Janesville resident Taylor Riley gave birth to her son, Theodore, in April 2020.
As she prepares to welcome her daughter this November, Taylor is once again looking forward to receiving exceptional care at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville.
“We have had such good experiences at SSM Health over the past several years,” she said. “You can trust that your doctors and nurses care about you as a person.”
Taylor says that having a child during the pandemic was scary and felt a bit isolating. That’s why she decided to join the hospital’s Fourth Trimester Support Group.
“I think that Fourth Trimester really helped me to not develop postpartum depression,” she said. “Hearing others’ stories made me realize that what I was experiencing and feeling was normal.”
Although her first experience with Fourth Trimester was cut-short due to COVID-19, she is excited to rejoin the group this winter.
“It was nice to talk to others who had been through everything before,” she said, noting that some parents had newborns, toddlers, or even grown children.
The Fourth Trimester Support Group is a free community offering that takes place from 10 – 11 am on the first and third Thursday of the month, in the Level G Conference Rooms at 3400 E. Racine Street.
Fourth Trimester is a safe place for community members to ask questions and receive education on everything from breastfeeding basics to watching for baby’s growth and development milestones. The group is facilitated by SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville caregivers.
“Attending Fourth Trimester a great way to get out of the house and talk with others who are going through the same things you are,” she said. “I love that it’s a super-relaxed atmosphere.”
Anyone with questions about Fourth Trimester support group should call 608-373-8200. No pre-registration is required, and attendees may come as little or as often as they would like. Updates are also posted on the SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville Facebook page.
