Boston Breastfeeding Coalition Newsletter
February 2021
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"Black Maternal Health, Women Leading the Way For Change" |
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Black History Month 2021 theme, “Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity” explores the African diaspora and the spread of Black families across the United States.
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Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha
Associate Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine
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According to Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha in her recent interview with Richard Lane (2021) from The Lancet, “The quality-of-service provision and relationship between clinicians and Black women are the aspect that we need to better understand. It is only when you start to peel back the layers of complexity that the nuanced nature of this work becomes apparent”, she says.”
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MOTHER Lab
Maternal Outcomes for Translational Health Equity Research (M.O.T.H.E.R.) Lab
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Dr. Amutah-Onukagha is the founder and Principal Investigator of the MOTHER Lab, an interdisciplinary research lab comprised of 35 students from undergrad to MD/PhD who are working to address maternal health disparities as experienced by Black women. Through their focus on research, advocacy, and community engagement, the MOTHER Lab is leading the way nationally in the training and development of maternal health scholar activists. |
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2021 Conference Theme: Centering the Role of Doulas in Addressing Maternal Health Disparities, will be held Friday, April 9th, 12 pm -4 pm ET.
This year's focus will be to create a multi-disciplinary and community-partnered conference that seeks to spotlight doulas as change agents, providers of essential care services, and key members of community support for Black mothers.
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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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Join us Tuesday, February 23rd at 6 pm.
Interested in becoming a CLC or IBCLC?
Hear from Certified Lactation Counselors in your community about the process to obtain CLC certification and learn about Vital Village Networks' scholarship opportunity.
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Join us Thursday, March 4th at 12 pm. |
Have ideas for Coalition Meeting and Community Engagement?
Join the planning discussion activities and share collective interest you would like the coalition to take on for the year 2021.
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The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020, will make critical investments in social determinants of health that influence maternal health outcomes, like housing, transportation, and nutrition. Provide funding to community-based organizations that are working to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women. |
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“First Do No Harm:” Combatting Black Maternal Health Disparities |
This article explores why decades of health inequities have led to stark, and worsening, black maternal health disparities.
"In September 2019, the CDC reported that even in the states with the lowest pregnancy-related mortality ratios (PRMRs) and among women with high educational attainment, Black and AI/AN maternal health disparities still persisted."
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Hear Her. You Can Help Save Her Life. |
CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health is committed to healthy pregnancies and deliveries for every woman. The Hear Her campaign supports CDC’s efforts to prevent pregnancy-related deaths by sharing potentially life-saving messages about urgent warning signs.
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Breastfeeding Medicine and Black History Month: Studies on the African American Experience and Breastfeeding |
Breastfeeding Medicine is thus honored to be dedicating this special issue, as part of Black History month, to focus on this continuing scar of the U.S. society in general and its health care system in particular. Guest edited by Dr. Sahira Long, this issue will present a combination of original research, perspective editorial analyses, and epidemiological surveys of the status of breastfeeding in the African American community.
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Certified Lactation Counselor
Scholarships Now Available
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Vital Village Networks is awarding 5 scholarships for a 6-month virtual Certified Lactation Counselor Training. Our goal is to support the training of community members who live or work in communities with inequitable access to breastfeeding support or are part of a group that is underrepresented in the professional breastfeeding field. The scholarship will cover the training and exam costs and all awardees will have access to regular check-ins with mentors and their peer cohort. The application deadline is March 8th, please reach out to bostonbreastfeeding@bmc.org if you have any other questions!
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Seeking virtual peer counseling opportunities? Our WARMLINE is seeking volunteers who have completed lactation counseling training and have experience as peer counselors.
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Boston Breastfeeding Virtual Support Group Counselor
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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Breastfeeding Counselors are available every day to help. Call today for support from our trained & experienced peers.
CALL: 857-301-8259
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Stay connected, informed, and supported by your community. Virtual breastfeeding support groups and Baby Cafes are held throughout the week.
Check out our website to register and join!
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Breastfeeding Foundations for Perinatal Health Workers |
If you work with expectant families or those with new babies this class is for you! Join us and find out what you can do to help parents get off to the best start. This two-session interactive workshop will offer details and concrete actions helpers can take. Sessions will be held, Friday, March 12, 2021, • 8 AM-12 PM
Saturday, March 13, 2021, • 8 AM-12 Instructors: Jenny Weaver, RN, IBCLC, and Dominique Bellegarde, CLC, CLE
Continuing Education Credits: BACE-NMC: 5.5 contact hours. Approved by IBLCE for 5.5 L CERPs .(IBLCE credits are recognized by DONA, Lamaze, Bradley, and ICEA). Meets criteria of the Comm. of MA Board of Nursing regulations: (244 CMR, section 5:00) for continuing education for nursing re-licensure for 5.5 contact hours.
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CHEST/BREASTFEEDING REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA) |
NACCHO, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is pleased to provide funding for the Identifying Care Gaps: Conducting Community Assessments to Improve the Chest/Breastfeeding Landscape in Historically Oppressed Communities project. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to build organizational capacity to conduct community assessments to better understand the local chest/breastfeeding landscape and strengthen partnerships to advance continuity of care.
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From your computer or smartphone!
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Regularly updated with descriptions, contact info, locations, hours, and website links for important basic family needs.
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Text KIDS to 8-8-5-8-8 to receive free text messages on nearby community resources, wellness tips, and family-fun activities.
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Free app available on Apple, Android, and desktop for families to locate and access free or low-cost, high-quality local food resources in their neighborhoods
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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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