Boston Breastfeeding Coalition Newsletter
July 2022
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"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare."
- Audre Lorde, American writer, feminist, and activist
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Social Entrepreneurs: Featuring Dominique Bellegarde
and D. Legacy Pace Setters
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My name is Dominique Bellegarde. I am a Woman of Color who is a wife and a mother to four studious children destined for greatness with one of God’s greatest gifts: unconditional love.
As a Birth worker, my work focuses on serving families in the most rewarding, hardworking, transformational experience inside & out. While being in the presence of experiencing the process of birthing a beautiful gem: your child. I offer my clients shared experiences, healing herbs, blessings over your child, nurturing mom with purchased belly bands, prenatal and postnatal exercises, breathing methods, and so much more.
Let’s enjoy a moment of Love and connection as you birth and heal together as a part of your Birthing Team.
It's your journey, let's set the pace!
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Dominique, who is a Certified Lactation Consultant, Licensed Community Health Worker, Doula, has worked in the Greater Boston Area for over 20 years with over 1000+ families. Dominique's work and services include:
1:1 Childbirthing courses and 1:1 consultations will also soon be available. If you are interested in learning more about Dominique and D. Legacy Pace Setter's offerings, you can see more here.
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Please check out these links from D. Legacy Pace Setter that will be available soon! |
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It all begins with an idea!
Josephine believes “It’s your journey, let’s set the pace” as she walks and talks to her mom in the children’s garden.
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It all begins with an idea!
Check out the BreastFeed-Me Now course, which discuss everything from the nutrients and benefits of breastmilk to choosing between breastmilk and formula.
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An Invitation to be in Community |
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The recent Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Ruling of the United State Supreme Court will have an immense impact on individuals, families, and communities. Reproductive justice and access to community resources and services are key to advancing health equity and supporting the wellbeing of children, families, and communities. Our work as a network is rooted in centering, honoring, and respecting the dignity of children and families. We are all unique, from different walks of life, with different life experiences and perspectives and we don’t agree on all things and this makes our work as a network beautiful, complex, and powerful. Here, all voices matter. We invite you to join us and other network leaders in conversation about what these decisions mean for you and the families you partner with, uplift, and support, as well as, share resources to support collective actions underway.
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Are you interested in co-hosting or co-designing a space for dialogue?
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July: National Black Family Month and BIPOC and Minority Mental Health Month |
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This National Black Family Month, as well as BIPOC and Minority Mental Health Month, we would like to highlight some resources that can nurture the mental health of Black parents/caregivers as well as Black children. Establishing a strong foundation and safety net for children can have a profound effect on the rest of their lives.
One of the key resources we would like to highlight are self-care resources aimed at Black parents and caregivers. Self-care can be seen as an inherently political and socially just act, used as a tool for oppressed individuals to reclaim their power and space within their environments. Furthermore, research shows that when self-care is seen as a tool, it can help strengthen the relationships between t he individual and the community. (Reclaiming Self-care: Self-care as a Social Justice Tool for Black Wellness, 2020). As such, an investment into culturally competent and diverse self-care for parents and caregivers can help strengthen the bond not only within individual families, but form networks of well-being. |
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Resources for Black Families:
We have compiled resources for Black Families that are meant to help parents and caregivers engage in self-care, as well as aid in educating their children to navigate the world:
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Do you have a story to tell about your breastfeeding experience and postpartum mental wellness? The Mass. PPD Fund works on new parent mental health, and our Amplifying blog highlights stories of survivors of postpartum depression and related challenges.
The Fund is looking to highlight the role of breastfeeding in mental health for Breastfeeding Awareness Month/Black Breastfeeding Week in August. If you are interested in being featured or have any questions please contact Jessie Colbert at jcolbert@massppdfund.org.
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MA Breastfeeding Coalition 2022 Certified Breastfeeding Specialist D.R.I.V.E. Scholarship Application
MBC’s DRIVE Committee is pleased to announce our 2022 CBS (Certified Breastfeeding Specialist) Scholarship. This scholarship is open to all Massachusetts residents and will cover the 52+ hour Core Lactation Consultant Course ($675 value) through Lactation Education Resources (LER). Applications will be accepted from July 1st through July 31st, 2022.
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Formula Shortage Guidance
The American Academy of Pediatrics has also released a guide on what to do if you cannot find any formula, which you can find here.
If you are interested in learning more about specific advice for those partially breastfeeding, currently not breastfeeding, and those exclusively breastfeeding, please consult the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Guide here. |
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The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) has partnered with Mass Cultural Council to offer free or discounted admissions to many of the Commonwealth's museums and cultural institutions through the EBT Card to Culture Program. Residents who receive DTA benefits can get discounted admission by showing their EBT card. Through 2022, these organizations are also accepting P-EBT cards. This program includes 127 discounted or free locations in Greater Boston, such harbor tours, music lessons, museum tickets, concerts, etc. Learn more here!
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Breastfeeding & Equity Summit in New Orleans, LA
August 25-27, 2022
Presentations will center on equity in breastfeeding, maternal health, fathers and partners, and infant health initiatives. Interested in speaking? Email Halle Neeley at HalleNeeley@breastfeedingrose.org. Visit this website for more information.
Through July and August
Varying times
Join us for interactive stories for children told by professional storytellers! The program is best suited for kids ages 3-8 years old, but the whole family is welcome. Every child who attends takes home a free book. Learn more here!
Through July and August
Varying times
Learn more about the variety of events sponsored by the City of Boston that are happening all over the city this summer! From the Tito Puente Latin Music Series, park movie nights, puppet shows, and arts and crafts for children, the City has much to offer this summer. Learn More Here!
