Worcester Telegram & Gazette News:
Is a local golf club preparing newborns to be the next Tiger Woods? Not just yet. The mothers and babies entering Cyprian Keyes Golf Club in Boylston on weekday mornings aren’t there for the golf.
The second floor of the clubhouse is home to Mothers & Company or MoCo, which a year ago started offering childbirth and infant classes, support, and products for moms-to-be and new mothers in the MetroWest and Central Massachusetts regions.
The unusual location has actually worked very well, according to co-founder and “Executive Momma” Chere Jalali. “We have found that Boylston is really convenient for our clients and at least 95 percent know Cyprian’s,” she said.
Ms. Jalali and fellow business owner Jeanette Mesite Frem transformed the space into a welcoming, baby-friendly environment. The large main studio is painted a soft green and is carpeted for little ones to crawl on. A curtained area allows for private nursing or trying on the maternity products sold there.
Mothers & Company offers specialized classes, including natural childbirth, breast-feeding, and newborn care, as well as fitness classes and community groups to bring new mothers together.
According to Ms. Jalali, the region was lacking this type of personal support provided in an intimate setting.
“Most mothers take their prenatal classes at the hospital, where they sit in an amphitheater with dozens of other mothers,” she said.
Both she and Ms. Frem know this from experience. In addition to attending hospital classes in preparation for the birth of their children, they also taught prenatal classes at St. Vincent Hospital in downtown Worcester.
“We knew we could do it differently,” Ms. Jalali said. “Community building is a huge part of childbirth education, and we just didn’t get that in the hospital classes.”
Their idea seems to be catching on. Last year, Mothers & Company served more than 100 families with little more than a few fliers hung in doctors’ and midwives’ offices. Word-of-mouth seems to be their best advertising.
Image from Stock.xchng.
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