"I'm 32 weeks pregnant and this is my first child, so I figured coming here would be educational and give me a good start in motherhood," the Augusta woman said.

Ms. Dohn was among the few hundred who attended the event for expectant mothers at the Doubletree Hotel.

The attendance exceeded expectations, said Danielle Moores, the director of marketing and corporate communications for Xytex Cord Blood Bank, a sponsor of the event.

"Our target was 300 to 500, and we've met that already," she said midway through the day. "People were lined up down the hall an hour before the event started."

The event featured several vendors who focused on baby-related topics and services including safety, health, doctors and photography.

"We wanted to have everything baby," Mrs. Moores said.

Toni Thomas, of Augusta, brought her daughter and grandson to the event.

"It's rare that mothers can get this sort of information in one place," she said. "It provided information about things that you may have never thought about before."

Her daughter, Tara Gilmore, agreed.

"It's sometimes difficult for parents to go out and find all these resources on their own, mainly because they don't know some of them exist," she said. "As a parent, I'm glad that I could come and get so much information, especially about the latest in safety."

Safe Kids East Central was also a sponsor and provided information specifically about safety during a child's first year.

"More kids die every year from things that could have been prevented than from any other cause," said Rene Hopkins, a Safe Kids coordinator who is also a registered nurse.

"Parents want to know how to keep their children safe and we are here to help them learn ways to do that," she said.

Other sponsors for the event were Babies R Us and 104.3 WBBQ.

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.