What Is Belli Buddies?
Belli Buddies Mission
Belli Buddies is a group created by Randee Freeze for her Girl Scout Gold Award Project. The group focuses on helping the needs of pregnant teens, teen moms, and young moms.
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Pregnancy and parenthood are common among youth experiencing homelessness Voices of Youth Count. Forty one percent of homeless young others were placed in foster care as children and were thirty four percent more likely to report witnessing domestic violence in their homes compared to homeless adult mothers Home - National Network for Youth (nn4youth.org).
Belli Buddies was created in an effort to give a helping hand and find a way to help get information regarding resources to pregnant teens and teen moms.
Belli Buddies has members from 6th grade through college age youth focused on helping other youth that discover themselves as expecting and young parents. Founded in China Spring, TX, the group is composed of youth representing several Waco area schools and colleges.
Their first project was creating Belli Buddy kits with items to help a new and or expecting teen mom with items she may need for herself and baby.
Ensuring every young mom has the materials and resources she needs to care for her baby and herself.
Every path has road bumps.
It is how you cross the bumps that makes your journey a success.
BELLIBUDDIES BLOG
Exercise is an important part for pregnancy and young mom health. All to often, young and expecting moms are unaware of how to exercise and what types of exercise may help them to have a healthy pregnancy. Here are some exercises that may help.
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Pelletiere, N. (2020, August 24). Your pregnancy exercise guide. New Parent - essential guide for new parents, moms, and baby products. https://newparent.com/pregnancy/your-pregnancy-exercise-guide/
Looking To Make Boxes of Your own?
The original boxes include 2 baby soaps, a baby towel, 2 wash clothes, bath toy, bowls, spoons, wipes (unscented preferably), a pack of diapers between sizes newborn to size 3, needed item for baby (such as nail clippers, booger suckers, etc.) and an item for mom (such as nipple relief cream, nipple pads, belly butter, etc.).
Other items that would go great in the boxes include coupons, nursing covers, swaddles, bibs and other items which may be of necessity for baby. It is important to note some babies are sensitive to smells/chemicals so try to pick unscented items.
We did not want to include bottles as we feel that is something a mom should get to pick out. Pacifiers/binkies are also left out of the boxes as they are optional for parents. We limited the amount of newborn sized diapers as babies are not typically in them for long.
ABOUT US
BelliBuddies is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing resources and support to pregnant teens who are homeless or in a tough situation. Our goal is to empower these young women to make informed decisions and create a positive future for themselves and their children.
A Special Thank You
Thank you to the following that helped with the initial Gold Project and continue to help as members of Belli Buddies Group!
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Tanya Whitlow, Samantha Seaver, Alexandria Montalvo, Starla Whitlow, Michelle Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Wyatt Freeze, Todd Freeze, Jared Freeze, Kaitlin Gamble, Jaden Wilson, Chloe Wilson, Beccie Riley, Dr. Becky Burns, Nelma Strey, Nellie Grace Weathers, Isaac Weathers, Gabriel at Carenet.
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This project could not have been accomplished without your help and support!
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RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
At BelliBuddies, we believe that education is key to a brighter future. Our Resource of the Month for this month is a comprehensive guide to prenatal care for pregnant teens. Click below to download and learn more!