Maternal and Child Health Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services in Grand Rapids, MI support families from pregnancy through early childhood, helping babies and young children grow, learn, and stay healthy until they start school. These services are typically low-cost or free, and are offered through local hospitals, clinics, and public health programs.

In the Grand Rapids area, many families receive maternal and child health support through:

  • Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
  • Corewell Health (formerly Metro Health)
  • Mercy Health physician practices
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health programs
  • Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community clinics

These services are especially important in West Michigan, where cold winters, seasonal illnesses, and changing weather can affect young children’s health.

What Are Maternal and Child Health Services?

Maternal and Child Health services in Grand Rapids focus on:

  • Supporting pregnant people and new parents
  • Monitoring infant and child growth and development
  • Preventing illness through immunizations and screenings
  • Connecting families to local resources and support

Many programs follow your child at key ages and stages in development, offering regular checkups and extra visits when needed.

Typical Ages and Stages for Visits

While schedules may vary by provider, many Grand Rapids maternal and child health programs encourage visits around:

  • Shortly after hospital discharge (home or clinic visit)
  • 2 weeks
  • 4 weeks
  • 2 months
  • 4 months
  • 6–8 months
  • 12 months
  • 18 months
  • 2 years
  • 3–3½ years

These visits help catch health, developmental, or behavioral concerns early, when treatment and support are most effective.

What Maternal and Child Health Nurses and Providers Can Help With

In Grand Rapids, maternal and child health nurses, pediatricians, family physicians, and nurse practitioners can provide:

  • Parenting support

    • Newborn care (bathing, soothing, sleep routines)
    • Adjusting to life with a new baby
    • Support for first-time parents and growing families

  • Child health and development

    • Tracking height, weight, and head growth
    • Checking developmental milestones (speech, movement, social skills)
    • Vision and hearing screening referrals

  • Feeding and nutrition

    • Breastfeeding and chestfeeding support
    • Formula preparation and feeding schedules
    • Starting solid foods and healthy eating habits

  • Family health and wellbeing

    • Postpartum depression and anxiety screening
    • Support for parental mental health and stress
    • Safety planning if there are concerns about family violence

  • Safety and injury prevention

    • Car seat safety (especially important in winter with bulky clothing)
    • Safe sleep practices
    • Home safety (falls, burns, poisoning prevention)

  • Immunizations and preventive care

    • Vaccine schedules and reminders
    • Flu shots and seasonal illness prevention (important in Michigan winters)
    • Referrals to pediatric specialists when needed

  • Connecting you to local resources

    • WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) nutrition program
    • Early intervention and developmental services
    • Parenting classes and support groups
    • Housing, food, and financial assistance resources

Your First Contact After Birth in Grand Rapids

After your baby is born at a Grand Rapids-area hospital such as Spectrum Health Butterworth, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, or another local birthing center, your care team will help connect you with follow-up care.

Home or Clinic Visit

In the first days or weeks after bringing your baby home, you may be offered:

  • A home visit from a nurse or community health worker, or
  • An early clinic visit with your pediatrician or family doctor

During this visit, your provider will:

  • Check your baby’s weight, feeding, and overall health
  • Ask about your recovery and emotional wellbeing
  • Explain the schedule for upcoming visits
  • Provide contact information for after-hours or urgent concerns

Keeping Track of Your Child’s Health

Most Grand Rapids families receive a patient portal account (such as MyChart) or a paper record from their hospital or pediatric practice. Use this to:

  • Record your child’s:

    • Growth measurements
    • Immunizations
    • Illnesses and medications
    • Developmental milestones

  • Write down questions or concerns before each visit

  • Track upcoming appointments and vaccine due dates

Keeping this record up to date creates an important family health history from birth through adolescence.

Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Support in Grand Rapids

Some families in Grand Rapids may need more intensive support in the first few years of a child’s life. Enhanced or home-based maternal and child health programs are available through:

  • Kent County Health Department
  • Grand Rapids Public Health and community health workers
  • Hospital-based programs at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, and other systems
  • Community agencies and home visiting programs (such as Healthy Families or Early Head Start, when available)

Who May Benefit from Enhanced Services

Extra support is often offered to families experiencing one or more of the following:

  • Parent is under 20 years old
  • Difficulty bonding or building a strong relationship with baby
  • Concerns about family violence or safety
  • Feeding, sleep, or behavior challenges
  • Concerns about your child’s development or milestones
  • Parental health conditions or disabilities (including mental health or substance use)
  • Risk of homelessness, unemployment, or financial hardship
  • Difficulty keeping appointments or staying connected with care

What Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Programs Can Offer

Enhanced programs in the Grand Rapids area may include:

