RUMFORD – Friday, Oct. 1, marks the beginning of the national “Healthy Babies Month.” Project NOW, a program of River Valley Healthy Communities, and the Healthy Beginnings program of Community Concepts, have teamed up to recognize the importance of good nutrition beginning with infancy and beyond.

“Feed Me Right” nutrition kits will be distributed to all new mothers starting in October, and carrying on throughout the year, to reach the first 100 births at the Rumford Hospital Family Birthing Center.

The “Feed Me Right” program originated as a collaborative effort between Project NOW and two other Healthy Maine Partnerships: BodySmart in Bridgton, and Healthy Androscoggin in Lewiston-Auburn. Four hospitals will distribute the kits beginning in October: Rumford, St. Mary’s, Central Maine Medical Center and Bridgton Hospital.

The kits are a lunch bag containing a baby onesie, nutrition coloring book, Be Healthy Be Happy book, fruits and veggies tracking sheet, breastfeeding brochure and information on the dangers of secondhand smoke. The kits will be distributed with the Healthy Beginnings tote bags that are given to all new mothers at Rumford Hospital.

Project NOW stands for Northern Oxford Wellness and is one of 31 Healthy Maine Partnerships across the state. The organization is based out of Rumford as part of River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition.

Project NOW’s purpose is to create policy and environmental change on the topics of tobacco, physical fitness and good nutrition. The surrounding areas benefiting from the grant monies are those towns in SAD 21, SAD 43, SAD 44 and Peru. If anyone has any questions or comments, they can call RVHCC at 364-7408 or e-mail [email protected].