Brittany Lock

  • Ansar El Muhammed, AAIMM Doula

    I think everyone should have a doula because there's one more person on your care team that's there entirely for your comfort, encouragement, and well-being.”

    Ansâr El Muhammad, AAIMM Doula

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2023

    What does it mean to truly love your fellow man? As February is not only Black History Month, but also the month in which we celebrate Valentine's Day, we dove a little deeper into the meaning of love. The Greek word, "philia," translates to "brotherly love." Of the four types of love described in the Greek, it is considered the highest form of love. 

    Brotherly love is the love for our fellow person. This is what the Village is to us: loving our fellow person, Black mothers/birthing persons and their babies, as family. Let's continue to hold each other as family while we remain steadfast in our work and celebrate each healthy and joyous Black birth.

    Love also is a word that requires taking action. We’re inviting you to put “philia” into action by helping us grow the greater AAIMM village of support for Black families in Los Angeles County. You can do this by sharing our programs and resources with families who may need them, or participating in our programs if you are an expectant parent or looking for an opportunity to volunteer. 


    We’ve made it really easy for you to participate in growing the village by creating a text number.* Simply text the number below with the corresponding code indicating the program you’d like to receive more information about:

     

    TEXT NUMBER: 323-745-2771

    Doula Program: Text DOULA

     

    Fatherhood Program: Text DAD

     

    Newsletter: Text PLEDGE to take the Pledge to end Black maternal & infant births and to sign up for our newsletter (optional)

     

    Antelope Valley Community Action Team: Text AV to learn more about volunteer opportunities in Antelope Valley

     

    Santa Clarita/San Fernando Valley Community Action Team: Text SFV to learn more about volunteer opportunities in the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys

     

    San Gabriel Valley Community Action Team: Text SGV to learn more about volunteer opportunities in San Gabriel Valley

     

    South LA/South Bay Community Action Team: Text SLASB to learn more about volunteer opportunities in South LA and South Bay

     

    *PLEASE NOTE: This number is for text messages ONLY and is not monitored for phone calls. 



    Thank you for being a part of birthing justice history by helping us grow the village to support healthy and joyous Black births!

     

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  • New Amsterdam Openly Addresses Birth Inequities for Black Women in “Catch”

    We open on a seemingly idyllic scene of a Black mother giving birth naturally in a hospital — her husband beaming beside her as their newborn infant takes her first breath of oxygen, the music swells...but something is terribly wrong. The mother cannot move her arm. After some tests are run, it’s discovered that the mother has a lump in her thyroid. It’s stage 3 cancer. She must immediately begin intravenous radioactive treatment which will mean separation from her new baby (whom she’s named Pearl) and her husband for the next 4-5 months. So begins the April 20, 2021 episode of NBC’s procedural medical drama, New Amsterdam, which examines the inequities in child labor for women of color through the stories of three different Black women with three unique birthing experiences at the titular hospital. 

    According to its hub on the University of California San Francisco website, the SACRED Birth Study was designed to validate the first and only Patient Reported Experience Measure of OBstetric racism©, also known as the PREM-OB Scale™, developed in 2019 with funding from California Health Care Foundation and owned by Dr. Karen A. Scott, MD, MPH, FACOG. The PREM-OB Scale™ examines obstetric racism, as defined for, by, and with Black mothers and Black birthing people, during hospitalization for labor, birth, and postpartum in six theorized patient identified quality of care domains: Safety, Autonomy, Communication, Racism, Empathy, and Dignity. 

    The site further states that the information gained from the PREM-OB Scale™ will help hospitals, health plans, scientists, funders, and the public better understand how obstetric racism and other forms of neglect and mistreatment affect the ways that hospitals provide care, services, and support to Black mothers and birthing people during labor, birth, and postpartum. Although the study officially ended on January 31, 2021, it was indirectly given new life and a new platform during the New Amsterdam episode.The episode was titled “Catch” and was written by staff writer Erika Green Swafford (@swptatopie on Twitter), who is also a Black woman, and was directed by Shiri Appleby. Swafford also served as a consulting producer on the episode. 

    Dr. Scott was tapped by Hollywood, Health & Society to serve as an expert for Swafford on writing “Catch.” Hollywood, Health & Society is a free resource to television and screen writers, connecting them with resources and experts on a variety of health and social topics. Hollywood, Health & Society also presented an open conversation on the issues surrounding Black maternal health on May 6 called “The Black Birth Experience: Challenges, Joys and Justice,” for which Swafford was a panelist. 

