Good Beginnings of the Upper Valley pairs trained volunteers with new parents to help them with day to day needs after a child's birth. Ruth’s story is the mother of four, including triplets. Sally Wood is a Good Beginnings volunteer.
RUTH: When I found out I was expecting triplets I figured I would need some help, so I contacted Good Beginnings. They set me up with Sally, my volunteer.
My family, my parents and my sisters all live in Ireland. My husband’s family are from St. Louis, Missouri. So we don’t have any relatives or family in the area to help us out. So, it was very beneficial for us to have someone like Sally that can just pop in at a moment’s notice to help. She got no airs and graces, she just comes right in and has been very willing to help out with anything that needs to be done. Just hold the baby, change the baby, and play with the baby.
SALLY: The gist of what I do is to support the mom so that she can feel rested and not isolated. For all my mom’s I have done different things. Some of them I have done all their laundry, some of them I have watched the babies while they go and sleep.
RUTH: The great thing about Sally is that she never came in with any opinions or told me what to do. She just took a deep breath and was there to be supportive.
SALLY: I think Good Beginnings has helped me be a better grandmother because I learn to just be supportive and not tell anybody what to do. The surprise of Good Beginnings has been, for me, the wonderful women that I have met and now I feel that I have many more daughters in my life that I ever expected to have.
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