Boston Breastfeeding Coalition Newsletter
December 2022
“[The HIV diagnosis] changed my life, it really did. I learned about disclosure, I learned about self-esteem, I learned about stigma. I learned with them. I realized my voice did matter, if to nobody else, to me. And I wanted to make sure that if I had the opportunity to do one thing with this diagnosis, it would be to make sure no other woman should ever feel like I felt.” - Meta Smith Davis, quoted in "From Isolation to Empowerment"
Co-Lead, Positive Women’s Network – Baton Rouge chapter
Social Entrepreneurs: Featuring She-Tara L. Smith
"There’s no negative connotation in the word serve for me, with humility I get to share in the making of families. My goal is to help you reach your goals. I strive to see people experience true joy.

There’s a paradigm shift happening in the birth world and I’m so proud to be a part of it. Women are taking back their bodies and control. Better is relative but there really is a better way for women to birth and I see it done. That’s why I do what I do. I use my fixer, fighter, educator skills to ensure women are their own heroes.

SO, I AM SHE-TARA SMITH. I also get to be a wife to Timothy, mom to 11 year old Landyn, 23 year old Avari and 2 yr old Cheyenne. Also in my crew, our dog Bane and cat Carbon. Someday I’ll own a little farm in the country, where I’ll sip ice tea in a rocking chair on a big wrap around porch. Until then it’ll be one more contraction to The Birth Co."
Services offered by The Birth Co. (learn more by pressing on each respective title):
  • Group Childbirth Classes
  • Labor and birth can be unpredictable and intimidating! Join these classes to learn about pre- and post-partum health for both parent and baby, as well as the birthing process and the different options available.
  • Birth Doula
  • Doula packages include 2 prenatal and 2 postpartum visits, labor support, and a fourth trimester self-care goodie box!
  • Lactation Education
  • Services include education on both breastfeeding and formula usage, breastmilk storage, feeding patterns, proper latching techniques, and more.
  • Postpartum Doula
  • Services can vary depending on the needs, but the goal is to help nurture and heal, as well as transition to a new rhythm.
  • Infant Sleep Consult
  • Sleep is important for both parents and children, but can be a challenge to adjust to. Consultations include education on the science of infant sleep, how to create a healthy sleep environment and sleep hygiene, and more!

Serving pregnant and postpartum families in the Arlington, Belmont, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Lexington, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley, and Weston area.
Giving Back
December is known as the Month of Giving. During this month, please consider contributing to or volunteering with organizations that promote community well-being.
HIV/AIDS Awareness Month
December 1st is known as World AIDS Day, first observed in 1988. The theme for 2022 is "Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV." According to HIV.gov, "[this theme] encourages people to unite globally to eliminate the disparities and inequities that create barriers to HIV testing, prevention, and access to HIV care."

"In 2022, this message is especially important as the emergence of monkey pox and the persistence of COVID-19 continue to disproportionately harm communities most impacted by HIV/AIDS. These ongoing syndemics further emphasize that our public health response to HIV will require us to address health disparities holistically," writes the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). Below are some resources on national HIV/AIDS strategy, as well as statistical information highlighting HIV diagnosis data and mother-to-child transmission prevention.
Network Events
Children's Mental Health Storytime
Thursdays, 3:30pm - 4:00pm EST
Together, we bring families together for book readings and activities focused on Social-Emotional Learning inspired by our Children's Mental Health Storytime Toolkit.

Sessions are designed for families with children 3-8 years old, however, younger and older siblings are welcome to join the fun! **We require a caregiver register and join the child during the session.**

At the end of our session, there will be an opportunity for Q&A and resource sharing with parents/caregivers. If you are interested in learning more about the Children's Mental Health Storytime Toolkit, please email Amainaris.sanchez@bmc.org
Resources
Baby Dove is launching The Black Birth Equity Fund to help close the gap in care and health outcomes for Black expecting mothers, birthing individuals, and their babies. The Fund will provide immediate care to expecting Black moms and birthing individuals by increasing access to doulas as critical supports in the birthing journey. If selected, winners will be awarded a one-time grant in the amount of $1,300. Funds shall be used by the grantee to assist with Doula services in their birthing journey.
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!
Grant Opportunity:
"Culturally Responsive Nutrition Materials for Infants and Toddlers"
With support from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, the National Association of County and City Health Officials issued a Request for Proposals titled "Culturally Responsive Nutrition materials for Infants and Toddlers." The RFP will fund up to two consultants to develop culturally-responsive educational materials for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and/or Refugee, Immigrant, and Migrant (RIM) communities. Two awards, with funding up to $10,000 each, are available. The application deadline is Sunday, December 11. Selections will be made by Thursday, December 15.
Legislation and Publication Highlight
Access to Donor Milk Act
The USBC-affiliated Pasteurized Donor Human Milk Constellation has released an organizational sign on letter in support of the Access to Donor Milk Act (ADMA) of 2022, (H.R. 9196). The ADMA would help increase life-saving access to donor milk, particularly important in light of this year's formula recall and shortage, and as part of a robust infrastructure for infant nutrition security. The initial deadline to sign on is Monday, December 12. Signers will be added on a rolling basis.
Black women are brilliant, ambitious, qualified. But we’re not treated as such. We survive workplace structures and cultures that were not built for us, that are stacked against us, which is made clear in many implicit and explicit ways —through pay, mentorship and sponsorship gaps, performance and promotion bias, daily microaggressions, and discrimination. In order to change that we need to create strategies that center Black women, designed by Black women which hold organizations accountable to Black women.
March of Dimes has released its 2022 report on maternity care deserts across the United States—counties where there’s a lack of maternity care resources, where there are no hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care and no obstetric providers. (Learn more about how maternity care deserts are defined here.)
Employment Opportunities
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.

Accompany Doula Care is looking for an Executive Director. This position is a full-time exempt employee, who is committed to addressing inequities in birth work and has the ability to support our diverse, dynamic, and growing organization. If you have a background in development and nonprofit management, an interest in working in a non-profit start-up environment, and a passion for maternal and child health or public health, we would like to meet you! Learn more here.
Volunteer Opportunities

There is a variety of volunteering opportunities at Rosie's Place! You can help out in the food kitchen or 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!

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.
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.
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.
Educational Materials, Resources, and Webinars
Thursday, January 12, 2023
1:00 PM ET

The 6th session of the Every Step of the Way through the 1,000 days Continuity of Care webinar series, will discuss the Recommendation 6 of CoC in Breastfeeding Support Blueprint, that states to "provide family-centered lactation care that is responsive to the intersectionality of families’ multiple identities, their social determinants of health, and other factors impacting their infant feeding journey. Read the Continuity of Care in Breastfeeding Support Blueprint here.

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.

This free community health working training, offered by CAI, provides a curriculum to increase skills needed to recognize and respond to maternal depression. The training will bolster the ability of a non-licensed, community-based workforce to support and educate clients with maternal depression to increase awareness and reduce stigma.
This publication highlights state and local programs that support breastfeeding individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The brief provides recommendations that expand breastfeeding support and resources for states as breastfeeding can serve as protective factor for the stresses brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resources
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.
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.
Regularly updated with descriptions, contact info, locations, hours, and website links for important basic family needs.
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.
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 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.
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.