Perinatal Equity Committee Chair & Vice Chair Nomination Request!
Partner Spotlight
Their purpose is to improve birth outcomes for high-risk women, by addressing the two largest risks to healthy births—low birth weight and adverse psychosocial exposure.
Ciana Cullens, Strategic Leadership, Nubian Moms Project Director at Open Cities!
Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis
On June 24th, the White House released the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, a whole-of-government approach to combatting maternal mortality and morbidity. An important highlight within the Blueprint emphasizes the need to fund PQCs in every state to address maternal health. Along with the blueprint, this Factsheet was released.
Sleep-Related Infant Deaths
On June 21, the AAP published updated recommendations for reducing infant deaths by providing recommendations on how to keep babies under one year of age safe while they sleep or nap to prevent sleep-related tragedies such as accidental suffocation and strangulation. Recommendations include putting babies to sleep on a firm, flat, non-inclined, or leveled surface without soft bedding, room-sharing without bed-sharing, and how to prevent babies from overheating. These recommendations should be followed by anyone who takes care of babies, including parents, babysitters, childcare providers, health care providers, grandparents, and others. In addition to recommendations that focus on changing caregiver behaviors, there are also guidelines on changing institution and systems practices. For example, there is a specific recommendation for health care providers, physicians, hospital staff, and childcare providers to endorse and model infant safe sleep guidelines from the beginning of pregnancy, and another that advises media and manufacturers to promote safe sleep practices as a social norm in their messaging and advertising by following the AAP guidelines.
To view the full list of recommendations and how they apply to families visit
AAP Safe Sleep Guidelines. To find out if an infant product has been recalled by the CPSC visit Recalls | CPSC.gov.
MNPQC’s Community Organization Resources
Visit the Resources Page on our new website to access the numerous Community Organizations and online resources. These resources aid birthing people and their babies, as well as healthcare professionals interested in improving perinatal health across Minnesota. If you don’t see your organization listed, or know of an organization or helpful resource that is missing, please contact us at info@minnesotaperinatal.org to the community resource section.
To continue providing access to information, engagement, and collaboration among Minnesota Perinatal & Infant Providers – please send your resources, events, and information to info@minnesotaperinatal.org to display on our website.
DHS Extends the MA and CHIP-funded MA Postpartum Period for Pregnant Women to 12 months
Check out ACOG’s new podcast
This season of Labor of Love is a five-part series where each week, Veronica Pimentel, MD, MS, FACOG, speaks with women dealing with everything that accompanies motherhood and pregnancy in the time of COVID-19. Dr. Pimentel also speaks with medical experts in the fields of maternal health, fertility, and mental well-being who provide evidence-based information and recommendations on how best to navigate pregnancy and motherhood during COVID-19.
We hope that you not only listen but also use this podcast as a resource. Check out the trailer for Labor of Love. All episodes are now available on your favorite podcast streaming outlet!
Listen and subscribe today!
PSI & ACOG WEBINAR RECORDINGS
These free 90-minute webinars were presented on May 18 and May 24, hosted by Postpartum Support International and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). They present an overview of perinatal mental health screening, assessment, treatment, and referral pathways through the lens of culturally-informed care & best practices in the treatment of perinatal mood & anxiety disorders.
Formula Shortage/Recall
- MN WIC’s page on the formula recall: https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/wic/recall.html
- MN WIC’s Breastfeeding Support during an infant formula recall page: https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/wic/bf/recall.html
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine: https://www.bfmed.org/statement-on-shortage-of-breastmilk-substitutes
- United States Lactation Consultant Association: https://uslca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Navigating-the-US-Formula-Shortage.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0Uv1FX2WQpfe8VZt79nHlWZ91MFasrYxBYKKHDqhSs4-s6FqYAoX_ewzQ
- UNICEF United Kingdom: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/Unicef-UK-Baby-Friendly-Initiative-Maximising-breastmilk-and-re-lactation-guidance-2.pdf
Hospitals and clinics can also connect with their local WIC agencies as another resource to support families in navigating both breastfeeding and formula shortages!
Hennepin Health Perinatal ECHO series started in April 2022!
This series will focus on the intersection of perinatal opioid and polysubstance use and perinatal mental health. Dr. Cresta Jones will be co-directing this series along with Dr. Katie Thorsness, the perinatal psychiatrist at the Hennepin Health Redleaf Center.
Sessions will be held from 12:15 to 1:15 on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The format will remain the same – a short didactic session followed by a case review – we encourage you all to consider cases you have been involved with for discussion of best practices in general or for specific individual guidance issues.
This program is geared towards any stakeholders who influence, provide, or support care for pregnant people experiencing mental health or substance use disorders – this includes students, residents, and fellows as well.
We hope this series will help expand trauma-informed and stigma-free care for our patients and their families.
Calendar
July 19 – July 25, 2022
- Black Maternal Mental Health Week
- CoE-IHS Webinar: Addressing Serious Mental Illness, July 21, 1-2 PM
- Black Maternal & Mental Health Summit, July 21-22, 1-2 PM
- Fireside Chat by 2020 Mom on new APA & ACOG Initiatives, July 25, 12-1 PM
- Healing Centered Engagement for Intimate Partner Violence Training, July 25, 11AM
July 26, 2022
- Healing Centered Engagement for Intimate Partner Violence Training, July 26, 11 AM
- SOYSOM’s monthly Maternal Mental Health ” Lunch and Learn”, 12:15 – 1:15 PM
- Hennepin Healthcare Perinatal Substance Use ECHO, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
There are past and present events available on the calendar – View the full calendar on our website!
Have an event that needs to be showcased?
Please send us the event information – info@minnesotaperinatal.org !