    “Thank you so much for another opportunity to support the amazing work @HollywoodHealth. Thank you @robertacruger for introducing me to @swptatopie. Congratulations in advance to the brilliant Erika and all the talent at New Amsterdam. I plan to watch tonight and apply @SACRED_PREM_OB to the stories,” Dr. Scott tweeted ahead of the episode’s airing. She went on to tweet during the episode.

    After the opening, a young Black woman, Ydalis Fournette (actress Tiffany Mann), comes into the hospital because of an abrasion on her head, but is immediately assumed to be pregnant because of her size. Bloodwork shows that she actually is pregnant, despite the fact that she adamantly claims to be a virgin.

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  • iDREAM presents: Black Mamas Glowing Pregnancy Peer Support Group Experience


     

     

    Enrollment is open now!

    Upcoming KEY DATES:

    • January Cohort begins January 10th, 2023 at 6:00 PM Pacific Time
    • February Cohort begins February 7th, 2023 at 6:00 PM Pacific Time
    • March Cohort begins March 7th, 2023 at 6:00 PM Pacific Time

     All via Zoom


    Purpose:


    The primary focus for this peer support group is maternal mental health within the Black birthing community.

    Session 1 is all about birth planning in and outside of the hospital.

    Session 2 is a brief overview of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and how they show up in Black birthing people.

    Session 3 offers recommendations to tapping into culturally relevant social support. Our resource network is curated specific to Greater Los Angeles and surrounding counties.

    Session 4 sums up each session before it to honor and remind mamas/birthing people how to advocate for themselves.

    We hope to ensure that each birthing person and their support person understand that autonomy and freedom of choice is at the core of having a sacred pregnancy and birth journey.


    Intended Outcomes:


    Our hope is that by offering this pregnancy peer support group we decrease isolation, build community between participants, and create sustainable solutions for reducing stress while pregnant. We aim to serve 15-20 Black birthing/postpartum families during each cohort. Our in-house evaluator has created two surveys (pre-session 1 and post-session 4) which we intend on using to curate the plethora of community resources specific to each participant's geographic location, produce new content, and present evaluation results at conferences.

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  • Felicia Frances-Edwards, AAIMM Doula

    "Being a doula is a calling. It is a calling and passion that inspires me to serve my community."

    — Felicia Frances-Edwards, AAIMM Doula




     

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  • Erlinda Carter, AAIMM Doula


    "If you and your family are seeking someone who can make prenatal, labor, birth, and postpartum care clear and supportive, a doula is an amazing resource."

    Erlinda, AAIMM Doula

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • October is SIDS Awareness Month (MCAH)

    The Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Division is pleased to share several social media posts in honor of SIDS Awareness Month. We also recently launched a brand new SIDS program profile that you can read on our website. Please share these resources far and wide so that we can collectively bring awareness to this important topic.

     

    Pregnant? New parent? Are you searching for daycare or looking for someone to watch your baby?

    Make sure there is a safe space for
    your baby under 1 year old to sleep.

    Follow the ABCs of safe sleep:

    • Alone
    • On their back
    • In a crib, bassinet or pack n’ play    with no pillows, blankets or toys

    Safe sleep saves lives.

    Learn more by going to:go.cdph.ca.gov/safesleep

    #SafeSleepCA

    ¿Embarazada? ¿Padres primerizos? ¿Estás buscando una guardería o alguien que cuide a tu bebé?

    Asegúrate que tengan un espacio seguro para que duerma tu bebé menor de 1 año.

    Sigue las indicaciones del "ABC" para que estén seguros a la hora de dormir.

    • Acostado solo
    • Boca arriba sobre la espalda
    • En una cuna, moisés, o cuna corral sin, almohadas, mantas, o juguetes

    Dormir de forma segura salva vidas.

    Obtenga más información en:go.cdph.ca.gov/safesleep

    #DormirDeFormaSeguraCA

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  • BLACK INFANT MORTALITY: THE DEADLY DIVIDE, BY CAPITAL & MAIN

    Capital and Main recently released a three-part series on birth equity in LA County. Our AAIMM Initiative is highlighted along with many of our partners and partner efforts, called “Black Infant Mortality: the Deadly Divide”.

    Truly, there is much work to be done to turn back the tide of harm that over 400 years of oppression and racism in all forms against Black people has caused. Yet, we are encouraged by the our amazing village and the progress we have made bringing forth an unashamed, courageous and unapologetic centering of health and joy for Black mamas, birthing people, and families.

