(Los Angeles County, CA) “It takes a village to raise a child,” the African proverb states, and activation of that village begins before birth. In an effort to support healthy and joyous births for Black moms, families, and babies, the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM) has created a Tips to Activate Your Village Guide full of useful information and resources for each of the trimesters comprising the prenatal period and the first three months after the baby is born (the “fourth trimester”). The guide is now available for free to download from its website, blackinfantsandfamilies.org.
One of the cornerstone beliefs behind the AAIMM initiative is that healthy and joyous births do not happen alone. They require an entire community of support — that means not just family and friends, but also neighbors, healthcare workers, educators, and colleagues. Everyone who influences the environment in which children are born and raised can contribute to and support the next generation being healthy, safe and happy.
The Tips to Activate Your Village Guide was created to support expectant parents in their efforts to engage their own Village, and as a helpful resource for folks who may be a part of an existing Village. "We are excited to share this resource to support Black families — especially pregnant women and birthing people — and activating a village of support at every stage of pregnancy and childbirth,” said Dr. Melissa Franklin, LA County AAIMM Initiative. “The toolkit was informed by the collective wisdom of our AAIMM Prevention Initiative partners.”
While there are myriad apps and brochures dedicated to tracking the physical development of babies both before and after birth, not many specifically relate to the concept of activating one’s village and system of supportive persons and resources. Some of the tips in the guide include: create a birth plan, find a doula, join the Black Infant Health program, advocate for respectful care, and check in with your partner. The guide goes further than just offering tips, however. It also offers links to resources and programs — many, if not all of which, are absolutely free.
The AAIMM initiative just wrapped up a successful campaign for Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) for which it created over 25 well-attended virtual events, launched a video series that received over 10,000 views on social media, and created a downloadable toolkit of creative pieces on its website’s hub for BMHW. In addition to making the Tips to Activate Your Village guide available on its website, the AAIMM Steering Committee encourages people to share the link to the guide on social media platforms using #WeAreTheVillage.
As the initiative continues its work, there are plans to roll out more collateral pieces as part of its continued effort to educate people about Black infant and maternal mortality as well as bring about more equitable birth outcomes. “We are currently building more resources and programs, all centered on supporting access to healthy and joyous births for Black families, in particular those resources and tips that are often not talked about," said Dr. Melissa Franklin, LA County AAIMM Initiative.
The Los Angeles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Initiative is a coalition of the LA County Health Agency (Department of Mental Health, Department of Public Health, and Department of Health Services), First 5 LA, community organizations, mental and health care providers, funders, and community members. The purpose of the initiative is to address the unacceptably high rates of Black infant and maternal deaths in Los Angeles County and ensure healthy and joyous births for Black families in LA County. Through a series of comprehensive coordinated strategies, AAIMM works to reduce the gap in Black/White infant mortality rates by 30% by 2023. For more information, and to find out how you can support the initiative, please visit www.blackinfantsandfamilies.org.
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