Halloween Baby Parade celebrates new moms

Witches, superheroes, princesses and more! Each year, dozens of kids — from newborns to toddlers — dress up in costumes and join their families to trick-or-treat ahead of Halloween at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center.

The annual Halloween Baby Parade, hosted by the Sharp Chula Vista Center for Women & Newborns, celebrated 25 years in 2025 — marking the milestone with a real-life miniature train, fun games and sweet treats.

But there’s more to this event than meets the eye.

From a meetup for moms to a beloved tradition

Blanca Placides-Ayana, MSN, RN, IBCLC, manager of Maternal Infant Services, NICU and Women’s Progressive Care Unit, shares that the annual event celebrates and supports nursing moms. It also highlights the important work of Sharp Chula Vista’s Women’s Services team in providing education, connection and resources to mothers after giving birth — whether they’re having their first or their fifth child.

“When I first joined Sharp, the parade was a small gathering for moms in our breastfeeding support group to connect in a fun, safe environment. Now, our staff, their families and the local community join in the celebration, too,” Placides-Ayana says. “It’s incredible to see how much this event has grown and how much it means to the moms we have helped in their breastfeeding journey.”

One of those moms is Charlotte “Char” Bullard, who gave birth to her daughter Carolyn at Sharp Coronado Hospital in 1999 — back when the hospital had a labor and delivery unit.

“I was surprised to become pregnant at age 39 and had Carolyn when I was 40," Char says. “She was born weighing six pounds, nine ounces, and after learning about the benefits of breastfeeding, I wanted to give her the best start possible.”

Char heard about Sharp’s breastfeeding support groups and attended weekly sessions at Sharp Chula Vista for two years. There, Char met some of her “dearest friends” and attended the first Halloween Baby Parade in 2001 with some of them.

“It was truly a saving grace — it made me feel supported and secure every week and gave all of us moms a space to share, pump and learn together,” she says.

Honoring every mother’s feeding journey

What began decades ago with a single lactation educator helping parents with breastfeeding has grown into a team of specialists dedicated to providing families with support and education. In 2025, 66% of mothers who delivered at Sharp Chula Vista chose to exclusively breastfeed.

Although breastfeeding is beneficial for both mom and baby, it’s a deeply personal choice influenced by each family’s needs and experiences. “When moms understand the benefits of breastfeeding, for both themselves and their babies, they feel more empowered to make the choice that’s right for them,” Placides-Ayana says. “Our team’s focus is to help guide those conversations with compassion and support, no matter what they ultimately decide.”

Sharp offers free, in-person support groups at the Sharp Chula Vista Center for Women & Newborns, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns Grossmont.

Looking back, Char says she’s glad she attended that first session several years ago and encourages others to do the same. “If you are a new mom and are thinking about signing up, do it. Whether you attend one or many sessions, it’s worth it,” she says.

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