    Please see below:

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  • The Umbrella Campaign

    "It takes a village to raise a child," the African proverb states, and activation of that village begins before birth. We strongly believe 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, spiritual advisors, 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 African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Prevention Initiative believes that having a comprehensive system of support in place (“The Village”) prior to, during, and after birth is a crucial component in our efforts towards bringing about equity in birthing outcomes for Black women and infants. We’re encouraging you to either create and activate your own Village or to become a support to a Black mother/birthing person by:

    • Identifying who “The Village” is
    • Inspiring “The Village” to take action in its efforts to support healthy and joyous births for Black women and infants
    • Sharing resources to equip “The Village” and pregnant birthing persons/women

     

    Get started by checking out the profiles of some people who encompass the AAIMM Village, navigate to a section of the website that will help you step into your role as a member of The Village, or get information and resources that will help you create, cultivate, and activate your own Village. Together, we can #BeTheVillage of support for Black moms/birthing persons and their families to end the unjustly high maternal and infant deaths in Los Angeles County and usher in healthy and joyous births for all. Follow @blackinfantsandfamiliesla on Instagram for updates and use #AAIMM, #BeTheVillage, #ActivateYourVillage, and #WeAreTheVillage to share your healthy and joyous birthing stories with us. 


     


  • Shanica Davis, AAIMM DOULA

    My motto is, “Birth, but better.” I am here to walk alongside you on this journey to your new life.


    Shanica Davis, AAIMM Doula

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • Shanee Finley, AAIMM DOULA

    Being a doula means creating a sacred space for birthing families to honor their birth as a Rite of Passage, for all birth outcomes

    – Shanee Finley, AAIMM Doula

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • Shana Spinks, AAIMM DOULA

    "It’s imperative that the birthing experience consists of the individual feeling like they are listened to, validated, and genuinely supported."

    – Shana Spinks, AAIMM Doula

     

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  • LAist Launches "Hey bb" - Text Message Service for Pregnancy and Parenthood

     

    This week we launched Hey bb, a text message service run by real humans to answer questions about pregnancy, birth and parenthood — from how to advocate for yourself (systemic racism is real!) to explaining just what a doula does.

    Pregnancy is a joyful time for many, but it's also fraught with anxiety — with worries about childbirth and how to care for a small human being. If this is you, or someone you love, LAist wants to help NAVIGATE the pregnancy, birth and postpartum phases of having a child.

    If you would like to sign up for the service, text “heybb” to 73224.

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  • CDPH - Guidance for Vaccination During Pregnancy

    ​CDPH recommends that all persons, including those that are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, get vaccinated and boosted, when eligible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for all people 5 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.

     
    The guidance below is intended to answer many of the questions you may have if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, including the importance of vaccines to yourself and your child.  You can also talk to your healthcare provider to help you in your decision whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

    Click here to visit the CA Department of Public Health website. 

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  • CDPH - Guidance for Breastfeeding During the COVID-19 Pandemic

    This document provides guidance for people who are breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. The California Department of Public Health will update this guidance as new information becomes available.

    CDPH recommends that all persons, including those that are breastfeeding, get vaccinated and boosted, when eligible.  Researchers have found that COVID-19 vaccine can be given safely to protect pregnant people and their babies. The COVID-19 vaccine may be given any time before, during or after pregnancy. Breastfeeding people may receive any of the three COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the U.S. For more information about vaccines available in California, visit our Get the Facts on COVID-19 Vaccines website.  

    Additionally, the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agree that people with COVID-19 can breastfeed. If you get COVID-19 and are breastfeeding, take precautions to lower the risk of passing COVID-19 to your baby. COVID-19 vaccines are safe for breastfeeding people and their babies. Recent reports have shown that breastfeeding people who have received COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) have antibodies in their breastmilk, which could help protect their babies.

    For more information, visit Breastfeeding and Caring for Newborns if you have COVID-19.

    Click here to visit the CA Department of Public Health website. 

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  • Why The Pandemic Took An Especially High Mental Health Toll On New Parents

    Published by Elly You via LAIST Magazine

    Beyond Therapy And Around Barriers To Access

     

    Kay, of Maternal Mental Health NOW, says she often refers patients to support programs outside of the healthcare system, which include home visitation programs, support groups and low-cost counseling run through non-profits.

