Moms on Call Co-founders and authors of the Moms on Call book series
(Pictured left to right Jennifer Walker RN BSN and Laura Hunter LPN)
Moms on Call LLC is made of two pediatric nurse-mom’s with over 20 years of pediatric experience, not to mention our eight children, including 2 sets of twin boys! We have been there and we know what mom’s worry about, which is why it is important to us to provide advice that is easy-to-follow, positive and realistic! Moms on Call LLC is an Atlanta-based phenomenon. We started serving local families with in-home parenting consultations from birth to 4 years of age. And now, by combining technology, common sense and a passion for families, we have supported and partnered with parents all over the globe.
Our Story
Everyday as pediatric nurses, we take after hour calls for a busy pediatric practice in Atlanta, Georgia. Which means if any of the 9,000 patients has a question after hours or on weekends, we get paged. For years, we have been answering questions from concerned parents and the same concerns are repeated over and over again. We decided it was time to give parents the real story.
The Beginning
In 2003 Laura began going into parent’s homes and doing a 2-hour consultation covering the most popular infant care issues. The parents loved it! Together Laura and I (Jennifer) developed a packet of information for these parents, so they would have a reference guide to proper infant care techniques. That was a big hit as well, but the biggest surprise was the popularity and effectiveness of the nighttime routine! When Laura went into these homes, one of the resounding difficulties these parents faced was infants not sleeping through the night. Stay with me here because what happened is still amazing us both.
It’s a Miracle!
Laura noticed that the baby blankets offered at the usual baby stores were not the right size for an effective swaddle. As Pediatric nurses, we realized how important it was to swaddle a newborn fairly tightly, in order to prevent them from startling themselves and subsequently waking themselves. So, Laura and her neighbor went about making a square blanket from a blend of material that provided an effective tight swaddle that babies would not wiggle out of. This is the clincher! When Laura went over the nighttime routine followed by this amazing effective swaddle….babies that were waking 3 and 4 times a night began sleeping through the night! Parents were calling practically in tears after their babies slept through the night; they were so thrilled! But that was not the only benefit. The babies were more content during the day, because they got a good night’s sleep. Finally, the parents could function and think straight. Now, if this had happened once or twice, it could have been a fluke; but hundreds of families have found these techniques to be effective. So many parents who followed the nighttime routine and swaddle, had a baby that slept through the night and was happier and more contented in the following days. We were just as surprised as anyone. But it gets even better.
Apparently, when you give of yourself, and provide parents with information that they really need, parents give back. Many of these happy families wanted to send our materials to friends and loved ones in other areas of the U.S. They practically demanded that we make these materials available on a broader scale. Now, let me tell you that Laura is the mother of five children (including twin boys). I am the mother of three boys (including twins as well). We take call at night and on weekends, and we take care of the kids all day. We do not have nannies, night nurses and oh heck, we rarely have the occasional babysitter! “When are we going to have time to write a book?” We asked ourselves repeatedly. But every night we were on call and every day that pleased parents called or wrote to say how much they appreciated our help, we knew we would have to make time. Laura and I wrote instead of slept. Our husbands often came home to find that we made calls instead of dinners. We planned, we wrote, we prayed continually.
Our Calling
Now, God has quite a sense of humor (hence the two sets of twins). Yet, He also had a plan. Let us not mince words when we reveal that we are driven by a love of our Lord and Savior, and by a love for His people-moms especially. One day when Laura and I stopped for coffee at a near-by coffee shop, God showed up big time. There are not words that can describe what happened that night except to say that a bomb went off in our hearts. We knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were supposed to make these materials available, not just because our amazing patients wanted it, but because God wanted to fill a need. We prayed that night and pictured many mothers on their knees, praying for help and relief. We have been there in the sleep deprived frustration of those difficult nights, and we knew many other parents were asking for help and wondering if they were being heard. We envisioned books, videos and seminars that would address the most common fears and concerns of parents. We planned our first seminar that night with the high hopes that God would use us to speak life into the weary.
And the weary were emailing every day. In no time, it was not just the parents of babies, but parents of toddlers – literally all over the world who were in need. So, we got back to work and partnered with parents to develop strategies that would help household communication and teach parents how to feel more effective and less frustrated by bringing out the best behaviors in their toddlers. And, of course, help these little ones to sleep all night long in their beautiful rooms that were decorated just for them.
It is absolutely unbelievable, what transpired next. We thought that we were just helping others, all the while God had ordained every meeting, every call, every consultation. He provided answers to prayers within hours! Yes, God is alive and active. Our business grew so fast we had to train other nurses in our methods just to handle the increasing demand. This all happened by word of mouth and every testimonial that you read was unsolicited and they still keep pouring into our email. We get stopped on airplanes and have clients say things to us like “ Don’t you know, Moms on Call is so popular in ISRAEL.” When we hear things like that, honestly, it is simply beyond our comprehension.
God’s plan unfolded and we held on for the ride.
We are not perfect, our materials are not perfect, that is why we constantly cling to what is perfect…God and God alone. Now, you do not have to be Christian to use our materials. These materials meet everyday needs. Yet, God has put so much more on our hearts to inspire and encourage you. So, know today, that we are living out the tumultuous and amazing journey of parenting, and we are praying for greater wisdom and understanding so we can leave a legacy of hope.
May God richly bless you and make His face to shine upon you.
Jennifer and Laura
Our family 2011
(Not pictured – Kayla Hunter who was on a mission trip to India. Pictured – the sling that Grayson had to wear after his Lacrosse injury – broken collarbone. But we both thought, “That’s real life with this many boys; it stays in the picture!”)
NEWS
Our Scrapbook of Appearances
Important Info
Moms On Call recommends seeking medical care when you are concerned.
Any time that you are concerned, or notice any symptoms, call your Pediatrician’s office. Sometimes babies have discreet symptoms like a fever, and other times there is just something that you can’t explain, call it mother’s intuition or a nagging feeling that something may be wrong. Those are both valid reasons to seek medical attention. Many of the concepts addressed in this website vary from Pediatrician to Pediatrician. When it comes to your child’s care, you are responsible for making the final decisions.
This website is designed to provide information on infant and child care. This website is intended as a reference volume only, not as a medical manual. It is offered with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher are engaged in rendering medical, health, or any other kind of personal professional services on this website. The reader should consult the services of a competent pediatrician, registered dietician or other medical professional. The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, to any parent, person, or entity with respect to any illness, disability, injury, loss or damage to be caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any of the contents of this website.
The website should be used only as a supplement to your pediatrician’s advice, not as a substitute for it. It is not the purpose of this website to replace the regular care of, or contradict the advice from, the American Academy of Pediatrics, or any pediatrician, nutritionist, registered dietician, or other professional person or organization. This text should be used only as a general guide and should not be considered an ultimate source of child care, child feeding, food preparation/storing, or as the ultimate source of any other information. You are urged to read other available information and learn as much as possible about child care and the nutrition and feeding of young children. Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this website does not imply endorsement by the publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this website.
Every reasonable effort has been made to make this website as complete and as accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes both typographical and in content. Therefore, this text should be used as only a general guide. You should discuss with your pediatrician the information contained in this website before applying it. This book contains information only up to the copyright date. New information, or information contradicting that which is found in this book, should be actively sought from your child’s competent medical professionals.
Upcoming Events
Sign up to receive the newsletter so you can be notified of all the upcoming Moms On Call events!