When Sarith Restrepo gave birth to her second child, Leonardo, her experience and the type of help she received was entirely different from her first.
Restrepo is part of the state’s Family Bridge program. It’s meant to ease the transition from hospital to home for the families and provide any needed support. She received visits from a home health worker.
“They go when we need them and give us types of help that we don't know about when they [the babies] are really small,” Restrepo said.
The initiative started in October 2023 to help families of newborns delivered at Bridgeport Hospital. New parents receive free at-home visits from a registered nurse who teaches them about bathing, feeding, sleeping, and safety and also gives babies and mothers exams.
“I had a case where I had headaches, and it wasn’t anything serious, but they insisted that I had to go to the hospital so they could do exams. They discovered that a month after having the baby, I had post-preeclampsia,” Restrepo said.
Restrepo was diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia, a rare condition that occurs in mothers with high blood pressure. She was hospitalized for three days and treated.
“It was difficult because the baby stayed at home, and I had to go to the hospital,” she said.
She said the discovery was thanks to the at-home nurse. She tested Restrepo’s blood pressure and insisted she go to the hospital, where doctors discovered the condition.
Amy Torres is a single mother. In addition to the services offered through the program, Torres received help finding safe housing for her and her newborn daughter.
“I learned about the program through the hospital. Then I met Rosie. She taught me about the things about the help they provide,” Torres said. “This program has been very important because it has helped me a lot.”
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont met with both families to discuss their experience with the state pilot program. Lamont would like to see this initiative extended throughout the state.
“One of these two kids was the one-thousandth baby that we’ve been able to do this home visit on. It’s a reminder that I think of how important it is to make sure these kids and these families get off to the very best start,” Lamont said.
The program is funded by the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Treasury, and preschool development grants totaling $3 million. It’s available to families who gave birth at Bridgeport or St. Vincent’s Hospital.