  • Regular home visits from a nurse or family support worker
  • Longer-term follow-up from birth to age 3
  • Help building your confidence as a parent
  • Support to strengthen the parent–child relationship
  • Strategies to respond to your child’s cues and needs
  • Safety planning and support around family violence
  • Assistance navigating mental health, substance use, or disability services
  • Referrals to specialists (developmental pediatrics, therapy, etc.)
  • Help connecting to local parent groups, early childhood programs, and community resources

How to Access Enhanced Services

You can usually be referred by:

  • Your Maternal and Child Health nurse or clinic
  • Your child’s pediatrician or your family doctor
  • Your OB/GYN or maternity service
  • A social worker, counselor, or other allied health provider
  • Local public health or community programs

If you are unsure where to start, contact the Kent County Health Department or your child’s medical home (pediatric or family medicine clinic) and ask about home visiting or enhanced maternal and child health services in Grand Rapids.

Culturally Responsive Care for Native and Indigenous Families

While the original article referred to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services in Australia, in West Michigan the focus is on culturally safe care for:

  • Native American and Indigenous families
  • African American and Black families
  • Hispanic/Latino families
  • Refugee and immigrant communities

Grand Rapids providers partner with local and regional Tribal health services, community organizations, and interpreters to:

  • Offer respectful, culturally informed care
  • Provide language support through interpreter services
  • Support family choice in where and how they receive care

If you would like culturally specific or language-supported services, tell your nurse, doctor, or clinic so they can connect you with appropriate programs.

24-Hour Maternal and Child Health Phone Support

While Michigan does not have a state-wide “Maternal and Child Health Line” under that exact name, Grand Rapids families have several 24/7 or extended-hours resources:

  • Nurse advice lines through Spectrum Health, Trinity Health, and other systems
  • Pediatric on-call services through your child’s clinic
  • Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222 (24/7)
  • National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746)
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7)

When you call a nurse advice or pediatric line, you can typically discuss:

  • Newborn feeding and weight concerns
  • Fever, rash, cough, and common illnesses
  • Breastfeeding or pumping questions
  • Sleep and behavior issues
  • When to go to urgent care or the emergency room

Check your hospital discharge papers or your child’s clinic website for the correct after-hours nurse or pediatric advice number for your family.

Using Technology to Support Maternal and Child Health

Many Grand Rapids healthcare systems offer digital tools to help you track your child’s health:

  • Patient portals (e.g., MyChart):

    • View growth charts and test results
    • Message your child’s care team
    • See vaccine records and upcoming appointments

  • Reminder apps and calendars:

    • Track immunization dates
    • Set reminders for well-child visits
    • Note symptoms or concerns to discuss with your provider

Ask your nurse or clinic staff how to sign up for their portal or recommended apps.

Seasonal Health Considerations in Grand Rapids and West Michigan

Living in the Great Lakes region means your family experiences:

  • Cold, snowy winters:

    • Dress babies and children in layers; avoid bulky coats in car seats
    • Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia
    • Keep indoor air humidified to help with dry skin and respiratory comfort

  • Flu and RSV season:

    • Stay up to date on recommended vaccines (including flu and COVID-19)
    • Practice good handwashing and keep sick visitors away from newborns

  • Spring allergies and changing weather:

    • Talk with your child’s provider about allergy symptoms
    • Be prepared for rapid temperature changes that can affect asthma and respiratory conditions

Maternal and child health providers in Grand Rapids are familiar with these seasonal challenges and can help you plan for them.

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, Michigan

If you live in Grand Rapids or Kent County and need maternal and child health support, consider:

  • Your local Maternal and Child Health provider

    • Pediatrician or family medicine clinic
    • Hospital-based outpatient pediatric services

  • Kent County Health Department

    • Immunizations
    • WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)
    • Home visiting and family support programs

  • Grand Rapids Public Health and community organizations

    • Parenting classes and support groups
    • Early childhood and developmental services

  • Your primary care provider (GP/family doctor) or OB/GYN

    • Pregnancy care and postpartum follow-up
    • Referrals to pediatric and community resources

  • Emergency care

    • 911 for life-threatening emergencies
    • Local emergency departments, including Spectrum Health and Trinity Health Grand Rapids

If you speak a language other than English, ask for interpreter services when you schedule your appointment. If you are hearing or speech impaired, you can use the National Relay Service to connect with healthcare providers.

Key Points

  • Maternal and Child Health services in Grand Rapids, Michigan support families from pregnancy until children start school.
  • Families are encouraged to attend visits at 10 key ages and stages to track health, growth, and development.
  • Providers can help with feeding, sleep, behavior, development, immunizations, and family wellbeing.
  • Enhanced programs and home visiting are available for families facing extra challenges, through Kent County Health Department, local hospitals, and community organizations.
  • Keeping a consistent health record—on paper or through a patient portal—creates a valuable family record from birth through adolescence.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information about maternal and child health services in Grand Rapids, contact your child’s healthcare provider or the Kent County Health Department.