Mountain Area Pregnancy Services Takes the Pregnancy Journey With its Clients
By Meg Hale Brunton
When she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), lifelong Haywood county resident Michelle Fenton was told that she would probably never be able to have children. As she approached her mid-thirties, Fenton realized that her time was limited to get pregnant. She and her husband were able to conceive and Fenton went to Mountain Area Pregnancy Services (MAPS) at the 7-week mark to confirm the pregnancy. Their staff was warm, welcoming and supportive. From there, Fenton went to her regular OB-GYN to get her 9-week ultrasound. There, the ultrasound technician said that the baby appeared to have Down Syndrome, and began making arrangements for Fenton to discuss potential early termination options with a doctor.
Heartbroken, Fenton called MAPS to see if she could make another ultrasound appointment to ‘lift her back up’ as she began one of the hardest months of her life, waiting for the test results to come back confirming whether or not her baby had Down syndrome. MAPS got her in for an appointment within two days. Afterward, Fenton was stunned when one of the staff members from MAPS called to check on her. “They were so great. They called and checked on me every other day,” Fenton recalls. “They took it personally with you throughout the pregnancy. They wanted to make sure your pregnancy journey was good. You felt like they actually cared.”
Thankfully, Fenton’s baby’s test came back negative for Down’s syndrome, and on September 20th she gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy. “I hope nobody has to experience that,” she says of the fear she felt, waiting for her baby’s test results. “Once I got my results back and everything was fine, I feel like the rest of my pregnancy was smooth after that.” During the rest of her pregnancy, she maintained contact with MAPS and did all her checkups through them. MAPS even did a gender reveal for Fenton and had a gift for her filled with clothes and a bible for the baby, and chapstick, lotion, and bath bombs for her.
Fenton watched MAPS’s online videos on what to expect from each stage of her pregnancy (including breastfeeding, birthing plans, etc.), and took the quizzes afterward. Watching the videos and taking the quizzes both earned Fenton points in her MAPS account that she was able to use to get free diapers, baby wipes, and a pack n’ play. She also attended the MAPS’s parenting classes, where the clients can get together, have lunch, watch a video, and share their experiences. “The videos were really educational. I’m still watching videos and gaining points with their program,” Fenton says. “It’s such a great place. I cannot say enough about the place. They are absolutely the best!”
Fenton says she would recommend MAPS to anyone, and often does. “They’re amazing to me! I can’t tell people enough,” she says of MAPS. “I try to tell so many people about them, because people don’t know about them, or utilize them. I tell them, ‘You don’t understand the resources you have.’” Fenton says she has even reached out to women on social media who have posted that they suffered a miscarriage to inform them about the extensive support that MAPS offers for women who’ve lost a baby. They have support groups, counseling, and even provide a teddy bear with a recording of the baby’s heartbeat that plays when it is squeezed.
Now, Fenton is home with her healthy baby boy, Jasper. She stays in touch with the staff there as well, sending them baby pictures and giving them updates. She is also still watching MAPS’s videos about the first year of a baby’s life. “As a first-time mom, I didn’t realize how much I needed to learn going into it,” she says. Fenton says that she plans to maintain her relationship with MAPS indefinitely, visit them, and maybe even work there one day. “I still plan to keep going by, visiting, and staying in touch with them. Probably in the future, I wouldn’t mind volunteering as a support person for other women, when my son gets old enough that I have a little bit more free time.”
Fenton says that while MAPS has been a godsend for her, she feels it would be even more worthwhile for women who don’t have the strong support network that she has. “Having a group of women to step in and be your support system through your whole pregnancy would be amazing for someone that doesn’t have that,” she says. “The support, the videos, the whole experience is worth it.”
To learn more about Mountain Area Pregnancy Services, or to schedule your appointment today, visit their website: https://mtnpregnancy.com/
