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Photo from Prenatal & Infant Care Network Advisory Board Member Women's Care Center
- September 2021 Newsletter -

Video and slides are now available
on empowering parents with doulas and kick counts
and local birth trends
At the August 24 Prenatal & Infant Care Network webinar local experts shared insights on best practices and resources available to empower new parents, addressing needs identified by the Allen County Infant Mortality Review Team.
Local Births Data & Trends
Erin Norton, Director of Community Outreach at Parkview Women’s & Children’s Service Line and facilitator for the Allen County Fetal Infant Mortality Review Committee, shared recent data about the areas in which new parents are experiencing difficulties. The data reveals opportunities for all community partners to strengthen services from serving parents of diverse cultures to preventing pre-term delivery with strategies like “Kick Counts.”
What is a Doula?
Shanna Bradley, Executive Director of Journey Birth & Wellness, answered "What is a Doula?" and presented the evidence-based birth trainings and certifications available to doulas. She addressed doulas' scope of practice in empowering new parents, the evidence behind their effectiveness, and how and when to refer to their local doula program, which offers services on a sliding fee scale. Shanna, a wife and mother of five, is trained through DONA and ICEA doula programs and holds certifications from StillBirthday and Global Birth Community as a birth and bereavement doula. She has also added to her resume childbirth educator and is finishing her training as an evidence-based birth instructor and an international doula trainer. She holds a degree in Intercultural Studies and is currently working on her International Maternal and Child Health diploma.
What is the Difference between a Doula and other Prenatal Professionals?
Jackie Martinez, Programs Manager of Healthier Moms & Babies, shared how Healthier Moms & Babies is collaborating with Journey Birth & Wellness to use doulas to complement their team of home visiting professionals, nurses, and community health workers. 
Kick Counts: Tracking In Utero Movements
Jackie also shared how to educate expectant parents to track their babies’ daily movements in the third trimester of pregnancy and empower them to speak up if there is a change in what’s normal for their baby. Research shows that a change in fetal movement can be the earliest, and sometimes only, indication that a baby is in distress in utero and should be checked by a provider.
Good to know!
Announcements from your colleagues:
Tobacco Free Allen County is available to present information about the dangers of smoking and second- and third-hand smoke. Currently, most presentations are done virtually. Contact Patricia Turner at pturner@tobaccofree02.org for more information.
Dupont Hospital continues to offer both in-person and virtual childbirth, breastfeeding, CPR, and newborn care classes. Child Passenger Safety technician classes are also offered regularly. Contact Stephanie Good at sgood@theduponthospital.com for more information.
Healthy Families accepts referrals and can reach out to families throughout pregnancy and up until their baby turns three months old. They meet with families both in person and virtually, depending on the families' preference. Healthy Families is also currently hiring home-based workers. Contact Meggan Testin at mtestin@scaninc.org for more information.
Erin Norton with Parkview Health is available for questions anyone has about the Allen County Fetal Infant Mortality Review Task Force. She can be reached at Erin.Norton@parkview.com.
Labor of Love is a joint Indiana Department of Health and community organization and leader-led project focused on reducing infant mortality. While infant mortality is associated with a number of factors, dialogue, education and outreach are necessary to combat them all. As a number one priority for IDOH, we invite all of those with the potential to influence positive conversations to join us for our ninth annual Labor of Love meeting.
November 17, 2021
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM (Eastern)

Send Your News to Us!
Starting a new program or event? Send your information to MDistler@sjchf.org, or MaBurkholder@sjchf.org to have your announcement added to the next Prenatal & Infant Care Network newsletter.

Steering Committee
 A ministry sponsored by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ.
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