    “I know these kinds of workarounds…[and] unless someone finds me, I think they're just lost and getting bounced around from one provider to another,” Kay said. “That is a common experience for a patient or a family member to just be given a list of numbers to call them and still end up nowhere, because people don't take their insurance or they’re dead numbers.”

    While access to therapy is limited, Kay says it’s also important to recognize that therapy is not “the be-all, end-all solution,” and that not everyone who experiences mental health issues needs clinical support.

    “We try and think more holistically about treatment options and forms of care…a lot of times social support is all that's needed.”

    Blackman found social support as a complement to therapy. In October of 2020, she helped create a virtual peer support group of Black parents who have borne children, called Black Mamas Glowing through the non-profit iDream For Racial Health Equity. She wanted the focus to be on the parent, because other groups she’d identified and had been a part of paid more attention to the child.

    She also wanted to be part of a group that was accessible to other Black parents.

    “It's great, because you can just be unapologetically yourself,” Blackman said. “You don’t have to be like ‘Oh I have to be a super woman or have it altogether,’ Like, no. You just gave birth to a baby. It’s OK.”

    Blackman says she's since "graduated" from therapy and has developed the language to talk about anxiety and depression, and now refers other moms to the support systems she's found.

     

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  • LA COUNTY OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION - GRANT PROGRAM

    Greetings,

     

    Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention partnered with the non-profit organization, Antelope Valley Partners for Health (AVPH), to assemble a violence prevention coalition and to collect and analyze research from the communities within the Service Planning Area 1 (SPA 1), geographically including Northern LA County. AVPH collaborated with coalition members to develop and implement five violence prevention objectives to foster safer Los Angeles communities. As part of this work, AVPH is offering a series of mini-grants. The mini-grants must be utilized to support the community action plan goals in encouraging a violence-free L.A. and in initiating post-violence healing.

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  • Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance - Black Maternal Mental Health Week 2022

    Today kicks off Black Maternal Mental Health Week! And we are proud to be joining forces with mental health advocates, organizational leaders, and moms across the U.S. as we advocate for change all week! 


    Created and hosted by Shades of Blue Project, this year’s #BMMHW2022 is dedicated to promoting health equity for more black birthing individual across their birth experience so we are Collectively working for greater community impact and change. Together, we can make shift happen!


    Key Facts:

    ➤ Rates of PPD in new & expectant moms have doubled during COVID, with black moms at 2-3x higher risk but are nearly 2X less likely to receive mental health treatment.

    ➤ With stay-at-home orders, black moms were hit the hardest in parental duties by  spending half a day (12 hours) more on child care per week than white moms.

    ➤ 20 percent of women display symptoms of perinatal mood or anxiety disorder. The figure climbs to 44 percent for black women compared to white women.

    ➤ Black moms contend with unique challenges from the racial disparities amplified by COVID, including lack of high-quality medical care, increased stress and exposure to racial trauma, and higher risk of childbirth complications.

    ➤ From dismissed medical needs to birthing complications, black women are more likely to experience traumatic births and the mental health consequences that follow.

    ➤ Cultural barriers and a lack of representation in the mental health field continue to limit black women from seeking help. According to American Psychological Association, only 5.3% of the psychology professionals are black; and of the estimated 41,000 psychiatrists in the U.S., only 2% are black according to the American Psychiatric Association — despite making up 13% of the U.S. population. 


    📢 WILL YOU DEMAND CHANGE WITH US? Urge your elected officials to support the Moms Matter Act (S. 484/H.R. 909), which addresses equity in maternal mental health — with just a few clicks!

    TAKE ACTION: ow.ly/XlIi50JZExW



    Learn more about this week of action at https://lnkd.in/dThHN-U

     

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  • Community and Family Engagement Council (CFEC) is Recruiting New Members - Applications Due August 5th!

    The Help Me Grow LA Community and Family Engagement Council (CFEC) is recruiting new members, with applications due August 5.  CFEC is an advisory group to Help Me Grow LA, made up of Parent Champions familiar with the experiences of children with or at risk of behavioral and developmental delays, who want to help create a more supportive and equitable early childhood system. CFEC’s role is to represent the family perspective, to help ensure that early childhood services meet the needs of families, and to ensure that families and children remain at the center of all HMG LA efforts. As thanks for sharing their time and expertise, all CFEC members will have the choice to receive gift cards or honorariums. To learn more, please read the attached FAQ or visit www.helpmegrowla.org

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