Perinatal Educational Resource Center

Welcome to the Perinatal Education Resource Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization! My name is Leigh Breland, and I am an RN of thirty years. I’ve realized through the years, the focus on Maternal Health revolves mainly in the metropolitan areas, such as Jackson, MS. While there is a need for resources in these areas, I started to ask myself, what do we see for mothers in rural areas? I live in rural Copiah County and hope to bring the mothers of our community these same resources. I want to offer more- an individual and personal resource center.

Currently, I offer Early Pregnancy Class, Childbirth Class, and Breastfeeding Class. I have the knowledge and passion to teach these courses, as seen with my partnerships with Mom.ME, a 501(c)(3) organization for Perinatal mental health, and Precious Beginnings LLC, an IBC lactation consultant. Please join me in helping our Copiah County mothers have a safe and healthy pregnancies and healthy thriving babies by Navigating the Glow with PERC!

Our Story

My career has primarily been in Labor & Delivery/Childbirth Education. Over the past years, I’ve co-created and implemented a Maternity Navigation Program at my former hospital. I guided our patients through their pregnancy from the 1st trimester (early) to the 4th trimester (postnatal). Some of my duties included Early Pregnancy/Childbirth Classes, Gestational Diabetic Teaching, and Postnatal follow-up. The patients were able to reach out to me with any questions or concerns, and if resources were needed, they were guided to the appropriate organizations.

The issues seen within rural areas as compared to metropolitan areas is that of location. The nearest hospitals from Copiah County that provide Obstetric care, are Kings Daughters Medical Center- a 30-minute drive, Merit Health Central- a 45-minute drive, and Merit Health River Region- a 55-minute drive. By giving these mothers access to education and resources, Obstetric situations can be resolved before they become an emergency.