A STEP AHEAD FOUNDATION

When I was pregnant with my first child, my tooth started hurting. It was a terrible tooth ache. My dentist told me that my body needed more calcium to build the baby and it was drawing off of bones and teeth. But, I could not have an x-ray because of the pregnancy and they wanted to limit the drugs they gave me. It was awful. I had to have a root canal.

I waited three years to have my next child. During those three years I took lots of calcium supplements, ate lots of yogurt and kept my teeth and my bones healthy. During the second pregnancy, my teeth were fine and my baby boy was a rough tumbler who never broke a bone in childhood!

I got ready to have a baby, planned him and spaced him. The first one was out of diapers before the second one came along. I was rested and a lot less stressed. A Step Ahead Foundation provides the most effective birth control methods free of charge to any woman in Shelby County, thus helping her space her babies safely and effectively. A Step Ahead Foundation works with 19 clinics in the Memphis area, including Shelby County Health Department clinics, providing women with a free well-woman exam, STI test, and the birth control method of her choosing. The methods offered are the Paragard IUD, Mirena IUD, and the Nexplanon implant. IUDs are the most popular form of birth control that female health providers choose for themselves and all three methods are safe to use while breastfeeding. To make an appointment, call (901) 320-STEP(7837) or visit www.astepaheadfoundation.org for more information.