Forrest Health’s Spirit of Women Kicks Off New Year of “Madalene’s Moms” Classes

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (January 13, 2025) Forrest Health’s Spirit of Women (SOW) is excited to announce a new year of Madalene’s Moms classes for new and expectant mothers.

Mommy & Me classes give mothers and their babies the opportunity to interact and exercise together using music, movement, story, and rhyme. Topics for Moms include parenting suggestions and child development guidelines. From the First Year until the Toddler Years, children are developing social, language, cognitive, and motor skills for the next season of life while mamas are building a network of friends and support.

This year, five sessions will be held – winter (January 27 – March 6), spring (March 31 – May 15 – No classes the week of April 21-25 due to Easter), summer (June 9 – July 25 – No classes the week of June 30-July 4 due to 4^th of July), fall (September 8 – October 16), and holiday (October 27 – December 11, No Classes week of November 24-28 due to Thanksgiving).

The classes to be offered include:

• Pregnancy Exercise – In a support group environment, these classes combine stretching, strengthening, and isolation exercises and awareness with education topics such as discomfort releases, labor and delivery preparation, and postpartum recovery. (Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m.)
• Mommy and Me: The First Year – First-year mothers can share stories about their first-year experiences as they learn developmental milestones and fun playtime activities. (Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
• Mommy & Me: Evenings – An evening option of Mommy & Me offered to share the experience with mothers and children not available during regularly-scheduled class times. Only for littles up to 18 months old. (Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.)

• Mommy and Me: Just Movin’ – Geared toward the early walkers, often 11 to 22 months old. Children experience activities that will develop physical, mental, and social skills. (Wednesdays from 9 – 10:30 a.m.)
• Mommy and Me: Just Movin’ Evenings – Geared toward the early walkers, often 11 to 22 months old. Children experience activities that will develop physical, mental, and social skills. (Mondays 5:30 p.m.)
• Mommy & Me – The Toddler Years: – The Toddler Years Class is the perfect launch into pre-school. Moms and their toddlers, age 22 months to 3 years, learn and grow while making great memories. (Mondays, 9:30 – 11 a.m.)
• Coach’s Corner – A one-session class teaches labor and delivery, breathing techniques, and the coach’s role through the childbirth experience. The coach and mother-to-be attend together. (March 27, 5:30 p.m.) Cost for class is $10.

Madalene’s Moms classes are taught by Amanda Sharp, who participated in the Fitness for Two classes taught by Madalene Daniell after the birth of her four children. Amanda also taught the classes on several occasions. Through these classes, Amanda found a community of women supporting one another as they navigated the new roles of motherhood. Amanda is honored to continue the classes while remembering the legacy of Madalene, who died in 2021, after teaching classes for Pine Belt women for more than 40 years.

Classes will once again be held in the Spirit of Women Conference Room at 28th Place (421 South 28^th Avenue). The cost is $30 per six-week session. Space is limited. Additional information and updates are available on the Madalene’s Moms Facebook page and by visiting www.forresthealth.org/madalenesmoms.