It takes a village to bring a child into the world
Streamers, gift bags and baked goods are baby shower mainstays. What’s not so typical? Having eight expectant mothers collectively celebrating their upcoming births.
This was the scene — complete with friendship-bracelet making and onesie tie-dyeing — at a recent CenteringPregnancy appointment.
Earlier this year, MultiCare Inland Northwest Foundation supporters helped bring the group prenatal care model to MultiCare Rockwood Clinic – OB/GYN & Midwifery Center.
“Where with traditional prenatal care you spend a short amount of time with your provider one-on-one, this is a two-hour-long visit where you get one-on-one time with a provider, as well as most of the time is spent in the group,” explains Dani Whitmore, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife at the clinic. “We’re creating an environment where our patients are able to make friends and get support.”
A Centering group consists of up to 12 pregnant patients, due in the same month, who meet with Dani for 10 prenatal visits. After taking their own weight and blood pressure, the moms participate in facilitated discussions and enjoy interactive activities, tackling topics from nutrition to labor preparation to breastfeeding.
Not only does this approach create community and provide access to care — a challenge across many OB/GYN offices, says practice manager Kiara Ficklin, MBA, CMA — but research also shows that group prenatal care lowers the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, while increasing patient satisfaction.
Meet Addison and Jaclyn
From left, Addison and Jaclyn are part of MultiCare Rockwood Clinic’s September 2025 Centering cohort
Addison Harrod, MEd, and Jaclyn Wardell, RN, are part of Rockwood Clinic’s first Centering cohort.
A work-from-home mom of a 2-year-old and two goldendoodles, Addison craved stronger in-person connections when navigating her second pregnancy.
“When this opportunity for Centering came about, it really excited me because I don’t get to interact with a lot of people except for virtually,” she explains. “Being able to have this group of women that I can share my experiences with and get my feelings and my stresses and my fears validated is so nice and has helped so much with just not feeling alone.”
Like Addison, Jaclyn also has a 2-year-old and embraced the chance to do prenatal care differently. A pre-op MultiCare Deaconess Hospital nurse herself, she asked to join the group even as her baby was due a month before everyone else’s.
“I’m new to the area, and it’s a new way to make mom friends,” Jaclyn says. “There are a lot of second-time moms in this group, which is so fun because pregnancy with a toddler is different than a first pregnancy. We’ve been pregnant before but being able to relate as moms is so helpful, as well.
“We plan to keep up with each other and get together with all of our babies,” she continues. “It’s going to be so nice to have the support of other moms who are going through the same thing at the same time.”
A passion project realized through philanthropy
Dani remembers her own pregnancy journey as being very isolating. Not yet a nurse or midwife, she was the first of her friends to have a baby.
“Pregnancy is hard,” Dani says. “Pregnancy is isolating, especially when you don’t have good family support. It’s why I really wanted to see how we can create this group prenatal care.”
Buoyed by Foundation donations, Dani, Kiara and the Rockwood Clinic team are lifting up moms like Addison and Jaclyn, affording that critical peer-to-peer connection as early as 12 to 16 weeks.
“Without the donors, we would not be doing this,” Kiara says, noting Centering’s costs, like annual licensing, extensive training and expensive patient books. “These women wouldn’t have the sense of community without the donors’ help.”
Jaclyn echoes that gratitude.
“New moms need so much more support than their spouse and family,” she says. “Thank you to the donors for getting this started. They say it takes a village, and it really does.”
