-time mothers as well, said Kang.
"A lot of Soldiers were under the impression that they did not have to participate because they were not a first time mother, but this program is for every pregnant and post-partum, active-duty Soldier," she said. "The education classes are not only for the mothers, but for the support persons in that pregnant Soldier's life."
The XVIII Airborne Corps has since put out a directive making their brigades responsible for running their own P3T program.
The directive appoints one P3T exercise leader for every 25 pregnant Soldiers. Each leader will attend training and submit progress reports to the P3T program coordinator. WAMC will support the P3T program by maintaining physical profiles, medical data, medical experts and a P3T education coordinator.
"In putting the P3T program back in the hands of the brigades and teaching them how to run a P3T session, they are still doing PT with their units and there is no room for any distrust and this fosters safety, camaraderie, and moral support," added Kang.
For more information on the program, visit the P3T Facebook page at www.facebook.com/APHNPPPT. You may also contact Sgt. 1st Class Monica Jones, P3T program coordinator, at 396-5772 or Stephanie Belli, P3T education coordinator, at 643-2301.
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