VA throws baby shower for veterans

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Little Kieran got off to a rough start. He showed up six weeks early and spent the first seven days of his life in a neonatal intensive care unit.

"I knew it was a possibility that I could deliver, but I didn't think about a NICU. I'm so grateful to the VA," said his mom Lisa Smurr-Walters.

Why the VA? Mom is in the Army Reserve and served 11-and-a-half years on active duty.  She's one of the many new moms and moms-to-be attending this group baby shower thrown by the VA and the United Way. There's games and prizes and the whole deal. 

If it seems odd that the VA would be throwing a baby shower for female veterans, you haven’t been paying attention. The VA has been steadily expanding services for female vets.

"The VA's changing. We're keeping up with the times. We are focusing on our female veterans, realizing that maternity care is important and having support during your pregnancy is important," said Lindsey Crain, the Acting Deputy Medical Center at the Houston VA.

Texas has the most female veterans of any state. There are 15,000 female veterans enrolled in the Houston VA. With that in mind, the Houston VA recently opened a Women's Health Center. It's not just a Texas thing. According to the VA, there are currently 2 million living female veterans. By 2018, 10 percent of all veterans will be female, and female vets, well, can get pregnant. So count on more baby showers. Maybe Lisa will do better at the next one.

"Did I win anything? Not yet. But we'll see!" she laughed.