Lashun Penn left the county health department Thursday wealthy in crayons, bibs and sippy cups.
Along with about 30 other new and expectant moms, Ms. Penn attended the “Let’s Talk About Me. Before, During and After Pregnancy: Young Women’s Conference” put on by the Volunteer State Health Plan, a subsidiary of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.
The event was held at the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department.
In addition to free health screenings and presentations on topics such as breastfeeding, family planning, nutrition and self-esteem, the women collected information and freebies from local vendors’ booths.
“There’s a lot of stuff (you can get) that they don’t tell you about,” said Ms. Penn, 23, who is seven months pregnant with her second child. “It’s inspiring when you’re going through a lot.”