Meadowbrook Mall is gearing up for the invasion of the baby strollers. On Saturday, March 3, West Virginia Healthy Start and HAPI Project will present the 14^th Annual Baby & Me Day.

 

Running from 10 a.m. through 1 p.m., the event is free and open to the public, offering parents valuable information about their baby and their baby’s health, car seat installation demos, fun activities and, of course, prizes.

 

“This event brings moms and moms-to-be together, so they can share experiences and at the same time gather the latest health information that is available,” said Robin Urquhart, Meadowbrook Mall marketing director. “Moms also love all the awesome door prizes. Our event partner, WV Healthy Start/HAPI Project, utilizes grant money to purchase the most needed mom and baby supplies to give away.”

 

Included in the $2,500 in door prizes, Urquhart said, are a baby crib, rocking recliner and baby gates and a video monitor. To be eligible for door prizes, individuals must register at the WDTV5 Event Center. The first 200 moms to register will receive free goody bags including samples, coupons and vendor information.

 

An array of vendors featuring baby-related services and items will be located throughout the mall. And always the highlight of the event, said Meadowbrook Mall Marketing Director Robin Urquhart, is the Baby Crawl Contest.

 

“It’s always hilarious to watch what each baby does as the parents go crazy trying to get them to crawl across the carpet,” she said. “Some of them stop and socialize, cry and look around. It’s adorable.”

 

Registration for the UniCare Baby Crawl Contest begins at 10 a.m. Babies must be 12 months or younger and not yet walking to participate. The contest begins at 12 noon at the WDTV5 Event Center. The overall winner – and the winner of each crawling contest heat – wins a jogging stroller.

 

Drawings for door prizes will take place immediately after the Baby Crawl Contest.

 

Baby & Me started back in 2004 and has grown annually.

 

“We add more vendors each year and constantly draw new moms every year, depending on who is expecting at the time or who is just planning to start a family,” Urquhart said.

 

Mall stores get on board, offering sales and discounts. Many of the stores are currently holding spring fashion sales, she said.

 

Vendors/participants to date include Central WV Center for Pregnancy Care, Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library, Enliven Wellness, Harrison County YMCA, Life Choice PRC, Pregnancy Resource Center of Marion County, Right from the Start, Taylor County Starting Points Family Resource Center, The Chiropractic Center, The Health Plan, WV Healthy Start  Navigator Project (Market Place contacts for Affordable Health Care Act), UniCare Health Plan of WV, United Hospital Center’s Maternal Child, West Virginia Family Health, WIC, WV Birth to Three, WV Healthy Start/HAPI Project, WVU School of Dentistry, WVU Children’s Healthy Babies Program,WVU Medicine Children’s Injury Prevention and Safety Program and WVU Medicine Children’s Lactation.

 

Editor's Note: Photos of the Baby Crawl Contest were taken at a previous Baby and Me Day at Meadowbrook Mall.