ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — About 250 expecting parents attended Sentara Albemarle Medical Center's Baby Fair on Saturday in Elizabeth City. The event offered healthcare resources, vendor booths, free supplies, advice from doctors and nurses, and tours of labor and delivery rooms.
The event is part of Sentara Albemarle's broader maternity strategy for northeastern North Carolina, bringing together OB-GYNs, midwives, the health department, mental health providers, physical therapists, and community partners to connect expectant families with resources that are not always easy to access locally. Sentara Albemarle Medical Center opened in Elizabeth City in August 2025.
Emily Stuit, an active duty Coast Guard member who moved to Camden, North Carolina two years ago, said she was initially concerned about limited resources in the area.
"I was nervous about the healthcare for not only myself, but for my daughter. Especially kind of being out in a rural area like Camden or Elizabeth City, like to have such a big hospital right here is definitely way helpful instead of driving all the way to Chesapeake," Stuit said.
Stuit is due with her second child later this month and plans to deliver at Sentara Albemarle. She and her husband attended the fair to explore what resources were available.
"It's very helpful to have everything like so close," Stuit said.
Melissa Grootendorst, Chief Nursing Officer at Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, said the event was designed to connect families with a wide range of support.
"We've got mental health line here. We've got domestic abuse resources. We've got a whole table on postpartum care, screenings, phone numbers, even people connections so they can stay connected to somebody and they can walk away with a card," Grootendorst said.
Sentara Albemarle has expanded its maternity services over the past year, launching midwifery services in early 2025 and adding 2 certified nurse midwives (CNM) in December, bringing the team to 3 CNMs alongside full OB-GYN coverage. The hospital reports a 60% breastfeeding rate and patient experience scores above the 90th percentile.
Stuit said the fair also introduced her to resources she had not considered before.
"Just knowing where the resources are for like postpartum depression and you know like, pelvic floor therapy afterwards, physical therapy afterwards. Like, those are things I didn't think about with my first," Stuit said.
Sentara Albemarle Medical Center hopes to host more baby fairs in the future.
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