Monday, July 25
6:30PM - 7:30PM over Zoom
The Roxbury Social Impact Center continues offering the opportunity to share YOUR story and experiences AND/OR to witness and listen to others. Everyone is welcome! You can choose to share in words, music, or poetry. The Artists-in-Residence will also offer their music. Learn more to join here!
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Providing Urgent Maternal Protections
The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act (H.R. 3110/S. 1658) was advanced by the Senate HELP Committee with unanimous, bipartisan support on May 25, 2021, but has not yet been considered by the full Senate, even though it was passed in the House with a strong bipartisan vote last October. The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act is the strongest workplace lactation law ever proposed in Congress and would close the coverage gap by expanding protections, as well as provide further guidance for nursing employees and employers.
If you are interested in more information, you can find a variety of tools and resources, press the button below.
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Research Assistant in Equity in Pregnancy Initiatives
The OB/GYN department and the Health Equity Accelerator are looking to hire a new Research Assistant II for our Equity in Pregnancy initiatives. The person in this role will support research operations and participate in evaluation of projects within the Equity in Pregnancy portfolio. You can read more about the role and apply here. Please reach out to Giavanna Gaskin (Giavanna.Gaskin@bmc.org) if interested, or with any questions. You can find the LinkedIn posting here.
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Parent Leaders/Innovators will bring the voice of those with lived child welfare experience into program planning and implementation to improve outcomes for the children and families engaged in the Safe Babies Court TeamTM (SBCT) approach. If you are a parent with lived-experience in child welfare and are interested in being a parent leader, please complete the online form linked below.
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There is a variety of volunteering opportunities at Rosie's Place! You can help out in the food kitchen, teach a class, high school students can learn about social justice issues while earning community service hours, and you can coordinate a drive for much-needed items!
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Our support groups are still meeting, just virtually! We are looking for more volunteers to help us support mothers. Any direct lactation mentoring done during virtual support groups can count towards IBCLC hours.
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TBK empowers children, youth, the elderly and families to take charge of their health and well-being through hands-on cooking classes. These classes are led by professional chefs and teach students to create cost-effective meals at home with kitchen safety and nutrition lessons. The program also works closely with partners to build culturally aware curriculums, respecting the diversity of our foods while teaching youth to cook healthier versions of ethnic dishes. If you are interested in TBK classes for your group or organization, please email Haley House's Program Director Jay Vilar, to get started: jvilar@haleyhouse.org and if you are interested in volunteering with Haley House, you can click here to learn more.
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We love staying up-to-date with your news! If you want us to share out updates, events, flyers, webinars, or job opportunities, let us know. You can email us at bostonbreastfeeding@bmc.org or tag @bostonbreastfeeding on relevant Facebook posts and we can re-share on social media or add to our Coalition Newsletters.
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Educational Materials, Resources, and Webinars |
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Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association (BMBFA) has announced the launch of its Birth & Breastfeeding Leadership Institute. The Birth & Breastfeeding Leadership Institute is a virtual national leadership development program designed to advance community-level leadership for racial justice and equity in maternal-child-health. Applications due October 7th!
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To build equity capacity of individuals and organizations, and address health inequity, National Healthy Start Association’s Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health Community Care Initiative (AIM CCI) provides this web-based comprehensive curriculum for professionals who work in community-based service organizations. RELS is accredited by APHA, meaning learners can receive free continuing education credits for the successful completion of each module.
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Through our Mississippi CHAMPS program, CHEER worked with the Bower Foundation, Inspire Health, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), to script and create the Breastfeeding | Human Medicine IPE in 2020. Now, CHEER has received a grant to distribute the IPE across disciplines, nationally and globally! The project will leverage existing partnerships and collaborations to scale up medical and professional breastfeeding education and promote a culture of support for people who choose to breastfeed.
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Breastfeeding and Mental Health Pocket Guide
Mental health providers should know the positive correlation between breastfeeding and mental health and the negative correlation between weaning and mental health and speak to patients about the importance of breastfeeding for positive mental health outcomes. Download the Breastfeeding and Mental Health Guidance Pocket Guide at mibreastfeeding.org/tools under the “Mental Health” tab.
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This guide lists programs and organizations that provide free diapers to community members with updated contact information and eligibility requirements. The guide includes locations for Greater Boston, Northeastern Massachusetts, and Southeastern Massachusetts.
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Regularly updated with descriptions, contact info, locations, hours, and website links for important basic family needs.
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Resources and tools to help institutions, community organizations, schools, and worksites to improve consistency and collaborations with other organizations to ensure a seamless support system for lactation.
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The Blueprint, developed with a public health lens, aims to increase local capacity to implement community-driven approaches to support chest/breastfeeding, centered on the needs of populations disproportionately impacted by structural barriers that leads to low rates of breastfeeding.
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Are you interested in receiving this newsletter in Spanish?
Le interesaría recibir este boletín en español?
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Por favor déjenos saber si le interesaría recibir una versión de este boletín en español!
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Are you a Breastfeeding Scholar who is looking to connect with other Scholars?
Join the private Facebook Group just for Breastfeeding Scholars - a centralized location to stay updated on CERP offerings, scholarship opportunities, network with peers, and share and find resources.
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Vital Village Network's Boston Breastfeeding Coalition is committed to improving access to breastfeeding support for every parent in Boston, promoting connections between individuals and organizations that engage in breastfeeding advocacy, and supporting pathways for professional lactation counselors. |
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