Pregnancy Resource Center in Lincoln offers medical resources for expectant mothers along with many other supportive services
Community encouraged to come out for The WALK on April 22nd

 

[April 13, 2023] 

For many years, the Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center in Lincoln has offered services to people in the area. Pregnancy Resource Center Director Ellen Orns said in 2021, the center began a medical conversion to add medical resources.


Ashton Henry


Becca Yantz

Assistant Director Ashton Henry and Administrative Assistant Becca Yantz serve at the Lincoln location while Orns oversees the centers in both Lincoln and Bloomington.

Lincoln partners with Bloomington to provide medical services with Nurse Manager Staci Rutledge overseeing these services.

One service Rutledge provides is pregnancy testing, which the PRC site says is 99.8% accurate. If a woman is far enough along in the pregnancy, an ultrasound is done.



The ultrasound exam/scanning is done by a nurse to help determine the gestational age or how far along a woman is in the pregnancy. The ultrasound also helps confirm the presence of a viable pregnancy and cardiac activity.

Once the scan is done, Orns said it is reviewed by a physician. The physician helps oversee the facilities too.

Everything done at Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Centers is based on best practices for medical services and follows HIPPA guidelines.

Orns said the center aims to excel whether someone is at the center for a medical appointment or just services.

Another service the Pregnancy Resource Center offers is information to women about pregnancy that will prepare them for the birth of their baby. Classes can be taken at the center or accessed online. Topics include pregnancy expectations, healthy eating while pregnant, the emotions of pregnancy, fetal development, labor & delivery and much more. Trained mentors are available to coach women through the curriculum, answer questions and encourage them throughout their pregnancy.

The H.O.P.E. program (Helping Others Parent through Education) offered by the Pregnancy Resource Center is an educational program that goes through all the stages of pregnancy and what someone should know when the baby is born.

The program is led by trained mentors who are available to answer questions and support women throughout their pregnancy and first stages of parenthood.

A web-based program provides a series of videos for each trimester. Videos for the first trimester describe what to expect in the trimester, what is safe in pregnancy, prenatal care and eating for two.

Second trimester videos describe what to expect during that trimester, the emotions of pregnancy, bonding with your unborn baby and infant expectations.

For the third trimester, there are videos on what to expect in the third trimester plus videos on getting ready for labor and delivery, the goals and benefits of simply breastfeeding and medical pain and relief during labor and delivery.

The final pregnancy education videos show what one might encounter after going home such as postpartum depression. Other videos are on car seat safety, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Once the baby is born, there are education programs for the first year of the baby’s life. These include video lessons on infant expectations from 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months and then 9-12 months.

Videos for the 0-3 month stage address crying, getting your baby to sleep and newborn sickness. Lessons for the 3-6 month stage include ones on infant nutrition, infant and child CPR and quality childcare.

For the 6-9 month stage, there are lessons on baby on the move, being a super mom and mommy nutrition. Lessons for the 9-12 month stage include preventing child sexual abuse, mommy milestones and mommy work.

There are quizzes and discussion questions after each lesson. The program helps prepare someone to be a successful parent. They are another way for the PRC to help clients know someone cares and they are not alone.

Clients can earn “baby bucks” to be used in the PRC boutique before and after the baby is delivered. Diapers and wipes are given out to whoever needs them.

Women are strong and smart, so Orns said it is important to note staff and volunteers at Living Alternatives value the mom as much as they value the baby.

Another resource offered at the Pregnancy Resource Center is STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) testing. Orns said they are trying to partner with the Logan County Public Health Department for this testing.

For women who have gone through an abortion, post-abortion support is available. Orns said they will love and support the women and not judge them.

With all the resources offered, their website says, “Living Alternatives can only meet its mission to the extent that individuals in the community are willing to donate their time and energy to the functions of the ministry.”

It is the hard work of the PRC staff and volunteers that keep this ministry going. The staff equips and trains all volunteers “to work with the PRC clients, participate in fundraisers to strengthen the financial position of the center, and assist the ministry with maintaining the beauty and health of the building.”

As the Living Alternatives website says, “The beauty of the PRC ministry comes not only from promoting life-affirming options, but also from sacrificially being willing to walk beside (a woman) through her experience to the other side.”

As a nondenominational, faith-based not-for-profit organization, Living Alternatives relies on private donations and fundraisers.

On Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., the Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center will hold “The WALK” at the Lincoln Park District Recreational Center to raise funds for the PRC mission. The WALK is one of their biggest annual fundraisers.

It is the hope of Orn and the staff at the Lincoln center that the community will come out and show their support for the work of the PRC.

[Angela Reiners]