New Mom Applauds Freedman Center

Jessica O'Keeffe is resourceful, crazy about her baby Isobel and as charming and upbeat as Mary Poppins. After a short time in the US, far from family and friends in the UK, she came to the Freedman Center at William James College to connect-with other moms, other babies and helpful advice about the new job of being someone's mom.

Jessica immediately signed up for several of the Center's programs, including Balance After Baby, Infant Baby Massage and Signs of Communication, which she calls "brilliant" in its ability to give her baby the capacity to express herself and experience far less stress. Among the many reasons she appreciates and enjoys the moms groups at the Freedman Center is that there's no judging. "It's easy to admit it if you're exhausted or frustrated or anything else without feeling someone will think less of you." Jessica also enjoys coming to the open Playtime group just for the socialization-for herself and for Isobel. "It's a place for me to see others babies her age and to talk with their moms."

The Freedman Center is not just for moms. Isobel's dad attended a Sleep Workshop and says he found what he learned to be "helpful, useful information." Jessica attends several different classes the Freedman Center offers, saying "One of the things I love about the playgroup is that you can drop in anytime and talk about anything on your mind, like babies' frequent waking, being colicky or crying. There's always someone there who has had a similar experience and you feel so much less alone."

She insists, "It's a great place. Great people. Great space. Great staff. Very welcoming and easy."

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