FORT RUCKER, Ala. – For new parents at Fort Rucker, regaining strength and finding a supportive community before and after childbirth is now more accessible thanks to a free program through Army Community Services called "Core and Cuddles."
The program, which held its first class on Sept. 5, 2025, was created by Stevie Urban, a New Parent Support Program nurse and the lead for the class. Urban, a mother of five and a certified personal trainer with a specialization in prenatal and postnatal fitness, was inspired by her own experiences.
"I had no education on proper fitness when I had my first child," Urban said. "I’d hear all the time that good fitness equals good labor… and then they would tell you, walk, walk, walk, when you're pregnant. Okay, well, I feel like we should be able to do more than just that."
Urban recognized that physicians often lack the time to provide in-depth fitness education to their pregnant and postpartum patients. She wanted to create a program that offered more than just general advice, focusing on functional training to help mothers rebuild their core strength after labor.
"We, as moms, give birth and then are constantly bending over and trying to keep up with them and we need specific core strength to do all of that and rebuild our bodies well after labor," she said.
The program isn’t just for moms; dads are also welcome. Along with the packet of information sent home with new parents is a section on pelvic floor health for men.
“We have had some dads attend and they learned a lot!” Urban said. “Some come with their spouses, but we have also had full-time dads bring their babies. They can pass off what they learn here to their spouses and get their little ones around other kids close to their age.
The journey from idea to launch took about seven months, even if the dream of something like this formed for Urban as early as 2019. After joining the New Parent Support Program with Army Community Services in February 2025, Urban proposed the new class, developed the curriculum, secured a safe location and navigated the legal requirements. Since its start, every Friday class has been full. The program has even seen mothers who attended while pregnant return with their new babies.
The impact of "Core and Cuddles" is evident in the stories of its participants.
Tania Laureano, a Fort Rucker military spouse and new mother to a nine-month-old son, has been attending the class regularly.
"It’s helped a lot with getting my discipline again," Laureano said. "Since this is my first baby, it was hard to find time to work out, and this made me be able to get out of the house with him regularly. I even learned about diastasis recti and strengthening my core appropriately after having a baby.”
Brittany Felts, another Fort Rucker military spouse and new mother, emphasized the sense of community she found in the class.
"It's weird, but I feel more vulnerable and able to open up here with the moms, we're just, like, all on the same page," Felts said. "We're all in here in this safe little room. It's fun to connect with other moms, especially new moms I haven't met before."
Both mothers encourage others to join.
"They should come," Laureano said. "It's hard for military families to have connections and get to know new people, so this is a good opportunity to really have that."
Felts agreed. "We welcome all. Everyone here is super nice, super inviting no matter what stage you're at in parenting. So just come out and try it out, and you'll probably connect."
According to Urban, the most rewarding part is seeing the "aha moments" when they realize the importance of strength in motherhood.
"I think my favorite thing is when the moms come back to another class, and they tell me they never realized how much they didn't use these specific core muscles that I have taught them how to properly engage," she said. “Besides the obvious physical strength, I love seeing them engage with each other and find strength in this community.”
Classes are now held every Friday from 0900-1000 inside the physical fitness center, for more information call New Parent Support at 334-255-9647 or 334-255-3359 or see attached flyer for more details.
Social Sharing